DORI MONSON

Amanda Berry 911 dispatcher under fire for attitude

May 8, 2013, 1:43 PM | Updated: 5:37 pm

Amanda Berry escaped from her captor’s house with the help of a neighbor and called 911 to ge...

Amanda Berry escaped from her captor's house with the help of a neighbor and called 911 to get help for the other victims. Now the 911 operator is under fire for seeming to lack empathy. (AP Photo)

(AP Photo)

The woman who handled kidnapping victim Amanda Berry’s 911 call is facing criticism for sounding cold and getting off the line too quickly. But Dori thinks she handled the situation efficiently and professionally.

“I don’t hear anything grievously wrong there,” said Dori. “I’m surprised she didn’t stay on the phone with her until the cops got there.”

Dori saw he was in the minority as comments poured in from listeners, and social media continued to bring out more criticism.

Critics called the operator heartless, unprofessional, and said she tried to get Amanda off the line too quickly.

In the call, Amanda sounds frightened and emotional. The operator asks just a few questions – her address, what’s happening, and whether she needs fire or police – before telling her multiple times to “talk to police when they get there” and attempting to end the call.

When Amanda asks whether police are on the way, the dispatcher says a car will come “as soon as we get a car open.” When Amanda presses the operator to get police there sooner, before her captors get back, the dispatcher asks questions about the kidnappers.

“I told you they’re on their way. Talk to them when they get there, okay?” says the operator as she ends the call.

Cleveland Police have since stated they will conduct a formal review of the call. But Dori doesn’t think the caller did anything wrong.

“It’s her job to get as many facts as possible. I do not believe that it’s the job of the 911 person to be providing comfort,” said Dori.

What you’re saying:

Alanna Jorgensen: 911 is not Mcdonald’s. They’re not required to “smile through the phone” like they work in retail. They deal with hysterical people who aren’t really listening all day and have to be stern so the caller pays attention. My only issue is that she let her off the phone before authorities arrived.

Paul Twibell: Efficient and professional. Dispatchers deal with hysterical people 24/7. They took the information and dispatched police and medics while continuing to get information from Miss Berry.

Travis Firestone: “I’m Amanda berry and I’ve been kidnapped for 10 years” “ill try to send a cop when one is not busy” I’m paraphrasing but seriously WTF??

Heather Troeppl-Hunsaker: DUDE DORI!! To often in this society people are curt or short. Yes she did get the info but seemed a little annoyed that she was repeating herself by stating the fact that she had already got that information. She could have used a nicer tone.

Sergey Avdeyev: She did her job, but didn’t go any further as a one human being to another.

James Jones: Not saying the dispatcher doesn’t get the info. What we are saying is the tone the dispatcher used. “We will get a car there when one comes available”. “Talk to the police when they get there”. Thats what I feel is wrong.

Tory Noe Shestopal: I agree that dispatchers must be somewhat detached, the callers life may just depend on this dispatcher. That being said, had I been Amanda Berry, or in her situation, I probably would want them to stay on the phone with me until police arrived. I say that because I would be worried that my kidnappers would show up before help could arrive. Other than that, I really don’t have a problem with how it was handled.

Amy KB: She was 100% wrong for not staying on the line getting more info until the police arrived.

Jedex Fighter: Comfort until she actually saw a police officer in person 🙂 (also to make sure the officers found her ok

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