Chicago officials are surveying emergency call takers and dispatchers about their readiness to use a new computer-aided dispatch system, as the city’s $75 million upgrade remains out of live service and workers continue using the existing system. The survey, distributed to employees at the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), consists of seven questions intended to gauge whether staff feel prepared and what additional training or support they may need. The mayor’s office said employee feedback would help assess readiness and identify gaps. The planned transition was delayed after workers raised concerns about the system’s complexity, effectiveness and potential implications for public safety. A month after those concerns emerged, the new equipment still has not been used to dispatch an actual 911 emergency call, according to information provided by the city and employees. Retired Chicago police chief of detectives Eugene Roy said the vendor may not have recognized the complexity of the city’s dispatch operation. He also said the system needs an update, but that the city must choose a contractor with the right qualifications and technical experience. Some OEMC employees have questioned who will certify the new system before it goes live. One dispatcher called for evidence that the equipment has been tested and is safe and ready for operational use. In a statement, the mayor’s office said the system’s go-live process began Sept. 22 and that OEMC is working with vendor CentralSquare and the Office of Public Safety Administration on the transition. The city said staff are practicing with consoles that mirror live 911 data, processing recorded calls and performing dispatch functions using live caller and location data and radio traffic. It also said refresher courses, individual training and an interactive AI training hub remain available, with vendor and public safety administration staff on site to assist. The mayor’s office did not provide survey results or say what share of dispatchers consider themselves ready to use the new system. Until the city puts the upgrade into service, Chicago’s emergency call center continues to rely on its decades-old platform.