Overview
- The city started a limited, phased launch of the new computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system on Sept. 22, running parts of the platform in live simulation while keeping the 30-year-old system available as an active backup.
- City officials and the vendor say the system passed stress tests that handled 3,800 calls in an hour, provided more than 4,600 hours of classroom training, and reduced average task time in tests from 90 to 63 seconds.
- Dispatchers, union leaders and at least 14 alderpersons reported real-world glitches including dropped calls, callback failures and delays, and they have demanded briefings and warned they may hold public hearings.
- There is no firm date for a full switchover; the mayor's office says on-site technical staff from the Department of Technology and Innovation and CentralSquare will support OEMC during a stabilization period.
- The upgrade traces to a nearly $75 million CentralSquare contract signed in 2019 and was delayed by the pandemic, and its outcome will shape oversight of Chicago’s 911 operations and the daily work of call takers and first responders.