911 - Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center
Our people
Programs and divisions
Purpose and context
Minneapolis 911 forms the vital link between the public and emergency responders. The department strives to collect and disseminate all requests for service in a prompt, courteous, and efficient manner. The department's actions help save lives, protect property, and assist the public in their time of need. We make decisions that make a difference. In order to carry out this mission, MECC/911 has set the following goals:
- According to NENA (National Emergency Number Association) standards, the national average for call answer times is to answer 95 percent of the calls in less than 15 seconds. With the staffing shortage we have been experiencing in 2022, MECC is still falling within the 15-second threshold, averaging 07-14 seconds for the year. Our internal benchmark is to answer these calls in 10 seconds or less.
- We are happy to be able to return to reaching out to the public in person, joining events such as Community Connections, open streets, and job fairs. Events like these provide us an opportunity to answer questions for the public and give them a chance to meet the voices that are often heard but never seen by the public or responders.
- All call centers use quality assurance as the best measuring tool to ensure the department goals are being met. We are giving internal and external stakeholders the best possible customer care. We are further developing our quality assurance program by integrating internal education, streamlining the process, and developing better statistical information to ensure we continue improving upon our current average of 92.16 percent of Quality Assurance scores.
Services provided
MECC Dispatchers provide emergency communications services to community members and those visiting the City of Minneapolis, a direct link to first responders during their emergent needs.
Dispatchers help community members who call 911 by providing a caring, calming voice to reassure them that Police, Fire, and EMS are on the way. Dispatchers gather all pertinent information needed to provide the necessary service to a caller and relay that information to the City’s first responders, prioritizing the safety of all involved upon arrival. MECC works with 311 to provide non-emergency services and when 311 is not open. Staff participates in community events messaging emergency communication education while building relationships throughout the community.
MECC takes approximately 580,000-600,000 emergency and non-emergency calls per year. Continuous tracking of call information allows us to develop a substantial standard of call answer time. In addition, community outreach programs and building a solid Quality assurance program will assist us in delivering the best possible service to the City of Minneapolis.
Race equity impacts
MECC works in full support of the City of Minneapolis Racial Equity Impact Analysis. The Dispatchers are here to provide caring support during crises for all communities in Minneapolis regardless of age, gender, race, sex, or economic status. Each call is handled with the utmost care to determine the best emergency response or support referral possible.
MECC is now dispatching the BCR (Behavioral Crisis Response team), which allows for further growth and understanding in assisting the community needs of the most vulnerable constituents. With this added opportunity for growth, MECC hopes to establish a more robust communication and relationship with the community.
M.C.O Title 6, Chapter 128 provide the legal information governing communications within Emergency Management.