It was a 911 call to the Allegheny County (Penn.) comm center that began the showdown between three Pittsburgh police officers and an ex-Marine that ended with three officers dead and the suspect wounded. The mother of Richard Poplawski dialed 911 when she awoke last Saturday to find her 23 year-old son’s dog had urinated on the carpet–she wanted him removed from the house. As Off. Paul Sciullo and Stephen Mayhele arrived and entered the home, Poplawski opened fire with an assault rifle, killing both officers. When Off. Eric Kelly arrived in response to neighbors’ calls of gunfire, he was also fatally shot. So far police have not released a more specific timeline of the 911 call, dispatch and arrival times, nor have they been specific with what the dispatcher and Poplawski’s mother said during the call. None of the logging tapes have been released. Later on the day of the shooting, officers held a “final radio rollcall” for the three officers–read more here.
On Monday county comm center officials said the dispatcher knew there were weapons in the house, but didn’t relay the information to officers. The unnamed female dispatcher asked about the presence of weapons during the 911 vall, and the mother said, “Yes…but they’re all legal.” The dispatcher then asked, “OK, but he’s not threatening you with anything?” The mother answered, “Look, I’m just waking up from a sleep. I want him gone.” The dispatcher replied, “OK, we’ll send ‘em over, OK?”
County chief of emergency services Robert Full said, “There is no excuse. It could have been handled better, without a doubt.” He said the dispatcher had less than a year of experience, is a part-time employee, and is now on paid leave.
Read more about the call here, and about the reaction here.
Another article notes that other comm centers are using the incident as a point of critique for their own dispatchers.
The tape was played for reporters, but has not been publicly released.
0 comments… add one
You must log in to post a comment. Log in now.