How '911 Crisis Center' Dispatchers Handled A Threatening Intruder At Woman's Home

At Chagrin Valley Dispatch, an Ohio emergency dispatch center, Police Week is an annual celebration of the work officers do and their tight relationship with dispatchers.

“We work very closely with them,” said dispatcher Melanie McCavish on a recent episode of “911 Crisis Center,” airing Saturdays at 9/8c on Oxygen. “Officer safety is our number one goal.”

But calls continued throughout the week, of course. Multiple calls came in to dispatchers to report a car accident “with blood everywhere.” As the team handled the reports they determined that a man suffered a leg injury and that the mishap appeared to be a continuation of an earlier incident.

The victim was transported to the hospital. The vehicle that injured the victim belonged to the mother of his child. No arrests were made.

A mother called to report that her 19-year-old wasn’t picking up her phone. Was it a missing persons case?

No. Dispatchers determined from the caller that the teen wasn’t missing but that actually, her mom was upset because she was flying to Texas. Dispatchers explained that because her daughter was an adult, there was nothing they could do. They then transferred the call to the Cleveland Police.

But a scary situation occurred  when a woman called to report that her daughter’s ex-boyfriend was banging on her windows and trying to enter her house. Police officers were immediately sent to the scene, and dispatchers instructed the caller to make sure her doors and windows were locked. They also determined if the man had any weapons that could be used to harm others or himself as well as if he had been drinking or doing drugs that could escalate the situation.

When dispatchers heard the man in the background, they instructed the caller not to engage with him in order to help defuse the situation. 

Related: What It Means When 911 Dispatchers Are In ‘The Loop’ — And How They Handle It

After officers arrived, the suspect was added to the trespass list for the property, meaning if he ever returns he will immediately be arrested for trespassing.

Savannah Brown, the youngest dispatcher at CVD, handled a call about a man who was injured when his furnace blew up. She established that he was breathing and responsive and an ambulance was sent to the residence.

Firefighters determined the cause of the accident was a gas leak. The injured man was transported to a trauma center, where was expected to make a full recovery.

Then, a woman called 911 to report that her former boyfriend was threatening her. The already-dangerous situation was made even more perilous because the man had an outstanding warrant for carrying a concealed weapon.

Dispatchers alerted officers to the man’s weapons offense. The situation led officers to a Pizza Hut, where the man making threats was hiding out. 

The event was resolved with a best-case scenario and without any injuries. The caller’s ex boyfriend was arrested for the outstanding warrant with the sheriff's department. 

To find out more about what dispatchers do, watch “911 Crisis Center,” airing Saturdays at 9/8c on Oxygen or stream episodes here.