Across Wisconsin, 911 dispatch shortages continue, but an outgoing Dane County leader is making sure he leaves as a trailblazer, by building up a new pilot program.
The Dane County 911 Communications Center backup screen lit up with an intense new police call scenario.
“Is there any weapons involved?” high school senior Owen Reeves said into his headset during the simulation.
“Yeah, I really, I hear a lot of yelling, screaming,” recently retired operations manager Paul Logan said.
Logan played the role of a concerned neighbor hearing possible shots fired. The 30-year communication center veteran knew Reeves had one goal: to keep the caller on the line as long as possible.
“Yeah, I’m just here in the house. Holy smokes, I just heard another shot,” he said.