# OEMC Launches New 911 System Amid Council Concerns

> Chicago rolls out new 911 dispatch system despite City Council pushback.
- Title: OEMC Launches New 911 System Amid Council Concerns | Shortify
- Summary: Chicago rolls out new 911 dispatch system despite City Council pushback. Chicago began using a new 911 dispatch system alongside its old one after 14…
- Keywords: oemc, 911 dispatch system, chicago city council, mayor brandon johnson, centralsquare technologies, emergency response, alderpersons, call routing, news, local, Launches, 911
- Source: Chicago Sun-Times — https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2026/09/22/oemc-new-911-dispatch-system-chicago-city-council
- Published: 2026-09-22T21:02:21.745+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: oemc, 911 dispatch system, chicago city council, mayor brandon johnson, centralsquare technologies, emergency response, alderpersons, call routing, news, local
## New 911 System Launches
Chicago began rolling out a new 911 dispatch system Tuesday that officials say will improve emergency response times.
## City Council Pushback
14 alderpersons expressed concerns and requested additional information about the system’s stability and call handling.
## Council Concerns
Ald. Chris Taliaferro said the new system was dropping calls and routing some calls to the wrong department.
## Mayor’s Response
The mayor’s office said the system handled 3,800 911 calls during stress testing and met response-time requirements.
## Contract Details
Chicago signed a nearly $75 million contract with CentralSquare Technologies in 2019 to upgrade its 30-year-old system.
## System Benefits
The new system will improve emergency response times by up to 33 seconds and streamline police, fire, and medical dispatch operations.
## Dual System Operation
The new system will operate alongside the older system to maintain Chicago’s public safety infrastructure.
## Taliaferro’s Assessment
Taliaferro called keeping the legacy system as a backup the right move to ensure the new system functions properly.
## Training Progress
Dispatchers completed more than 4,600 hours of classroom instruction to use the new system by October 2025.
## Next Steps
The city will begin offering briefings with alderpersons next week to monitor the system’s progress.
## Key takeaway

Chicago began using a new 911 dispatch system alongside its old one after 14 alderpersons raised concerns about stability and call routing.