[Vision2020] seattletimes.com: Oregon woman arrested after calling 911 to ask return of "cute" deputy
Craine Kit
kcraine at verizon.net
Sat Jul 15 11:31:46 PDT 2006
On the Saturday of the 4th of July weekend, I spent a good half-hour
trying to report a broken water main. First, I called the City's
Water Department (which, of course, was closed) to get their
"emergency" phone number. Their message said to call Whitcom at a 332
number OR 911. I dialed what I thought was the 332 number and got the
Pullman hospital. So I listened to the message again and heard the
same 322 number.
That put me in a quandary. I believe 911 should only be used for a
true police or fire emergency, but I was told to use 911. So, I took
a deep breath and dialed it. In response to the "what is your
emergency" question, I said it was not a real emergency, I was trying
to reach Whitcom to report a broken water pipe. The dispatcher said
"that's us, how can I help you?" So, my call wasn't routed, the
person on the other end just changed hats.
I find that very disconcerting. I'd rather have non-emergency phone
number for situations like this.
Kit Craine
On Jul 15, 2006, at 9:26 AM, Paul Rumelhart wrote:
> Joe,
>
> Wouldn't that tend to turn 911 into a call-routing system? I don't
> particulary want to wait while I'm bleeding to death for the eight
> people in front of me to be routed to their ultimate destination.
>
> That number is for *emergencies*. You know, people being attacked,
> dying, in need of medical help right now, etc? I see nothing wrong
> with
> arresting someone for treating it like it was a dating service. I'm
> also sure that if that policeman was the only one available and the
> choice was arrest an intruder or go arrest that lady, he'd have gotten
> to her after the intruder was taken care of.
>
> Paul
>
> As an aside, I remember hearing about someone years ago who was trying
> to configure their modem in their office to dial an outside line and
> then the number. Instead of dialing 9, 1, and then the number they
> were
> repeatedly dialing 9, 9, 1, 1, and then the number and then hanging up
> when there was no connection from a modem on the other end and
> trying a
> different configuration. They ended up making many calls to 911 that
> lasted for a few seconds each. The police (wherever they were, I
> don't
> remember - it might have been here) busted in like they were a SWAT
> team. I don't remember if they got arrested - I doubt it since it
> wasn't intentional - but you never know.
>
> Joe Campbell wrote:
>
>> Here is what is particularly funny about this story, Carl: If you
>> call 911 for a non-emergency reason, they will send out a police
>> officer to arrest you since you are "taking up valuable time from
>> dispatchers who could be taking true emergency calls." The fact
>> that the police officer is taking the time to arrest someone for
>> making a phone call is apparently not "taking up valuable time"
>> from officer, though. Wouldn't it be easier if they had just given
>> the woman the non-emergency number?
>>
>> --
>> Joe Campbell
>>
>> ---- carlwestberg846 at hotmail.com wrote:
>>
>> =============
>> This message was sent to you by carlwestberg846 at hotmail.com,
>> as a service of The Seattle Times (http://www.seattletimes.com).
>>
>> Comments from sender: This is just too funny not to share.
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>> -
>>
>> Oregon woman arrested after calling 911 to ask return of "cute"
>> deputy
>> Full story: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/
>> 2003127178_webcutearrest14.html
>>
>>
>> The Associated Press
>>
>>
>>
>> ALOHA, Ore.– A woman who called 911 to ask for the return of
>> sheriff's deputy she found attractive got something she found a
>> lot less attractive -- a date in court for misuse of the emergency
>> dispatch system.
>>
>> Washington County sheriff's Sgt. David Thompson told KGW
>> Television of Portland the situation developed after a noise
>> complaint last month by neighbors of Lorna Jeanne Dudash. Checking
>> on the complaint, a deputy knocked on her door, then left.
>>
>> Thompson said Dudash then called 911, asking that the "cutie pie"
>> deputy return.
>>
>> "He's the cutest cop I've seen in a long time. I just want to know
>> his name," Dudash told the dispatcher. "Heck, it doesn't come very
>> often a good man comes to your doorstep."
>>
>> After listening to some more, followed by a bit of silence, the
>> dispatcher asked repeatedly why Dudash needed the deputy to return.
>>
>> "Honey, I'm just going to be honest with you, OK? I just thought
>> he was cute. I'm 45 years old and I'd just like to meet him again,
>> but I don't know how to go about doing that without calling 911,"
>> she said.
>>
>> "I know this is absolutely not in any way, shape or form an
>> emergency, but if you would give the officer my phone number and
>> ask him to come back would you mind?"
>>
>> The deputy returned, verified that there was no emergency and
>> arrested her for misusing the 911 system, an offense punishable by
>> a fine of up to several thousand dollars and a year in jail.
>>
>> Thompson said it was the first case he knew of in which someone
>> called the emergency line for such a personal reason.
>>
>> "That's taking up valuable time from dispatchers who could be
>> taking true emergency calls," he said. "Apparently she didn't know
>> how to look up the non-emergency number."
>>
>>
>>
>> =====================================================================
>> =
>>
>> TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE SEATTLE TIMES PRINT EDITION
>> Call (206) 464-2121 or 1-800-542-0820, or go to
>> https://read.nwsource.com/subscribe/times/
>>
>> HOW TO ADVERTISE WITH THE SEATTLE TIMES COMPANY ONLINE
>> For information on advertising in this e-mail newsletter,
>> or other online marketing platforms with The Seattle Times Company,
>> call (206) 464-2361 or e-mail websales at seattletimes.com
>>
>> TO ADVERTISE IN THE SEATTLE TIMES PRINT EDITION
>> Please go to http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/contactus/adsales
>> for information.
>>
>> =====================================================================
>> =
>> For news updates throughout the day, visit http://
>> www.seattletimes.com
>> =====================================================================
>> =
>>
>> Copyright (c) 2005 The Seattle Times Company
>>
>> www.seattletimes.com
>> Your Life. Your Times.
>>
>> =====================================================
>> List services made available by First Step Internet,
>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>> http://www.fsr.net
>> mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>> ====================================================
>>
>> =====================================================
>> List services made available by First Step Internet,
>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>> http://www.fsr.net
>> mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>> ====================================================
>>
>>
>>
>
> =====================================================
> List services made available by First Step Internet,
> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> http://www.fsr.net
> mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> ====================================================
More information about the Vision2020
mailing list