Testing begins on call center staffing tool

The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center is beta testing an online calculator designed to help public-safety answering point managers determine their staffing needs by plugging in variables such as call volume, staff size and overtime hours. The application is expected to provide PSAP managers with quantitative evidence to support their staffing requests, said Tom Tolman, program manager. “It’s a common problem — those who control the purse strings need a second opinion that they can trust,“ he said. “The online calculator can help sway them.“

Tolman said the application should be ready to go by Fall 2005.