What Happens When 911 Stops Listening

A plea for accountability & integrity in evolving public safety services

This piece documents a public exchange and the broader governance context surrounding a newly-established regional 911 authority in rural New Mexico. It is published in the interest of transparency, accountability, and public trust.

As an internal perspective, framed through a broader grievance, this post is meant to invite informed scrutiny of how public safety institutions respond to internal decay amidst mergers, consolidations, governance issues and leadership concerns.

It is also a direct plea, advocating for a reinstatement of the higher-standards of public service that have been lost, not only in this one locality, but amidst a trending number of jurisdictions across the country as 911 centers increasingly move toward privatization, consolidation, and corporatization. With unchecked governance, this shift often comes at the expense of public safety.

Editor’s Note and Contextual Background

On April 24, 2025, a post titled “A Call for Unity and Understanding in Dispatch” was published by a supervisor with the Tularosa Basin Regional Dispatch Authority (TBRDA) on a City Watch-group Facebook page. The post appeared two days after an open Alamogordo City commission meeting, in which a number of current and former dispatchers raised concerns about leadership practices, workplace retaliation, and operational integrity.

The post was made in a public forum and framed as a direct internal response to concerns raised by dispatchers, as well as by city police and fire chiefs, regarding TBRDA’s leadership, as well as TBRDA administrative staff’s resistance to adhere to the governance of the TBRDA oversight board. Because access to the original post alternates between public accessibility and restriction to group members only, it has been reproduced here in full and without revision; this preserves the precise language and framing used by TBRDA superiors in their public address regarding the dispatchers’ and first responders' concerns that were brought before city commissioners two days prior.

What follows is the reproduction of my own personal response that I’d previously added to the public record through separate platforms elsewhere, restrained only for legal implications and confidentiality where necessary.

Having operated within this environment in a subordinate capacity to the author of ‘A Call for Unity,’ and having been employed as a dispatcher before, throughout, and after the multi-agency consolidation that brought TBRDA into existence, I feel compelled to hold a light up to the implications at hand.

While not written to attack any individual, the following is intended to highlight the mechanisms by which reality is often distorted and erased by institutional leaders who prioritize performances of efficiency for the sake of profitable incentives over the principles of accountability and integrity for the sake of duty to the public.

The record is offered in good faith, and in service of the public trust.

The Supervisor Post in Full:

A Call for Unity and Understanding in Dispatch

I find myself hesitating to comment on the current situation because the discussions surrounding it are charged with emotion. It’s clear that this is a topic that ignites strong feelings, and unfortunately, I fear that many of the details may not be fully grasped by all involved. Having devoted 24 years to what began as Otero County Dispatch and now TBRDA, I’ve witnessed many changes and the ebb and flow of numerous colleagues, each bringing their own unique truths and perspectives to our work.

In this moment, I want to clarify my stance: I will not be issuing letters of support for individuals. Instead, I am here to champion the heart of our operation—dispatch itself. Our collective efforts to unify our team have been extensive, and I firmly believe that togetherness is the answer to the challenges we face. We should strive to collaborate, bolstering one another rather than getting caught up in power dynamics that serve only to divide us. Ultimately, our mission is clear: ensuring the safety of both the public and our officers.

I truly sense that there are misunderstandings and misconceptions rampant in our current discourse, and it is my hope that these can be resolved by fostering a spirit of cooperation. If there are concerns regarding leadership, let’s approach those together, engage in dialogue, and work through the issues collaboratively. Throughout my career, I have supported every coworker, regardless of their previous experiences. Each individual has something valuable to contribute, and together, we create a stronger team.

It saddens me to acknowledge that we’ve lost some exceptional dispatchers—individuals who were integral to our system and whose training and dedication enhanced our operations. I do not believe that failing to renew the director’s contract will resolve our issues. On the contrary, such a decision could lead to prolonged difficulties that will only add to our existing burdens. I urge APD to reconsider its stance and to take a broader perspective. Remember, our commitment remains unchanged; you will always have a dedicated dispatcher at your side, no matter the building.

