By Monica Rodriguez on August 28, 2009 6:15 PM - SOURCE

Beginning Tuesday California Highway Patrol 911 dispatchers will be exempted from the state employee furlough requirements, Assemblywoman Norma Torres, D-Ontario, announced this week.

Torres has sought the exemption since January when the furloughs were first announced, her office said in a statement.

Torres said in the statement that it is the personnel of the 911 system that crime victims or those experiencing an emergency come into contact with first in a difficult situation.

Furloughing dispatchers "never made sense," Torres said in the statement.

"I have had months of discussion with officials in the Highway Patrol and the administration. I am happy that the people of California can count on improved emergency response and a greater degree of safety when there is an emergency," Torres said.

Torres' efforts drew praise from the president of the labor group representing CHP dispatchers and said Torres' efforts will benefit the 911 system.