Chicago mom waits hours for police response after Wicker Park break-in
“A gentleman got on and said sorry to say we have no units to send you,' she said
A Chicago mom is raising questions about the police response after two men broke into her Wicker Park home, with four hours elapsing before officers arrived after her 911 call.
The homeowner, Michelle, doesn’t want us to show her face or use her full name because the would-be robbers have not been caught.
She says she left her door open at approximately 12:30 p.m. after letting her dog out, and that's when two men entered the home.
“I saw two men wearing masks standing inside my house,” She said. “I screamed – 'I am calling the police' and they bolted.”
Michelle and a neighbor ran after the men. Then, she says she called 911.
“They told me dispatch was on the way and wait outside,” she said.
Michelle said she waited and waited and waited some more. She called 911 multiple times, and on the sixth call, she asked for a supervisor.
“ A gentleman got on and said sorry to say we have no units to send you…then there was an awkward pause,” she said. “He also recommended I call my alderman 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 weapon or considered getting one.”
Michelle says more than four hours later officers arrived.
“The officers who did show up cared and were apologetic it took so long to get them there," she said.
Chicago Police told NBC Chicago that the delay in getting officers to Michelle’s home may have been related to the priority list for routine dispatch calls for 911.
If there’s no immediate threat to life, it may be considered a lesser priority for dispatchers.
We also reached out to OEMC – but didn’t hear back before our story aired.
In a statement – 1st Ward Alderman Daniel La Spata wrote:
“It is awful that our neighbor experienced this, everyone deserves to feel safe in their home. My staff alerted me to the issue as soon as they heard, and I am in contact with 12th District Police leadership. I will continue to support any resources our districts request, and I will continue to work with the City on a proposed satellite location within West Town for the 12th District police."
Michelle says she called the alderman’s office and is waiting to meet with him in person.
She also wants to make clear that she is not blaming the police department for having to wait so long.
“I don’t think it is the police department’s fault they are overstaffed and overwhelmed," she said.