Furthermore, I have heard claims that our integration may have diminished the quality of care officers receive. I strongly disagree. I live with the constant weight of knowing how vital it is to hear and respond quickly to our officers in the field. The concern of missing crucial information is a burden I carry daily. Having personally experienced an officer‑involved shooting, this reality resonates deeply with me. Such fears are universal in our line of work, regardless of the structure of dispatch.

I genuinely care about all aspects of law enforcement, and I believe we each demonstrate that commitment in our roles. We do far more than simply push buttons; we are an essential part of the system—working tirelessly to ensure everything runs smoothly. I invite all commissioners, city officials, and county leaders to spend a day with us in dispatch. Join us for a full twelve‑hour shift. You would be welcomed with open arms and would leave with a vastly different perspective—most do, after experiencing firsthand what we do and how we operate as a cohesive unit.

Mistakes happen, but so do countless successes. Let’s focus on the strengths we’ve built together and continue working toward a common goal: supporting one another and serving our community with excellence.

Why a Response Is Necessary

Calls for unity are often offered with good intentions. In public safety, they are frequently invoked during moments of strain, change, or uncertainty. But unity language can also function, unintentionally or otherwise, to flatten dissent, obscure accountability, and reframe ethical concern as emotional discord.

I respond not because I reject unity, but because unity that requires silence from those closest to operational issues of integrity and legality is neither sustainable nor safe.

Adding Context to Reflections on TBRDA

Serving within the Tularosa Basin Regional Dispatch Authority (TBRDA) offered the opportunity to learn from supervisors who exemplified strategic thinking under pressure, creative problem‑solving, and a fierce loyalty to public safety. Those early lessons shaped my understanding of what public service demands, and made it all the more painful to witness how fragile those ideals became over time.

When I attended the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy in Santa Fe, I carried a singular mission in mind: to represent this region with absolute excellence. I graduated as valedictorian of my class, which was a hard-earned reflection of my daily commitment to learn, practice, and serve in this capacity at the highest standard. That commitment never wavered, and my focus has remained firmly on delivering the level of integrity in my work every day. It is because of that foundation, and because of the respect I once held for those guiding principles passed down by superiors in the industry, that I feel compelled to offer a broader perspective on the state of TBRDA and the implications of enabling toxic leadership and alignment with unethical, dishonest, and legally-delicate operating standards with impunity.

Internal Degradation

In the recent public statement, ‘A Call To Unity...’ and many more like it, it has been suggested that the merger of this particular rural New Mexico region’s dispatch operations strengthened service delivery and created a more unified system. That was certainly the intent.

However, for many of us working on the floor, the merger of city and county dispatch operations introduced egregious abuses of employee’s legal rights, contemptuous disregard for collaborative relationships with stakeholders, and serious public safety issues amidst a broader overall inefficiency: degraded communication, fractured agency relationships, and dangerous inconsistencies in service standards, and an implied lack of concern for the implied recklessness and negligence that followed.

Leadership efforts to present an image of cohesion often came at the expense of transparency and employee reputation. The public narrative of strength and unity masks ongoing issues that only those closest to the work experienced daily. Evolution cannot occur within systems of this nature that more than enough people have stepped forward to disapprove of, mostly for it’s prioritization of appearance of stability over the pursuit of real improved outcomes for the public we serve.

Retaliation & Silencing of Dissent

It has also been suggested that leadership consistently supported dispatchers throughout these changes. In truth, while some dispatchers were supported (often due to loyalty, strict organizational alignment, and overt political maneuvering), others faced an entirely different reality. Dispatchers who raised legitimate operational and ethical concerns were met with punitive treatment, aggressive undermining, and disparagement.

Speaking out internally in good faith quickly became a risk to one’s career. Rather than being treated as partners striving for a better institution, those who dared to critique were framed as weak, difficult, or disloyal. Public efforts to reframe the exits of so many dispatchers as personal or professional failures are not accidental, they serve to protect fragile institutional narratives and obscure the real costs of retaliation.

