Police and city officials say that Philadelphia’s 911 call center has been experiencing a shortage of dispatchers. With this shortage, students are wondering if Temple Police or Campus Safety are affected.
Alicia Marcantoni, a junior at Temple, says she was at a friend’s house when 911 didn’t answer her call. She called about a crowd of people outside getting out of hand.
“We all called on multiple different phones, and there was still no answer,” Marcantoni said. “And then, not even 5 minutes later, there was a gunshot.”
A shortage of Philadelphia 911 staff is a concern for many Temple students.
“It’s upsetting to hear that if you need help, you won’t be able to get it right away,” said Kate Dewolf, a junior.
But Temple is not being affected by the shortage in dispatcher, according to Campus Police.
Executive Director of Campus Safety, Charles J. Leone, said, “The Communication Center at Temple Police remains fully staffed.”
Leone also stated they are, “committed to providing the best services in staffing our center with certified dispatchers.”
Temple Police wants to remind students that they can directly reach their dispatchers by calling 215-204-1234 from a cell phone.
You can also press the button on the blue emergency phones located around campus.
In the event that you do need to call 911, police say to stay on the line. Your call will automatically be placed at the end of the queue if you hang up and call back.
Police also stated to call 311 for non-emergencies.
You can go to the Campus Safety Services’ website for more information.
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