A Chicago mother who dialed 911 during a terrifying home invasion was left waiting for hours, with dispatchers advising her to contact her local representative to advocate for increased police funding.
Michelle made six calls to the emergency hotline after encountering two masked intruders, only to be informed by a stressed supervisor that the city’s budget cuts had resulted in a reduced staff.
“A man came on the line and informed me that they had no units available to send… and then there was an uncomfortable silence,” Michelle revealed in an interview with NBC Chicago, choosing to remain anonymous as the suspects were still at large.
“He also suggested that I contact my alderman, and when I asked why, he advised me to urge him to increase police recruitment. The dispatcher even inquired if I would be willing to defend myself… if I owned a weapon or planned to acquire one,” Michelle added.
According to Michelle, the two individuals entered her residence through an open back door around 12:30 p.m. while she was letting her dog out.
They were captured on her security camera casually approaching her property after scaling a 6-foot fence, but hastily fleeing upon discovering the homeowner inside.
“I yelled, ‘I am calling the police,’ and they took off,” Michelle recounted.
Michelle and a neighbor attempted to chase down the suspects before she followed through on her threat.
A dispatcher assured the frightened mother that help was en route and instructed her to wait outdoors.
However, officers did not show up, as per Michelle’s account.
After an hour and a half and six 911 calls, she finally demanded answers from a dispatch supervisor, who attributed the delayed response to the city’s inadequate police department funding.
It took an additional two and a half hours before police eventually arrived.
“The officers who eventually arrived were compassionate and apologized for the delay,” Michelle remarked.
“I don’t believe it’s the fault of the police department; they are understaffed and overwhelmed.”
Chicago Police informed NBC Chicago that the delay in dispatching officers to Michelle’s residence may have been due to the priority list for routine 911 calls—since there was no immediate life threat, Michelle had to wait while officers addressed more urgent matters in the vicinity.
Despite her frustration, Michelle followed the dispatch supervisor’s advice and contacted her alderman’s office, awaiting a meeting with him in person.
“It’s terrible that our neighbor went through this ordeal; everyone deserves to feel secure in their home,” stated 1st Ward Alderman Daniel La Spata.
“My team informed me of the situation immediately, and I am in communication with the 12th District Police leadership. I will continue to provide any resources requested by our districts and collaborate with the City on establishing a satellite location within West Town for the 12th District police.”
