Dispatcher in Murder Case Appeals Discipline

Former Dane County (Wisc.) dispatcher Rita Gahagan has filed an appeal through her union for the three-day suspension she received in connection with the Brittany Zimmerman murder case. Gahagan answered a 911 call from Zimmermann’s apartment in April 2008, but failed to call the telephone back or dispatch officers to investigate. Gahagan served the time off without pay last week, officials said. She transferred out of the comm center to another county office in response to her own request before the Zimmermann incident. “The union believes that the county was unable to establish just cause (for the suspension),” said union rep Larry Rodenstein. He said that if Gahagan did make any errors, she should receive a reprimand under the county’s progressive discipline policy.