Date:
March 20, 2015
To:
Anna Pendergrass, Director
Katy Myers, Operations Manager
From: Karen Murphy, Human Resources Manager
Cc:
Dispatch Staff, CRESA Admin Board, file
Re:
Review of Complaint File for the Year 2014
Per CALEA Standard 1.4.11 and CRESA Written Directive 01.009, I reviewed all internal investigations
complaints filed with CRESA during 2014.
The purpose of this report is to identify any trends in conduct or performance to mitigate before they
cause additional similar problems or expose the Agency and its users to preventable liability or risk.
Trends will be reviewed to ensure that personnel provide professional service, that personnel are well
trained, and that internal investigations are timely, fair and impartial.
General Overview
Out of 384,160 total incoming calls received by 9-1-1 Operations in 2014, nine complaints were filed
resulting in investigations. All of the nine complaints pertained to 9-1-1 Operations Division services
and/or personnel.
This is the tenth year CRESA has completed an annual review of complaints to identify trends in conduct
and performance. The number of complaints compared to calls per year continues to show a very low
ratio of complaints to calls:
Year
Total Complaints / Concerns
Total Calls
Ratio: Complaints to Calls
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
9
10
9
23
17
384,160
375,458
380,654
377,412
378,718
1 : 42,684
1 : 37,546
1 : 42,295
1 : 16,409
1 : 22,278
Of the 9 complaints filed in 2014, the origination is as follows:
 2 filed by Law Enforcement User Agencies (22%)
 0 filed by Fire/EMS User Agencies (0%)
 0 filed by CRESA Managers or Supervisors (0%)
 5 filed by CRESA Employees (56%)
 1 filed by Private Citizens (11%)
 1 filed by Representatives from other Agencies (non-Law, Fire, EMS) (11%)
The 9 complaints involved allegations which resulted in the following investigation findings:
 5 (56%) Substantiated Alleged action / behavior DID occur
 4 (44%) Unsubstantiated Alleged action / behavior DID NOT occur


0 (0%) Exonerated Alleged action / behavior OCCURRED but was IN COMPLIANCE with procedure /
policy
0 (0%) Indeterminate Insufficient information to determine WHETHER OR NOT action / behavior
occurred
Analysis:
 2014’s 9 total complaints were lower than the average 15 complaints per year in the prior 5 years.





56% of 2014 complaints were substantiated; lower than the average 67% over the prior 5 years.
22% of 2014 complaints were generated by Law Agencies, nearly equivalent to the average 21% of
complaints by Law of all complaints in the past 5 years.
0% of 2014 complaints were generated by Fire Agencies, lower than the past 5 years’ 24% average.
22% of 2014 complaints were generated by Citizens or individuals representing Business; lower than
the average 32% Citizen / Business complaints averaged in the past 5 years.
56% of 2014 complaints were initiated by CRESA staff, higher than the 18% average in the past 5
years.
Complaint Results Overview
The 9 complaints included:
 4 (44%) Rudeness, inappropriate behavior / conduct (3 of 4 – 75% were Substantiated; 3 of 4 – 75%
were generated by internal complaints about employee behavior towards each other)
 4 (44%) Fail to follow procedures (0 of 4 – 0% were Substantiated)
 1 (11%) Fail to follow procedures, resulting in Service Delay or No Service (0 of 1 – 0% were
Substantiated)
 0 (0%) Error or inaccuracy in work
 6 (67%) Conduct, Fail to follow internal (non-ops) policies (5 of 6 – 83% were Substantiated)
 0 (0%) Responder Safety issues
Of the Substantiated Allegations:
 5 allegations were substantiated due to employee error or judgment (issues relating to “Person”)
o 0 were caused by Employee Performance - failure to follow operational procedure
o 0 were caused by Employee Performance – failure to follow operations procedure with result of
Delay in Service or No Service
o 0 were caused by Employee Performance – inaccuracy in work
o 5 were caused by Employee Conduct – failure to follow Personnel or Conduct Policies
Unsubstantiated Complaints / Indeterminate Complaints
 4 of 9 allegations were unsubstantiated. Investigations about each of these allegations exonerated
the dispatcher of any error or wrong doing or failure to follow policy or procedure.
Substantiated Complaints
Analysis:
 0 (0%) of 2014 substantiated allegations dealt with employee performance. The most frequent
errors reported allegations of employee error, or failure to follow procedures – 4 of 9, with 0
substantiated.
 5 (56%) of 2014 substantiated allegations dealt with employee conduct issues, particular to internal
policies and procedures not directly related to dispatch operations.

