Amanda Berry’s 911 Call Prompts Review Of Dispatcher’s Actions

Audio of Amanda Berry’s 911 call was released earlier this week, but the actions of the dispatcher during the call have prompted some criticism.

It’s not every day a report like Amanda Berry’s 911 call comes in, and the audibly distraught woman made some very distressing claims as she attempted to get the urgency of her situation across.

And, while it’s very difficult to be sure how any individual reacts in a situation such as the one presented by Berry’s 911 call, the audio recording and transcript have caused some furor — even among 911 dispatchers, who rarely criticize one another.

Berry’s 911 dispatcher didn’t necessarily do anything horribly wrong, but you can hear the operator challenging the recently escaped woman over her location.

After several exchanges with the terrified victim of the kidnapping, the 911 operator moves on to response, and when Berry expresses concern about being discovered, the 911 dispatcher replies:

“We’re going to send [police] as soon as we get a car open.”

Amanda Berry then says she fears captor Ariel Castro will arrive before police, and the operator again says cops are on the way, but does not say they will arrive soon.

After that, the operator makes no effort to keep Berry on the line despite the gravity of the situation and the severity of the report made, repeatedly urging her to “talk to police when they get there.”

Martin L. Flask, director of the Cleveland Department of Public Safety, commented on the call’s content:

“While the call-taker complied with policies and procedures which enabled a very fast response by police, we have noted some concerns which will be the focus of our review, including the call-taker’s failure to remain on the line with Ms. Berry until police arrived on the scene.”

It appears Amanda Berry’s 911 call wasn’t the only one made that day — Charles Ramsey, credited with the rescue of the women, told a dispatcher who asked if Berry needed an ambulance:

“She needs everything; she in a panic brah. I think she’s been kidnapped, so you know, put yourself in her shoes.”

Do you think Amanda Berry’s 911 response was mishandled?