April 14, 200521 yr http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.ad...413153909990014 Updated: 12:55 PM EDT 911 Dispatcher Offers to Shoot Unruly Child Man Apologizes for 'Stupid' Comment, Gets Reprimanded Multiband: 911 Dispatcher Upsets Mother WATAUGA, Texas (April 14) - A 911 dispatcher was reprimanded for responding to a mother's plea for help with an unruly child by saying: "OK. Do you want us to come over to shoot her?" "I admit what I did. It was stupid, it was inexcusable and I'm sorry," said dispatcher Mike Forbess. The woman, identified only as Lori in Wednesday's Fort Worth Star-Telegram, said she recently phoned authorities after coming home to find her daughters fighting. She told the dispatcher that her 12-year-old had kicked a hole in the door. After Forbess' comment, the woman fell silent for about five seconds. "Are you there?" Forbess asked. "Excuse me?" the woman asked. Forbess, a dispatcher for five years at the Watauga Department of Public Safety, told her he was joking and apologized. But the woman was offended, and Forbess immediately told his supervisor what happened. "This type of response cannot be tolerated, and this letter shall serve as notice that any future unprofessional responses while answering the 911 line will be cause for termination," Police Chief David Van Laar wrote to Forbess. Watauga is a Fort Worth suburb of about 22,100 residents.
April 14, 200521 yr I know it was wrong, but I heard the actual recording of it this morning.......I almost pissed my pants.
April 14, 200521 yr Author If I had heard it I would have run off the road for sure.. just hearing about it I was having trouble driving from laughing so hard.
April 14, 200521 yr When I read it I was laughing as well. In all seriousness, what was she expecting them to do? Is that a legitimate police call (asking in seriousness as I am not sure)?
April 14, 200521 yr Author QUOTE(Queen Prawn @ Apr 14, 2005 -> 02:44 PM) When I read it I was laughing as well. In all seriousness, what was she expecting them to do? Is that a legitimate police call (asking in seriousness as I am not sure)? I can't imagine it's on the "emergency" list since there was apparently no one in danger or hurt...
April 14, 200521 yr QUOTE(Queen Prawn @ Apr 14, 2005 -> 01:44 PM) When I read it I was laughing as well. In all seriousness, what was she expecting them to do? Is that a legitimate police call (asking in seriousness as I am not sure)? A 911 Manager called into WLS this morning and said it is a legit call and they should dispatch police. He said they've gotten calls from parents that said their kid wouldn't get up for school and they sent the cops. :headshake Great use of tax dollars, huh? Edited April 14, 200521 yr by mreye
April 14, 200521 yr Author QUOTE(mreye @ Apr 14, 2005 -> 02:47 PM) A 911 Manager called into WLS this morning and said it is a legit call and they should dispatch police. He said they've gotten calls from parents that said their kid wouldn't get up for school and they sent the cops. :headshake Great use of tax dollars, huh? Get out!!!.. That is unreal.
April 14, 200521 yr QUOTE(Steff @ Apr 14, 2005 -> 01:49 PM) Get out!!!.. That is unreal. Yeah, they couldn't believe it either.
April 14, 200521 yr That city is 5 miles from me. I heard the tape this morning and about died laughing. That's wrong, but oh well.
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