Chicago mother trapped for hours without help after calling 911 during home invasion, dispatch tells her ‘we don’t have any units to send you’ | The Gateway expert

A Chicago mother who called 911 during a burglary was left stranded without help for hours after dispatch told her no officers were available to dispatch her.

The dispatchers also told her to call her representatives to demand more police funding.

The mother has only been identified as “Michelle” because she is scared because the intruders have not been caught.

NBC Chicago reports:

She says she left the door open after walking her dog around 12:30 p.m. At that moment two men entered the house.

“I saw two men wearing masks standing in my house,” she said. “I shouted – ‘I’m calling the police’ and they took off.”

Michelle and a neighbor ran after the men. She then says she called 911.

“They told me the mail was on its way and I had to wait outside,” she said.

Michelle ended up calling 911 six times without any help. Finally, she asked to speak to a supervisor.

“A gentleman stepped in and said sorry, but said we don’t have any units to send you… then there was an awkward silence,” Michelle told the station. “He also advised me to call my councilman, and I said ‘why’ – and he said encourage him to hire more police. The dispatcher also asked me if I would consider defending myself… if I had a gun or was considering buying one.”

It took more than four hours for the officers to arrive.

“The officers who did show up were concerned and apologized for taking so long to get them there,” Michelle said.

Michelle has now called her councilor, but does not want the police to be blamed for the long wait.

“I don’t think it’s the police’s fault that they’re overstaffed and overwhelmed,” she said.