[jjoyce]

Jason Shepard reports from Monday's hearing

... as does Blaska

[CaptainJustice64]

This is crap. I am ashamed of the 911 system and everyone that works there.

I feel that this error in leadership is the last straw.

It's time to stop funding the 911 system in Madison. Close up shop for good.

For clearly the hundreds of thousands of calls the center has answered over the years, all people in need - is not good enough. How dare they botch 1 call, clearly they have no idea what they are doing.

It's time to put the old beast down, in a humane way.

I am sure the more professional 911 centers in nearby towns who have never botched a call will cover us.

This story is just a sad example of a different, a hybrid, type of white woman syndrome.

In your heart, do you really think this would be as large of a story if this person were say, a Hmong male, a black female, or any type of Latino?

If you say no, a part of your soul is lying.

Seek therapy.

P.S. Please, one per family.

[Lisa Subeck]

Here's an issue where liberals and conservatives agree, but you wouldn't know it following the news stories and commentary regarding the 911 debacle. Everyone wants and expects better, but all the political posturing is getting in the way of meaningful action.

Here's what we've got so far...
Almost immediately, Progressive Dane's newest campus-area County Sup Wyndham Manning called for an audit of the 911 Center. Long-time conservative Sup Dave Wiganowsky quickly followed suit calling for an audit of his own. About the same time, conservative Jack Martz and liberal Brett Hulsey entered the AM radio sandbox for a little spat over 911 oversight. Bob Salov (not sure whether to label him liberal or conservative, and he's not exactly moderate either) whined to conservative blogger and ex-Sup Dave Blaska that he wasn't reappointed to the 911 oversight committee, as if his reappointment would have prevented this tragedy. Liberal Board Chair Scott McDonell held a meeting to investigate the problem. This wasn't good enough, so conservatives Eileen Bruskewitz, Ronn Ferrell, and Jack Martz called an informal public hearing of their own. Liberal McDonnell sends a memo stating that the County Board's Exec Committee will likely approve an audit of 911 at it's next meeting. At the public hearing, Liberal/Progressive Dane Sup John Hendrick announces his proposal for a new tax to fund 911 needs and reaffirms his support for an independent audit. Conservative Bruskewitz will trump other audit proposals with an audit of her own because others are too limited in scope. Did I miss anyone?

Funny thing is that there seems to be general agreement among liberal and conservative Supervisors on the basic points: Brittany Zimmerman's call to 911 was mishandled; Such a screw up can't be allowed to happen again; and Adequate funding and staffing are needed for the center to prevent critical errors. And there's at least some agreement that at least some audit or investigation is needed to ensure the County gets to the root of the problem.

So, what's the delay? And why all the fighting? It's time for both sides to drop the political posturing and take some real action before it's too late again.

[cxl01]

Here's an issue where liberals and conservatives agree, but you wouldn't know it following the news stories and commentary regarding the 911 debacle.

So, what's the delay? And why all the fighting? It's time for both sides to drop the political posturing and take some real action before it's too late again.

My head is still spinning from flipping through the county board org chart and connecting all the dots in an attempt to absorb the info in your post...

But it sounds like the system is seriously broken (to say the least).

[jjoyce]

So, what's the delay? And why all the fighting?

Could it be due to a lack of leadership at the county level?

[nevermore]

Here's an issue where liberals and conservatives agree, but you wouldn't know it following the news stories and commentary regarding the 911 debacle. Everyone wants and expects better, but all the political posturing is getting in the way of meaningful action.

Here's what we've got so far...
Almost immediately, Progressive Dane's newest campus-area County Sup Wyndham Manning called for an audit of the 911 Center. Long-time conservative Sup Dave Wiganowsky quickly followed suit calling for an audit of his own. About the same time, conservative Jack Martz and liberal Brett Hulsey entered the AM radio sandbox for a little spat over 911 oversight. Bob Salov (not sure whether to label him liberal or conservative, and he's not exactly moderate either) whined to conservative blogger and ex-Sup Dave Blaska that he wasn't reappointed to the 911 oversight committee, as if his reappointment would have prevented this tragedy. Liberal Board Chair Scott McDonell held a meeting to investigate the problem. This wasn't good enough, so conservatives Eileen Bruskewitz, Ronn Ferrell, and Jack Martz called an informal public hearing of their own. Liberal McDonnell sends a memo stating that the County Board's Exec Committee will likely approve an audit of 911 at it's next meeting. At the public hearing, Liberal/Progressive Dane Sup John Hendrick announces his proposal for a new tax to fund 911 needs and reaffirms his support for an independent audit. Conservative Bruskewitz will trump other audit proposals with an audit of her own because others are too limited in scope. Did I miss anyone?

Funny thing is that there seems to be general agreement among liberal and conservative Supervisors on the basic points: Brittany Zimmerman's call to 911 was mishandled; Such a screw up can't be allowed to happen again; and Adequate funding and staffing are needed for the center to prevent critical errors. And there's at least some agreement that at least some audit or investigation is needed to ensure the County gets to the root of the problem.

