From assaults to suicide attempts, emergency calls can be a sign of problems that jails can’t handle on their own.

Not able to reach the Everglades detention center, Alligator Alcatraz, family members seeking help for detainees held there dialed 911 after getting alarming calls of medical neglect and mistreatment.

The second full week of April is National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week in the U.S., shining a spotlight on the dedication emergency dispatchers bring to the job every day. And while the job can ...