Seal Beach Police report response times 3.26 minutes for top calls

Seal Beach Police officers responded in about 3-and-a-half minutes to Priority-1 calls during the first quarter of 2015, according to Cpl. Michael Henderson.

That was 20 seconds longer than the same period last year.

Priority 1 Calls – Dispatched immediately.  Police unit leaves the call it is currently assigned to, if it is a lower priority call.

Priority 2 Calls – Dispatched as soon as possible.

Priority 3 Calls – Dispatched as soon as a unit is available.

“During the time period from January 2015 through March 2015 the average response time for the Seal Beach Police Department to Priority-1 calls was 3 minutes 23 seconds; Priority-2 calls 4 minutes 14 seconds; Priority-3 calls 2 minutes 27 seconds,” Henderson said.

“During the time period from January 2014 through March 2014 the average response time for the Seal Beach Police Department to Priority-1 calls was 3 minutes 03 seconds; Priority-2 calls 4 minutes 6 seconds; Priority-3 calls 2 minutes 28 seconds,” Henderson said.

“The Seal Beach Police Department strives to respond to all calls for service in a timely and efficient manner,” Henderson said.

The minor differences in response times from year to year are because of the random nature of how calls for service are dispatched to police officers in the field,” Henderson said.

“The location, time of day and traffic conditions all have an effect on the time it takes for an officer to respond to a call for service,” Henderson said.

“It should be noted that when an officer has a ‘self-initiated’ call it is logged as a Priority-3 call.  This accounts for the lower response time for Priority-3 calls, because the officer is already at the location,” Henderson said.