COUNCILMEMBER PINTO ANNOUNCES NEW LEGISLATION AND TARGETED OVERSIGHT TO IMPROVE OUC PERFORMANCE AND TRANSPARENCY
Washington, DC – Today, Councilmember Pinto shared the “Transparency in Emergency Response Amendment Act of 2024” and a robust oversight plan to improve performance, transparency, and accountability at the Office of Unified Communications (OUC), which manages the District's 911 call operations.
“I join residents in expressing deep concern around continued errors and challenges at our Office of Unified Communications 911 call center operations," said Councilmember Pinto. “The standard for our emergency response must be 100% accuracy. The Transparency in Emergency Response bill and oversight interventions I will be focused on this fall target improved performance, transparency, and public trust in our 911 operations to provide residents the emergency response they deserve.”
Councilmember Pinto announced her plans today following a tour of OUC’s 911 call center. This fall, Councilmember Pinto and the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety will
- Hold monthly public oversight hearings on OUC;
- Conduct unannounced visits to OUC’s 911 call center every other week; and
- Introduce the Transparency in Emergency Response Amendment Act of 2024.
The Transparency in Emergency Response Amendment Act builds upon the mandated public dashboard and transparency measures Councilmember Pinto introduced and the Council unanimously passed as part of her Secure DC Omnibus to provide greater insight into concerning trends related to below-minimum staffing levels and errors at OUC. The new bill will:
- Require the public release of After-Action Reports within 45 days of any incident for which there is reason to believe errors led to serious injury or death.
- Require the public release of the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) report, transcripts and recording of the 911 calls, and any other documents describing possible errors or concerns regarding the emergency response.
Councilmember Pinto will also hold monthly public oversight hearings of OUC this fall. These hearings will focus on:
- Recent Operational Failures and Accidents
- Performance and Transparency Metrics
- Technology and Multi-Agency Coordination
As a critical part of Councilmember Pinto’s oversight of OUC, the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety will conduct routine unannounced visits to OUC’s 911 call center this fall. These unannounced visits aim to increase insights and transparency into day-to-day operations, publicly reported metrics, and opportunities for improvements in emergency response.
The Transparency in Emergency Response Amendment Act of 2024 may be viewed here.
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