TexasCHLforum.com

Response time is a statistic, and like any other statistic, it can be played with the say what you want it to say.

Some departments count the response time as the time from when the officer acknowledges the call to the point he says he arrived on the scene. Others include the time from when the call was first received by the dispatcher. Incidentally, the time from received until dispatched is called hang time in most departments.

Some departments break down the average time by the type of call, and some use the average of all calls. Some don't use average but the 85% rate (85% of the calls are handled within this time).

Whenever you hear someone (Chief or PIO) stating a response time, make sure you pin him down on exactly what he is talking about so you can compare the figures properly. And always remember that the only response time that counts is the one when you call and need help. That won't be in the figures.