The purpose of the police is to protect and serve. I imagine if you were being attacked, you would call 911 under the assumption that they would send somebody to protect you. However, in Dallas, Texas, in 2012, a woman called police for assistance. Her desperation and fear were audible as she screamed for her life. It took over 50 minutes for officers to respond to the scene and even then, they simply knocked on the door and then left. The case would raise many questions about how 911 calls are handled and would reveal systemic problems in the 911 call centre of Dallas, sparking change for the better.
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Audio Sources:
“Deanna Cook’s 911 call spurs change to Texas emergency system”
“Defense rests in Delvecchio Patrick trial”
“Delvecchio Patrick murder trial – Day 2”
Sources:
Patrick v. State
The Dallas Morning News, 20 August, 2012 – “Dallas Woman Found Murdered Two Days After Calling 911”
ABC – 8 WFAA, 21 August, 2012 – “911 Call Captures the Murder of a Dallas Woman”
Associated Press State Wire, 21 August, 2012 – “Dallas Police Investigate Pre-Slaying 911 Call”
The Dallas morning News, 21 August, 2012 – “Woman Slain After 911 Call”
ABC – 8 WFAA, 22 August, 2012 – “Dallas to Review 911 System After murder Victim’s Desperate Call”
The Dallas Morning News, 22 August, 2012 – “Dallas PD Says it Has a New Classification Call for Disturbances”
The Dallas Morning News, 24 August, 2012 – “A Desperate Cry Unanswered”
The Dallas Morning News, 24 August, 2012 – “At Funeral for Woman Killed While on Phone with Dallas 911”
The Dallas Morning News, 25 August, 2012 – “CNN Talks to Sisters of Murdered Dallas Woman”
ABC – 8 WFAA, 5 September, 2012 – “Dallas Murder Case Leads to Discipline for 911 Operators”
The Dallas Morning News, 9 September, 2012 – “A Call for 911 Staff Help”
ABC – 8 WFAA, 19 September, 2012 – “Family of Woman Killed on Phone with Dallas 911 Files Lawsuit”
The Dallas Morning News, 21 September, 2012 – “Dallas Police Chief David Brown Disciplines Two Supervisors”
ABC – 8 WFAA, 21 February, 2012 – “Dallas Police Uphold Firing of Operator”
The Dallas Morning News, 26 March, 2013 – “Drastic Progress Cited at 911 Center”
Daily Hampshire Gazette, 25 September, 2013 – “Black Women at 3 Times the Risk of Homicide Domestic Violence”
ABC – 8 WFAA, 2 December, 2013 – “Trial for Man Accused of Strangling Ex Wife”
ABC – 24 WVUE, 8 December, 2014 – “I Shouldn’t Have to Find My Daughter Like That”
ABC – 8 WFAA, 18 May, 2015 – “Murder Victim’s Mother Testifies at Dallas Trial”
The Dallas Morning News, 18 May, 2015 – “Emotional Day of Testimony”
The Dallas Morning News, 19 May, 2015 – “Jurors in Deanna Cook Murder Trial Shown Graphic Photos”
The Dallas Morning News, 20 May, 2015 – “Prosecution Rests in Deanna Cook Murder Trial”
ABC – 8 WFAA, 21 May, 2015 – “Defence focusing on Mental Illness”
ABC – 8 WFAA, 21 May, 2015 – “Attorneys Use Victim’s Past as Defense”
The Dallas Morning News, 21 May, 2015 – “I Heard Ex-Husband Confess”
The Dallas Morning News, 22 May, 2015 – “Jury Delivers Guilty Verdict in Deanna Cook Murder Trial”
ABC – 8 WFAA, 26 May, 2015 – “Jury Decides Punishment for Deanna Cook’s Killer”
The Dallas Morning News, 26 May, 2015 – “Delvecchio Patrick Sentenced to 85 Years”
ABC – 8 WFAA, 14 February, 2016 – “Family of Murder Victim Calls for National 911 Reform”