0 (0%) of 2014 substantiated allegations dealt with responder safety issues. CRESA’s goal, and the
goal of each staff, is to consistently ensure responder safety. Therefore, to have no concerns and
complaints pertaining to officer safety issues is the ideal outcome. This is the third year where there
have been no substantiated complaints in this area. CRESA and user agencies continue to hold
regular meetings to discuss and ensure the best protocols, policies and procedures are used in the
work and to make appropriate changes as needed.
Unsubstantiated and Exonerated Complaints
Analysis and Summary:
 Complaints of rudeness are not uncommon, since a caller’s perception of a dispatcher’s actions or
tone is subjective to that caller. It is valuable for both management and individual employees to
review such allegations carefully, regardless of whether they are substantiated or unsubstantiated.
In the one exonerated rudeness complaint, the reporting party perceived the call-taker as being
snippy. The one rudeness complaint that came from an external source was reviewed and found to
be unsubstantiated.
 Complaints of rudeness or other inappropriate behavior among employees is also not uncommon.
Four complaints were made during 2014 and each was thoroughly investigated, including interviews
for the alleging parties, the accused and witnesses. In each of those cases, the allegations were
founded. The complaints were investigated promptly and appropriate corrective action was taken,
along with establishing future conduct expectations.
 Communications and respectful treatment proved to be issue that needed to be dealt with during
the year. Responding to complaints and concerns swiftly and directly, and in a positive and
professional manner, continued to be a key goal throughout 2014. The substantiated complaints
regarding employees’ treatment and behavior to each other and against CRESA’s values were
addressed with the employees as issues arose. CRESA continues to uphold its values of dedication,
integrity, creativity, passion, communication and concern as the standard in how employees will
treat each other, the work and everyone we come into contact with, and employees who fail to
uphold those values were held accountable for their actions and conduct.
 It is difficult to draw specific conclusions from the absence of complaints. However, it is a positive
outcome that the technology that records Dispatcher work has proven to reliably provide
information to make conclusive determinations about complaints.
 Complaint findings of Exonerated can often reveal “Process” or “Policy” concerns or expectations.
While an employee’s actions may have been within standards, the public or user agency expectation
of service may be different than what is possible by Process or provided by Policy. There were no
Exonerated finding in 2014.
 CRESA review patterns of complaint conclusions - Unsubstantiated, Substantiated, Indeterminate
and especially Exonerated, to ensure Process or Policy concerns are addressed by the appropriate
stakeholders at the lowest level.
 CRESA continues to meet with user agencies and their respective stakeholders and advisory
committees to discuss and implement quick resolutions to technical, procedural or policy issues that
come up during the year whether those were identified through the complaint process or through
other channels.
Complaint Investigation and Processing
Nine complaints were
# of Complaints
investigated by
Investigated
internal staff, as
follows: Investigator
Supervisor Janie
1 complaint
Chaney
Supervisor Heidi
1 complaint
Elliott
Supervisor John
3 complaints
Gaylord
Supervisor Jodi
Gaylord
Supervisor Andrew
Walker
Supervisor Lynn
Walker
Ops Mgr Katy Myers
Findings
Timeframe to
Complete
Substantiated
1 complaint completed
within 30 days.
1 complaint completed
within 30 days.
1 complaint completed
within 30 days.
The 2 other complaints
were investigated
within 30 days each,
but were related to
other performance
improvement
measures and final
disposition was not
concluded within 30
days per incident.
Unsubstantiated
2 Substantiated, 1
Unsubstantiated
0 complaints
0 complaints
0 complaints
4 complaints
2 Substantiated, 2
Unsubstantiated
2 complaints
completed within 30
days. 2 complaints
required a longer time
to investigate
(interview employees,
gather information,
etc.) and were not
concluded within 30
days
Analysis and Summary:
 5 investigations (56%) were completed within the required 30 day timeframe.

