Two Dispatchers Fired

Milford (Conn.) dispatchers Teresa Burrows and Steven Gifford have been fired by the city for engaging in a conversation that was “unprofessional, insensitive and reflected poorly on their departments and the city.” The two were working fire and police respectively when they handled an EMS incident involving a prisoner in custody who had been Taser’d and later died. According to a transcript of a call between the two dispatchers, Gifford called the fire department to request an ambulance, and said, “”He’s doing the funky chicken right now … I’m looking at him right now in the camera and he, I don’t want to be in his shoes.” Talking about the victim possibly swallowing drugs, Burrows said, “You know he should have double-bagged it or something.” An attorney for the firefighter’s union said they would appeal the firings. Police chief Keith Mello said the dispatchers’ behavior was, “inconsistent with the type of conduct we expect from our employees.” The chief also said he suspended five officers without pay for not following policies during the incident and for unprofessional conduct.