A disturbance erupted inside a call center that handles Newark's Fire, Police departments, and the Communication Division Newark required a police response to quell the commotion.
Several emails to public information officials seeking information and clarification on the incident went unanswered.
According to reports, at approximately 11 p.m. Monday, August 16, a supervisor at the division requested assistance inside the 411 Washington Street location after a fight between civilian call takers took place inside the building.
Reports said several officers responded to the location, but Newark reported no immediate reports of arrests.
The Newark Police Department's website noted that inside the Washington Street call center, local office call takers answer emergencies from the public, then direct them to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) along with Automatic Number Identification and Automatic Location Identification.
The website did not confirm, but it is believed that the call takers inside the building forward information from the 973-733-6000 emergency number. Police have not said if Monday's altercation caused any delay in the system or providing needed police, EMS, or fire response to residents in the city.
Speaking on the quality of the assignment, a Newark Police officer anonymously told RLS Media that the need for training some of Newark's call-takers is dire. "Some of the civilian call-takers 'get it wrong' too many times, which causes the dispatch center and officers on the field to lose critical moments responding to potential emergencies or disasters," the officer said.
"There are quite a few younger individuals there, so I don't know what their focus is during work hours inside the center, but this stuff is serious."
Because Monday's disturbance appears to be a personnel matter, police have not returned a statement clarifying if disciplinary action would apply to individuals involved.