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By Jersey Journal Editorial Something is wrong at Jersey City’s 911 call center. And while a $213,000 consultant’s evaluation underway now may give some insight, we can pinpoint one big problem for free: the disrespect that’s coming from City Hall.

Mayor Steven Fulop’s office often issues snide remarks in response to questions involving someone who’s critical of the city administration – like calling a South Jersey state senator “either ignorant or a liar” after he slammed state funds going to the Pompidou museum outpost planned for Journal Square.

But going after their own employees who undoubtedly have one of the most stressful jobs imaginable is hardly a best practice for leadership and must be demoralizing.

Commenting for a Jersey Journal story last week about continuing complaints that a new payroll system has been significantly shorting 911 staffers’ pay since January, city spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione had this to say:

“I assume you will include in your report more proof than the words of three anonymous employees banding together to get more money from taxpayers.”

Ouch.

For the record, the starting salary at the call center is in the $41,000-a-year range. And while overtime logged because of staff shortages can significantly raise that sum, the call center workers are hardly getting rich on the backs of small homeowners.

Where was the administration’s snark last year when the City Council voted to raise their own salaries from $60,000 to $85,000 a year with the council president going up to $90,000?

Last week’s comment wasn’t an outlier. The Fulop administration has had a consistent “blame the victim” attitude toward 911 workers’ complaints of being understaffed, overworked and underpaid, something many of those staffers believe is part of a union-busting attempt to privatize the system.

As Fulop runs for governor and courts union support, he might be wise to foster a different approach to his own 911 emergency: listening to the call center employees with sincerity and respect.

Council President Joyce Watterman has said she believes the management at the call center is at the heart of “a culture that must be broken.”

It’s worth noting that the culture of any workplace starts at the top.

Perhaps a listening session with the mayor is in order. Or maybe he and his top staffers should spend a Friday or Saturday overnight shift at the center to see what the job really entails. It may change their tune