DeKalb 9-1-1 adjusts dispatcher schedules to curb overtime while maintaining pay

Molineux described a scheduling revision intended to lower overtime costs while keeping dispatchers' total compensation stable and improving work‑life balance.

"So what we done was kinda recalculate that to reduce the overtime, added money on to their hourly wage to compensate them for that extra time, and now they only have to work 3 days a week. So they get 36 hours each week, they make the same amount of money, and they get more time with their family," Molineux said. He credited the 9‑1‑1 board for making the change in the recent budget.

He said staffing levels are being planned incrementally: current typical staffing is three dispatchers per shift, and he anticipates needing a fourth within a couple of years as call volume and community growth increase. No formal hiring action was announced on the programmatic call.