I want to be clear about my own situation: I did not walk away. I did not quit. Up until recently, I had every intention of serving this community in this capacity for the next twenty years. The suggestion that the mass-departures of more than one dozen seasoned dispatchers of this scope stemmed from some sudden sense of overwhelm, or from resistance to “high-standards,” is a deliberate distortion.

The reality is far simpler, and far more serious: this level of turnover is one of the inevitable consequences of retaliatory, self‑protective leadership.

Public Safety & Future Stakes

The greatest cost of these failures is not borne by dispatchers alone. It is borne by the public. Every time operational integrity is compromised in the name of protecting appearances, it is public safety that suffers. Dispatchers know this truth intimately. We hear it in the voice of every caller and every field unit we support, and we understand the weight of potential consequences when our human mistakes could cost human lives.

As a part-time resident myself, depending on the services TBRDA provides, there is truly no part of me that wishes failure upon the dispatch center. From the perspective of a dispatcher, I am painfully aware of the weight borne by those still navigating these conflicts while juggling such a relentless and thankless job day in and day out. I have deep empathy for every dispatcher and every first responder who shoulders these burdens, often without acknowledgment or support.

But public service is not a neutral act.

In the real world, dispatchers are entrusted with extraordinary responsibilities and granted massive influence and information-access. Calling for neutrality when faced with blatant recklessness, ethical breaches, employee abuse, and legal implications on top of public safety negligence, is not a sign of strength.

Public service demands discernment, courage, and the willingness to draw clear lines when public trust is at risk. If one cannot, or will not, draw those lines, then perhaps public service was never the true calling to begin with.

A Call for Integrity & Accountability in Dispatch

As a professional and as a human being, my conscience is clear. I know that I act with integrity in my role, and that knowledge allows me to remain grounded even when principled disagreement exists within the institution I serve.

I am proud of the work I do. I am grateful for the experiences that continue to sharpen my understanding of public service, and for every member of the public who places their trust in us during moments of crisis. I carry with me the voices, lessons, and extraordinary resilience that define this community, and they inform my work every day.

I maintain my commitment and my promise to advocate in the interest of the community I serve in, the same community that is entitled to public institutions that are functional, ethical, and transparent. This community deserves public servants whose integrity is not treated as a threat to organizational performance, but recognized as its indispensable foundation.

Additional Public Record

For readers seeking broader context, the issues discussed here have been addressed in public meetings, local reporting, and official documents involving the Tularosa Basin Regional Dispatch Authority, Otero County, and the City of Alamogordo.

The following materials are provided for transparency and independent review:

Alamogordo votes to withdraw from TBRDA after public concerns

Coverage of the Alamogordo City Commission’s 4-3 vote to begin withdrawing from the joint regional dispatch authority — including public testimony and governance complaints. Alamogordo votes to withdraw from Tularosa Basin regional dispatch authority after months of complaints (summary)

Split vote official notice on withdrawal from the regional dispatch authority

Local reporting on the formal City Commission decision to exit TBRDA and the stated reasons behind it. Split 4 to 3 Vote: Alamogordo Withdraws from Tularosa Dispatch Authority

County leadership response to the withdrawal decision

A public statement from an Otero County Commissioner reacting to Alamogordo’s choice to leave the joint Public Safety Center and the broader governance debate. Otero County Commissioner Responds to Alamogordo Withdrawal from Dispatch Authority

Deep dive reporting on TBRDA governance and communication tensions

Publicly documented emails and dialogue outlining internal disputes between city and county leadership over dispatch governance and operations. Emails, Dialogue and a Deep Dive Into TBR Dispatch Authority and Fairgrounds Park Lot Sell Controversy in Alamogordo

Holly Gamble is a public safety professional with experience in regional 911 operations, mergers and consolidations. She writes about themes exploring governance, accountability, ethics and public service.