Center Staffing the Same Since 1996

A Tacoma (Wash.) weekly newspaper has published a long article on the Law Enforcement Support Agency (LESA) that handles dispatching for Pierce County, Tacoma and several other cities, saying it’s “understaffed and underfunded.” LESA director Tom Orr told the reporter, “LESA is at a critical juncture as to how its future unfolds,” since authorized staffing hasn’t been increased in 12 years. Orr says he’d like 17 additional positions. Overtime for radio dispatchers is up 35.6% since 2006, he noted. Read more about the situation and the dispatchers’ reactions here.