BUFFALO, N.Y. -- They're often the "first" first responders - men and women who take the 911 calls at Erie County's Central Police Services. That fact alone can be pretty stressful.
"All kinds of phone calls: Shooting, stabbings, domestic violence. It can be very taxing to workers,” said CSEA spokesperson Ove Overmyer.
Around two dozen CPS employees wrote in August to the Erie County Legislature with complaints about their work schedule. County Executive Mark Poloncarz said they were subject to forced overtime due to a staffing shortage, and workers say they were required to work 16-hour days.
"Really having a difficult time dealing with being there for double shifts or a shift and a half in a high stress environment,” said Majority Leader Joseph Lorigo, R-West Seneca.
Local lawmakers backed the call takers Thursday morning as the legislature approved a resolution to improve their work environment. We're told the call takers and dispatchers just want a better work-life balance in a job where people's lives are in their hands.
"This is such an important position and when workers are fatigued or the scheduling is a problem, I think they're willing to go forward and see how it works," said Minority Leader Tom Loughran, D-Amherst.
Members of CSEA Local 815 will now vote on a memorandum of understanding next week to move shifts to a 12-hour schedule. If approved, Overmyer told us it'll go into effect for a 6-month trial period.
"It's a grueling job. Sometimes it's a thankless job. Moving to this kind of operation, to improve the scheduling for the workers is going to improve productivity,” added Overmyer.