CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications will begin a phased rollout of a new system for the city’s 911 center on Tuesday, marking the start of a transition away from technology that has been used for the past 30 years.
The city signed a contract with CentralSquare Technologies six years ago and began training for the implementation of the new computer-aided dispatch system, known as CAD. It marks the first major upgrade to the city’s dispatch technology in more than 30 years.
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City officials say the system will streamline the 911 process and help improve emergency response times.
“The old system was one that predated Windows ’95, so if you can think about that from a technology perspective,” Deputy Mayor of Community Safety Emmanuel Andre said.
Andre said early testing has shown potential improvements in response efficiency.
“The preliminary examples we have seen in seconds. It seems like that’s not a lot, when you talk about 15-30 seconds, but for that person responding to that call, it is absolutely critical time,” Andre said.
The rollout comes after concerns were raised by dispatchers and alderpersons who said the new technology could create problems that affect emergency response.
“They are dropping calls. They are not calling back. Some are delayed responses. My concern is it will trickle down to services out here in City of Chicago,” said Ald. Chris Taliaferro, chair of the City Council’s Police and Fire Committee.
According to the mayor’s office, the software will begin operating through a live data simulation period and will be introduced in phases. The city said the existing dispatch system will remain available if needed during the transition.
After dispatchers voiced concerns to city officials, 14 alderpersons sent a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson outlining questions and concerns about the software.
Ald. Ray Lopez said city leaders should ensure the system is fully reliable before it is implemented.
“Unless we are 100% certain that it’s going to work properly, then we should be figuring out what we need to do in terms of next steps, so that there isn’t a single life lost or injury that could have been avoided if the system fails,” Lopez said.
In a response letter, the mayor’s office said, “This key milestone aligns directly with industry best practices for major system transitions. As part of the readiness process, the system underwent rigorous testing and was required to successfully handle call volumes far exceeding those anticipated under real-world conditions.”
CentralSquare Technologies officials said the company has deployed the same technology in cities across the country and believes that experience will help support the Chicago rollout.
“Of course, there’s always going to be little hiccups as you go live on a system like this or any system, a lot of the work we’ve been doing over the last several months is extensive testing to make sure we are ready,” said Sarah Grilliot, president of CentralSquare Technologies.
The mayor’s office said city workers have completed more than 4,600 hours of classroom instruction since October 2025 as part of the implementation process. Officials said the city’s efforts to launch the new CAD system spanned six years after the COVID-19 pandemic caused delays.
Andre said alderpersons have had ample opportunity to raise concerns throughout the process. He also said the new system is expected to simplify the 911 process, adding that many major cities already use similar dispatch technology, and that Chicago has lagged behind in updating its system.
“What people need to keep in mind is we are in no way, shape, or form compromising public safety when it comes to this system,” Andre said.
City officials said they are confident the system is ready for its initial rollout. However, the transition is expected to occur in phases, with the existing system remaining available during the process.
The new CAD system is scheduled to go live Tuesday, while the city’s existing 30-year-old dispatch system will remain in place as a backup during the transition. Alderpersons have said they will seek hearings if problems emerge after the rollout, including reports of dropped calls.
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