MILWAUKEE --
A 911 dispatcher was fired for how he handled a call for help.
But Don Busche told WISNs Brendan Conway that he was just doing his job.
911 Dispatcher Fired Over Way Call Was Handled
I feel terrible about what happened, Busche said.
Busche has been with the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department for 26 years, but Thursday morning that ended when Busche was fired.
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Heres part of the call:
Caller: No. There's nothing to talk about. (period)
Dispatcher: 911, what's your emergency?
Caller: Nothing to talk about, get away.
Caller: No, get away.
Caller: I don't want you.
Caller: No.
Dispatcher: Unless you talk to me, I'm hanging up.
(inaudible)
Caller: Come on baby girl, come here, come on, come by me -- no -- don't leave your momma -- he's gonna hurt her -- don't leave me.
Dispatcher: Call me back when you're gonna talk to me.
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The call was made in August by a woman being attacked by her boyfriend.
In a statement, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke said, "The experienced dispatcher should have known that you don't hang up on people because they are unable to articulate the kind of help they need."
Busche acknowledges he could have handled the call better but claims the woman hung up on him and what he said is being misinterpreted.
We use shock statements to bring people around to talk to us. She hung up before I was able to say, Ma'am, you have to give us your address, Busche said.
Busche said the sheriff is taking this incident public as retaliation for a recent suit he filed with the state complaining about his work conditions.
I think that my lawsuit was one of the reasons I was sent out the door today, Busche said.
A sheriff's department representative said that is "absolutely ridiculous. This is about public safety."
After the first call ended, the woman called 911 from a land line. That call went to the Milwaukee Police Department, who responded to the home.
The Milwaukee County Sheriffs Department wont say if anyone was arrested or if the caller needed medical help. However, Busche said he was told the woman refused to press charges.
