Spiteful 911 operator

[Stopitman]

What is the name of your state? VA

Is there any reason a 911 operator would say “No” to your requesting to send the police to your house?

Also is there any place to submit a complaint against her?

For the record she's done this before.

 

[justalayman]

Stopitman;1904802]What is the name of your state? VA

Is there any reason a 911 operator would say “No” to your requesting to send the police to your house?

Yes. If you want them to come empty your trash, they can say no. Did youever hear the recording of the woman in a Burger King drive through?

She wanted the 911 operator to make a sheriff come out and make the BK make her a burger that she claims they made wrong and would not remake for her.

Of course there are reasons to refuse response. It is for emergencies.

Also is there any place to submit a complaint against her?

Yes.

For the record she's done this before.

did those people want new burgers too?

that statement in itself is not enough to claim the dispatcher has committed an wrong doing.

 

[Stopitman]

Yes. If you want them to come empty your trash, they can say no. Did youever hear the recording of the woman in a Burger King drive through?

She wanted the 911 operator to make a sheriff come out and make the BK make her a burger that she claims they made wrong and would not remake for her.
Of course there are reasons to refuse response. It is for emergencies.

Yes.
did those people want new burgers too?

that statement in itself is not enough to claim the dispatcher has committed an wrong doing.

Well I’ve never heard of the BK thing and that’s just beyond petty. Unlike the woman, I have had actual crimes happen at my house and they refused to come.

Well on one incident there was when a trespasser, whom I believed to be armed, entered my house. This is the same person whom, if I had enough evidence, I would have filed a restraining order on a long time ago.

A person who has a sever amount of road rage followed me into my drive way and screamed through the front door at me for 30+ minutes. I called stating a trespasser was on my property and refused to leave and if they could send the police. She refused and questioned whether or not I had actually asked him. The same man, weeks later, screamed at me from his truck and was leaning over to his glove compartment. I ran inside my house, called them again, and they said no. Not to jump to conclusions, but there are only 3 reasons you reach for your glove box A) for you gun, B) for a map and C)for your car insurance. I’m pretty sure it was A.

Another incident was when I was broken down on the road at night in the bad part of town. A friend of mine called when he was broken down once and not only did they send a tow truck they also sent an ambulance to make sure no one was hurt.

I find it hard to believe that they’ll come to my house asking if I “stole” screws to “Do you practice Voodoo?” yet simple requests of mine are refused.

 

[quincy]

In Michigan not too long ago, a 911 operator received a call from a young boy seeking assistance for his mother. The operator thought it was a prank call, chastised the boy for playing on the telephone despite his pleas that it was not a joke, and the operator did not pass on the call to the emergency response teams and she did not send help. He called 911 again. When help finally did arrive, his mother was dead. It was determined that a prompt response to the boy's first call could have prevented her death.

The operator was arrested, charged and found guilty.

While it is true that some 911 calls are pranks, the operators are not the ones who should decide whether a matter is to be taken seriously or not. It is required that they pass the calls on. Of course prank callers may cause the emergency responders to not be available for a real emergency, but there are laws to deal with these prank callers when they are caught. And, as justalayman pointed out, certain calls are obviously not worth emergency response. But it is not up to the 911 operator to make this decision.

You do, in other words, possibly have some recourse if your call to 911 was a legitimate life-and-death or true emergency and the 911 operator did not pass your call on to the proper authorities.

 

[lealea1005]

OP, approximately how many times have you called 911 in, say, the past year? Does the same dispatcher always answer your 911 calls, or was it just coincidence?

 

[quincy]

I wanted to add a few things to my earlier post.

A 911 operator does need to evaluate a call and assign a priority - but it is not the job of an operator to decide on the validity of a call. All calls have to be handled following proper procedures, which include getting the necessary information to determine the type of response necessary (fire, medical, police) and determining whether the response is of an emergency nature.

Obviously the example justalayman gave would not be of a priority nature, but the call still needs to be passed on.

The operator in Detroit, by the way, was charged with "willful neglect of duty". It was only after the boy's second 911 call that a response team was sent to his house - 3 hours after his original call.

 

[justalayman]

In Michigan not too long ago, a 911 operator received a call from a young boy seeking assistance for his mother. The operator thought it was a prank call, chastised the boy for playing on the telephone despite his pleas that it was not a joke, and the operator did not pass on the call to the emergency response teams and she did not send help. He called 911 again. When help finally did arrive, his mother was dead. It was determined that a prompt response to the boy's first call could have prevented her death.

The operator was arrested, charged and found guilty.

While it is true that some 911 calls are pranks, the operators are not the ones who should decide whether a matter is to be taken seriously or not. It is required that they pass the calls on. Of course prank callers may cause the emergency responders to not be available for a real emergency, but there are laws to deal with these prank callers when they are caught. And, as justalayman pointed out, certain calls are obviously not worth emergency response. But it is not up to the 911 operator to make this decision.

You do, in other words, possibly have some recourse if your call to 911 was a legitimate life-and-death or true emergency and the 911 operator did not pass your call on to the proper authorities.

this was not too far from me. I remember hearing about it immediately after it happened.

edit: I see you are talking about a situation near Detroit. I was referring to the one near New Buffalo that the same thing happened. Don;t know about the operator though.

 

[quincy]

I think you probably heard about the same Detroit case - it made national news. This, I believe, was the first time a 911 operator was actually charged and found guilty of improperly fielding a call. I could be wrong on this, though.

