09:31 PM CST on Friday, February 10, 2006

By Jeff McShan / 11 News

The people who answer the phone when you dial 911 say there's a policy that's putting you at risk.

It's called the 80-second rule. That's how long they can spend with you on the phone.

Those who take the calls say it's dangerous.

When a Houston police officer is dispatched to a call, their lifelines are the computer in their patrol car and their two-way radio.

KHOU-TV

An 80-second rule may be putting your life at risk.

That's where they receive vital information from dispatchers.

"I mean, details are important. You know when you go out here and you're chasing suspects, you want to know if they're armed, if they are chasing something, if they're driving something and to get names and addresses," said Johnnie McFarland.

But unfortunately, the people that take the calls don't have time to get that vital information.

Per policy, call-takers said they must process the call in 80 seconds or less, and if they don't, they are severely punished.

Too afraid to show her face for fear of retaliation, one call-taker talked with 11 News by phone Friday.

"You can't stay on the phone with somebody. And if you do stay on the phone with a citizen or an officer, you will get written up," she said.

Call-takers say citizens often have to be calmed down just to get the information from them.

Many times the police want the call-takers to stay on the line with the citizen until they arrive, but that just doesn't happen.

Worried about public safety Officer Tom Nixon took his concerns to City Hall last summer, but so far noting has changed.

"It's a no-win situation. I mean, you want to help the public but then again you will get in trouble," said the call-taker.

City Council member Adrian Garcia spent 24 years with HPD and he knows the importance of obtaining information.

"When you don't get the right information it gets frustrating, it gets scary and it gets dangerous," said Garcia.

So he is working hard to get the policy changed.

"Well in public safety it's hard to have cookie-cutter approaches to things," he said.