In an effort to improve the city’s 911 answer times, Denverites will soon pay a higher fee on their monthly phone bills.
The Denver City Council approved the increase, from $1.20 per month to $2.12, during a block vote in a Monday meeting.
Under standards set by the National Emergency Number Association, 90% of 911 calls should be answered in 15 seconds and 95% should be answered in 20 seconds or less.
Denver hasn’t consistently met those goals since at least 2021, according to a presentation from the city’s Department of Public Safety. That’s largely because of staffing shortages, including a recent surge in the amount of leave time employees are using since new state and city family leave policies have become available, said Andrew Dameron, the city’s director of emergency communications.
In 2024, there was a 334% increase in overall leave usage over previous years, Dameron said during a March 5 committee hearing.
“This isn’t leave abuse. These are employees using the benefits that are available to them,” Dameron said. “It’s just one of those unintended consequences of these acts and changes.”
While the department has improved its overall staffing numbers, the increase in employee leave negates those effects, Dameron said.
The city wants updated technology and more staff members to help them meet the standards.
The new rate, which reflects about a 76% increase, is the highest possible fee under a cap set by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. The last time the city adjusted the charge was in 2019.
“Denver is long overdue for a surcharge increase based on the needs of the city and inflationary pressures,” according to a city document detailing the proposal.
Denver’s rate is currently ranked the 51st highest out of 56 among 911 authorities across the state, according to Dameron’s presentation.
The new rate, which will be effective June 1, will impact any phone number that has a Denver billing address.
The dollars raised by the charge are primarily used for things like infrastructure, software and emergency notification services including Amber Alerts and emergency weather alerts. After those needs have been met, they can be used for other priorities, such as staffing.
A city audit released in December showed none of Denver’s major emergency medical response services — including 911, fire and EMS — met their response-time goals between May 2023 and March 2024.
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