"Willful neglect of duty" is a misdemeanor here and the operator could have faced up to one year in jail, but she was given probation instead. I know some thought she should have been charged with negligent homicide. . . . .

The boy, who was 5 at the time and is now 7, lives near Albion with his sister/guardian. Albion (if my Michigan geography is right) isn't too far from you, right?

At any rate, the boy was asked if he would accept an apology from the operator and he said he would, but it wouldn't bring his mother back.

Sad story.

 

[justalayman]

We had one around here as well. Sounds so very similar. ALbion is about as close to Detroit as I am from Albion only the other direction.


here is a write up of the situation. Started in Laporte county Indiana. The woman was killed in Berrien County Michigan (my county)

http://movingoutmovingon.bloghi.com/2006/05/06/released-911-tape-reveals-plea-for-police-escort-went-unheeded.html

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

Sometimes, how we portray ourselves on the phone may make it seem that we are not credible. Were you hysterical? Did you calmly describe the situation? How did you describe the situation?

In my opinion, the 911 operator shouldn't be deciding what is valid and what isn't. The operator is there making decisions that can impact a life. If they have to prioritize the calls, how you portray yourself can impact whether you are an A , B, or C rated call.

I remember having to call 911 because I had a guy who thought that I cut him off on a round-about. He decided at that point that driving 6 inches from my bumper was proper behaviour. I immediately called 911 and explained the situation. Talk about feeling terrorized when I had to stop for a light. He went around me and flicked me off. I paid him back by giving his license plate to the operator. I watched him get pulled over ahead of me. It was a case of being able to talk calmly to the operator and describe the situation.

 

[quincy]

justalayman -
Thanks for providing the link. I remember hearing about that incident now, too. The operator was not charged with anything for not sending assistance, because she was following policy, so I think the Detroit case remains the only one where an operator was actually found guilty for an improper response. At least the 911 policy was changed after that woman's murder.

Also, I think I was thinking of Adrian when I mentioned Albion, although Adrian could very well be midway between our areas, too. I really need to review a Michigan map sometime.

And I agree, Ginny, that how a person speaks to a 911 operator could make a difference in how the call is perceived and prioritized.

 

[Stopitman]

cut for length
In Michigan not too long ago, a 911 operator received a call from a young boy seeking […]his mother was dead. It was determined that a prompt response to the boy's first call could have prevented her death.
The operator was arrested, charged and found guilty.

While it is true that some 911 calls are pranks, the operators are not the ones who should decide whether a matter is to be taken seriously or not. It is required that they pass the calls on. [….] (fire, medical, police) and determining whether the response is of an emergency nature.

Obviously the example justalayman gave would not be of a priority nature, but the call still needs to be passed on.

Wow what a horrible story. My stories aren’t as horrible, but when you have no one else to turn to and the people you do say No. It’s, well, I can’t describe it.

If she considered it a “prank” wouldn’t she eventually have sent the police to my house? Because I never saw them.

I could state the whole story with the trespasser, but I’d rather not. Although I will point out that the police in his county are aware of the situation and they said they are “just waiting for one more time”. Apparently they want him for other reason that they refuse to tell me. He, from what I know, carries pocket knifes and chains at almost all times, so it could have turned ugly. I didn’t find out till recently that he’s done time for assaulting a police officer in FL. I don’t know the whole situation, but it’s something to look at.

OP, approximately how many times have you called 911 in, say, the past year? Does the same dispatcher always answer your 911 calls, or was it just coincidence?

That was the first time for the past year. Before that it was favors for my neighbors. Long story. Anyway, an acquaintance of mine decided to call a few other times for frivolous crap. He might have been the reason. It’s always a female voice that sounds almost similar each time. I recorded the date it happened last time so hopefully that helps, because I know they record all calls.

Sometimes, how we portray ourselves on the phone may make it seem that we are not credible. Were you hysterical? Did you calmly describe the situation? How did you describe the situation?

In my opinion, the 911 operator shouldn't be deciding what is valid and what isn't. The operator is there making decisions that can impact a life. If they have to prioritize the calls, how you portray yourself can impact whether you are an A , B, or C rated call.

I remember having to call 911 because I had a guy who thought that I cut him off on a round-about. He decided at that point that driving 6 inches from my bumper was proper behaviour. I immediately called 911 and explained the situation. Talk about feeling terrorized when I had to stop for a light. He went around me and flicked me off. I paid him back by giving his license plate to the operator. I watched him get pulled over ahead of me. It was a case of being able to talk calmly to the operator and describe the situation.

I wasn’t hysterical, but I’ll admit I was rude with her after 45+ minutes of re-explaining the situation over and over again. She pretty much ignored everything I said and kept stating that I should “ask them to leave”. She did say that she thought I was using “another voice” when all I did was clear my throat later in the conversation, I was a little sick when I called. Having someone be belligerently repetitive is irritating, especially when bad things could happen in such a short time. It’s hard to believe that the police forgot to let the 911 operators know about the situation with him. Regardless of the attitude of whoever’s called they should be use to that.

At least it ended peacefully for you, kind-of. A friend of mine in NY was shot through the leg, because the other driver “thought he saw ‘the finger’”.


Oh I found the BK one on youtube. It was entertaining in a very stupid way. It makes you wish there was chlorine for the gene pool.

 

[justalayman]

well, different areas have different entities operating the 911 service in their area. You need to find out who runs this one.

call the police (non emergency number) and ask them. If no real answer, call the fire department. Contact your local municipality government and ask them.

all of them should know who operates the system and how to contact an administrator within that entity.