911 ... Please Hold

Oakland’s 911 system is perennially understaffed, frequently leading to long wait times for callers facing life and death emergencies or trying to report fires or crimes in progress. The problem has persisted for more than a decade, and we’ll talk to Oakland’s city auditor, an investigative reporter and a 911 dispatcher to explore why, despite a decade of audits and grand jury reports, Oakland’s emergency response system still lags behind national and state standards. Guests: Byard Duncan, investigative journalist, Type Investigations; his piece, "911... Please Hold" was done in partnership with Reveal/Center for Investigative Reporting Michael Houston, city auditor, City of Oakland Antoinette Blue, dispatcher, Oakland Police; president, SEIU Local 1021 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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911 ... Please Hold is an episode from KQED's Forum by KQED.

This episode is 54:46 long.

This episode was published on Jun 3, 2026.

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