Longer emergency response times irk not only Vallejo's residents, but also its police officers.

Vallejo police dispatch supervisor Kelly Newman, right, talks at Wednesday's forum about the challenges and the nature of the dispatcher's job in a pared-down Vallejo Police Department, with a large volume of reports requiring that priorities be set for officers' responses. (Mike Jory/Times-Herald)

"I tell you, none of us are happy about that. None of us got into this job to show up four or five hours later," Vallejo police Lt. Jim O'Connell said Wednesday, answering a question from an audience member at a police headquarters forum.

O'Connell was one of several officers, dispatchers, detectives and cadets who participated in the public forum Wednesday night. Less than a dozen people attended, including Vallejo City Councilmembers Joanne Schivley and Stephanie Gomes.

The three-hour forum's topics ranged from police department changes and how employees respond to crime to how the department can generate revenue and residents can help.

"Our duties have changed. We're primarily a violent street crime unit," Cpl. Kevin Coelho said.

Given the level of crime in Vallejo, the focus on violent incidents is a good thing, O'Connell said.

Last month, there were 35 shootings. So far, there have been 11 in September, O'Connell said.

There also have been 159 residential burglaries so far this month -- more than half the 226 in August, he said.

This week, the city has seen two homicides within 24 hours, bringing the year's total so far to 13. That compares to 10 in all of 2009.

At one point, the crime suppression unit fielded a team of 11 people along with a separate narcotics team that dealt with issues from violent crime to nuisance calls. The narcotics team has since been eliminated, and the crime suppression unit has been reduced to a six-person team.

Much of the department's personnel has left since the city entered bankruptcy in May 2008. At that time, the department fielded nearly 150 sworn officers.

Chief Robert Nichelini spoke to the audience and expressed hope that the employee flight will end. "We're hoping to stabilize at 90 (sworn officers)," Nichelini said.

The department has also lost dispatchers, communications supervisor Kelly Newman said.

When Newman began with Vallejo seven years ago, there were 28 dispatchers. Today, there are only 13, meaning there are fewer dispatchers to answer 911 calls, she said.

"We've actually had to put officers on hold when they had to run stuff, too," Newman added.

Newman addressed citizen complaints that dispatchers are often rude to those calling 911.

"It may come out a little short," she said. "We don't mean to be short. We just want to get to the other 911 calls."

The police department offered the public several options to help, including starting or joining a neighborhood watch with Fighting Back Partnership or volunteering with the Vallejo Police Department. The department's cadet program also will be hiring soon, Cadet Matthew Powell said.