So, what's the delay? And why all the fighting? It's time for both sides to drop the political posturing and take some real action before it's too late again.

It looks like the County Board Chair has taken action and looks to be taking more action. Most everything else around it is noise. Of course, that doesn't fit a certain media narrative of "Teh County Board Sux!!1!"

[Fidelitas]

Could it be due to a lack of leadership at the county level?

And what about at the City level?

I just read that Alder Judge hasn't shown up for any of the Public Safety Review Board meeting during the last year. As an elected official and a student he should ask himself what his responsibility is.

It's a shame to have the death of one of his peer students be the catalyst of leaving the PSRB.

[jjoyce]

Student alders... what are ya gonna do?

Oh, and teh county bored sux!!1!

[nevermore]

Oh, and teh county bored sux!!1!

You should enable signatures and make that yours.

[rfjm]

In reference to Jason Shepard's article, I need to make one minor clarification. The statement read at the Fitchburg forum was presented by Roger Finch, DCDSA Board member. I am not the current president of the DCDSA, and presented the statement at the meeting as a member of our board and our Association.

Thank You,
Roger Finch

[roadkill bill]

So, what's the delay? And why all the fighting? It's time for both sides to drop the political posturing and take some real action before it's too late again.

My guess is that it comes down to funding.

Sure, everyone agrees that "something needs to be done," but the liberals want to throw money at the problem, and the conservatives want more people, more training, more technology with no additional funding. Or maybe they want to lock everyone up until they do their jobs properly.

That's the problem with the Small Government people. They get upset when their Small Government doesn't meet the needs of their constituents. They then have to show they are "doing something" without raising taxes.

[Dulouz]

From reading the media and seeing the pols react, one would think that people are being murdered in a drunken rampage due to the willingness of drunk bartenders to coddle the homeless.

Last month in Chicago, 38 people were shot and 9 killed in one day. We have three unsolved murders in 9 months and one would think that civilization has come to an end.

What is more, almost all of the murders that I have lived through in Madison have been the result of a bad drug deal or a bad relationship or both. I have no reason to suspect that the three unsolved murders are suddenly bucking that trend, yet it seems that the assumption is that these three murders represent a new and unheard modus operandi in Madison.

I think that people watch too much television.

[CaptainJustice64]

I agree with Dulouz.

I have spent time in New York City and honestly there was so much crime on the news that our little frat barbecue, 1 college student, and some very minor mishandling of a 911 prank call.

Yes I say prank call, since the 911 operator had no idea that this prank call was a real call. The worked had no clue that a young white college girl was about to be totally destroyed, then killed. The worker filed it away with the 80 other prank calls that day. Send cops to all of those prank call locations?

Time to hire 50 more cops!!

The worst part is that the majority of the talking heads in Madison have no clue about the 911 system, no clue about the operations of a 911 system, etc.

And the ULTIMATE worst thing is this widespread belief that you don't have to learn how to defend yourself, you don't need to carry a defensive weapon, etc.

Just call 911, and everything will be ok!

Sorry, cell phones do not stop knives, bullets, or a rape.

A violent defense protects you from knives, bullets, or a rape.

Wake up. Get your kids at least some basic self defense. Most of the morons who walk around campus with $500 cell phones attached to their ears have no clue that a simple rolled up newspaper or magazine can be very helpful when attacked with a knife.

I should not be so upset. I already know the deal.

Republicans defend our country in battle.
Democrats whine and bitch about our country
while sipping the latest Starbucks drink in no fear of being attacked by the enemy.

- CaptainJustice 64

P.S. The third mustard jar on the left on the fourth shelf has gone bad. Shame on you.

[Bruno]

I am sure the more professional 911 centers in nearby towns who have never botched a call will cover us.

Damn... I hate to say it, but I agree with CaptainJustice64 here. If only we'd let the free market take care of these things without unfair government interference, the best 911 call center that money can buy would emerge victorious to provide a variety of subscription packages for those who can afford it. Maybe even bundle with police and fire coverage to save even more (promotional rates good for 6 months only).

[Donald]

First of all, public safety is a function of government, and privatising it won't solve the issue. The problem really isn't at the call center. It's with the public.

My wife used to work for the telephone company as an operator back in old days (think Lilly Tomlin's "Ernestine"). Operators then often served as 911 operators do now when people would call for police, fire or ambulance assistance. It didn't work well then, so they went to a 911 system.

The big problem then, as now, are bogus calls by stupid people. It simply clogs up the system. Maybe the best solution is to charge people for non-emergency calls made through the 911 system. A steep charge might keep the dumbasses from playing around on the phone. The people that put 911 on speed dial and accidentally hit the key can pay for their stupidity. For repeat offenders, a little jail time might be needed.