KING COUNTY, WA - On Tuesday, February 10, a King County audit found that the King County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) 911 communication center meets national standards for answering emergency calls but lacks clear procedures for connecting callers to non-police responses for behavioral health crises.
The report, reviewed by KOMO News, was from the King County Auditor's Office and said that the 911 center lacks a standard operating procedure to guide call receivers on when and how to route callers to alternatives such as Crisis Connections or the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
As a result, responding officers are often responsible for making referrals, using limited law enforcement resources, and some behavioral health-related calls without a law enforcement emergency may not receive a follow-up.
The audit reviewed operations from 2020 through 2025, focusing on behavioral health calls, services for vulnerable populations, and staffing and scheduling challenges. There are a total of 11 King County 911 centers and they handle more than 300,000 emergency calls annually and dispatches deputies to unincorporated King County and 12 contract partners.
Auditors found leadership continuity has been a challenge because the center is overseen by a rotating captain position rather than a civilian leader with emergency communication experience. The report said transitions have disrupted ongoing initiatives, including efforts to modernize responses to behavioral health needs.
The audit also found that staffing shortages have led to heavy reliance on mandatory overtime. About one in six call receiver and dispatcher positions is vacant,and backfilling for compensatory leave accounts for roughly half of the required overtime.
Supervisors lack scheduling software and rely on manual tools, which limits the time available for call quality monitoring. Despite these challenges, the 911 communication centers met the national requirement that 90% of 911 calls be answered within 15 seconds every month since January 2024.
"The Sheriff's Office has committed to taking steps to improve service for vulnerable callers and efficiency of communications center operations," Auditor Kymber Waltmunson said.
The Auditor's Office made several recommendations, all of which were accepted by the King County Executive and the Sheriff's Office, including developing procedures for non-police responses, improving language access, transitioning to civilian leadership, and upgrading scheduling systems.
The report, reviewed by KOMO News, was from the King County Auditor's Office and said that the 911 center lacks a standard operating procedure to guide call receivers on when and how to route callers to alternatives such as Crisis Connections or the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
As a result, responding officers are often responsible for making referrals, using limited law enforcement resources, and some behavioral health-related calls without a law enforcement emergency may not receive a follow-up.
The audit reviewed operations from 2020 through 2025, focusing on behavioral health calls, services for vulnerable populations, and staffing and scheduling challenges. There are a total of 11 King County 911 centers and they handle more than 300,000 emergency calls annually and dispatches deputies to unincorporated King County and 12 contract partners.
Auditors found leadership continuity has been a challenge because the center is overseen by a rotating captain position rather than a civilian leader with emergency communication experience. The report said transitions have disrupted ongoing initiatives, including efforts to modernize responses to behavioral health needs.
The audit also found that staffing shortages have led to heavy reliance on mandatory overtime. About one in six call receiver and dispatcher positions is vacant,and backfilling for compensatory leave accounts for roughly half of the required overtime.
Supervisors lack scheduling software and rely on manual tools, which limits the time available for call quality monitoring. Despite these challenges, the 911 communication centers met the national requirement that 90% of 911 calls be answered within 15 seconds every month since January 2024.
"The Sheriff's Office has committed to taking steps to improve service for vulnerable callers and efficiency of communications center operations," Auditor Kymber Waltmunson said.
The Auditor's Office made several recommendations, all of which were accepted by the King County Executive and the Sheriff's Office, including developing procedures for non-police responses, improving language access, transitioning to civilian leadership, and upgrading scheduling systems.
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