9 complaints involved employees working in the 9-1-1 Dispatch Operations Division. A total of 58
individuals worked in this division during 2014 as Dispatchers, Dispatcher Trainees working on the
dispatch floor with a Communication Training Officer (CTO) or as Dispatch Supervisors.
The following is the breakdown of the number of complaints filed regarding CRESA 9-1-1 Operations
staff:

46 of 58 employees (79%) had zero complaints filed about them.

11 of 58 employees (19%) had 1 complaint filed about them.

1 of 58 employees (2%) had 2 complaints filed about them.


0 of 58 employees (0%) had 3+ complaints filed about them.
Dispatch complaint investigators were assigned by the Operations Manager primarily based on the
Supervisor / Employee relationship. Complaint findings and conclusions were deduced from written
CAD data, call recordings, radio recordings, employee interviews and/or complainant interviews.
0 of 9 complaints involved employees working in CRESA’s other divisions programs. A total of 25
individuals worked in these 25 positions / FTEs during 2014. The following breakdowns the
complaints:
25 of 25 Admin employees had zero complaints filed about them.


Trends or Patterns Discovered and Recommended Corrective Actions
Analysis:
 Corrective actions for 2014’s substantiated complaints are very similar to the past 5 years’ trends

Appropriate corrective actions were determined by review of all relevant data, including employee’s
prior actions and/or complaints; time in the position; mitigating circumstances pertaining directly to
the call; etc.

Training / Coaching – Training, coaching and reviewing proper procedures and protocol remains the
most commonly used correction. It is used in conjunction with all other levels of corrective action
for substantiated complaints: including Oral Counseling, Oral Warning, and Written Warning or
higher.


Training, coaching and reviewing proper procedures and protocol is also widely used as a refresher
tool for performance trends or patterns noted throughout the work year by supervisors.
2 of the 9 complaints were addressed using Coaching or Oral Counseling.

2 of the 9 complaints were addressed using Oral Warning.

1 of the 9 complaints was addressed using Written Warnings.

Corrective actions higher than Written Warnings (e.g. Suspensions, Demotions, etc.) were not used
for any substantiated complaints in 2014.

Complaint Investigators recommend corrective action in their report and conclusions. These
recommendations are reviewed and approved by the Operations Manager (for Dispatch complaints)
and the Director for all complaints prior to corrective action being delivered.
Investigators followed due process regarding employee notification of complaints, investigation and
delivery of corrective action as necessary.


Where there might have been significant corrective action such as suspension or termination, CRESA
would have also notified the Washington Cities Insurance Authority (WCIA) for review and input
prior to delivering corrective action. There were four instances where this was the case in 2014.
Summary: Investigators conducted the 2014 investigations in a professional manner. Four complaints
came to the attention of CRESA management through external complainants. Five complaints came to
the attention of CRESA management from an employee. There is no indication that the investigation of
complaints is being done in a manner to target an employee. Employees received coaching and/or
corrective action appropriate for the nature and severity of the complaints.
Complaint Review and Reporting
 This review of 2014 Complaint Investigations will be reported to the Agency Director and included in
the Agency Annual Report, which will be provided to the CRESA Administrative Board and CRESA
employees.

A copy of this review will be filed with the 2014 Complaint Investigations.

A copy of this review will be included in the 2014 CALEA file for CALEA Standard 1.4.11.