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The arrest of NFL cornerback Richard Sherman drew a lot of coverage and backlash, and some particular contempt was reserved for the 911 dispatcher who took his wife’s initial call.
The call is currently under investigation by the King County Sheriff’s Office, a news official confirmed to Yahoo Sports on Monday.
In a recording of the call obtained by the Seattle KIRO, the dispatcher responded to a distraught-sounding Ashley Sherman, who requested immediate assistance because her husband was “drunk and belligerent and threatening to kill himself.” The dispatcher immediately responded to Sherman’s pleas, saying ‘stop’ several times, then ‘you need to stop interrupting me so I can get the information I need to speed up the agents. “
Later in the call, after Sherman describes her husband fighting his uncle, the dispatcher responds “Trying to fight someone and making physical contact are two different things. How is that physical?” When Sherman insists the situation is “a fucking emergency,” the dispatcher says, “Listen to me, I’m handling this. You have to stop telling me. Talking to me won’t slow down the help.”
At another point where a man has joined Sherman on the call, the dispatcher responds by saying “Sir, I’m only speaking to one person, so please hang up.”
Many on social media have harshly criticized the dispatcher’s behavior, calling him “absurdly condescending, “”combative“and”indifferent and rude, “with many calls fire her.
The dispatcher was criticized so much that the Redmond Police Department issued a statement on Monday distancing itself from the call, which was handled by the King County Sheriff’s Office. The statement also said King County will conduct an administrative review of the appeal which will take several months.
Many mistakenly associated these calls with the City of Redmond Communications Center, which is not connected to the King County Sheriff’s Office. The City of Redmond was not involved in the recordings highlighted by the complaints. The King County Sheriff’s Office, in response to public comment, has opened an administrative review of this matter which will take several months to complete. “
Subsequent calls regarding Sherman were dealt with by Redmond, where Sherman then drove and attempted to break down the door to his in-laws’ house.
Former King County Sheriff defends 911 dispatcher
While the dispatcher was widely criticized, she had an advocate in former King County Sheriff John Urquhart, who told KIRO she had to be “short” due to the nature of her job:
“The dispatcher has certain information that she needs to get, and she needs to get it right away,” Urquhart said.
“She’s short with the woman because she’s taking control. Anytime you’re in a conversation with someone, when someone takes control, people take a step back and say, “hey, what’s going on here? But in this case, they don’t understand why it’s so important, why it’s absolutely critical and it can be life or death. They may be upset by the tone of it. But when you realize all that needs to be done, that’s fine.
Sherman apologizes and pleads not guilty
After his arrest, Sherman was first held without bail for “domestic violence burglary” but was later released.
Sherman issued an apology for his actions, pledging to seek help for his “mental and emotional health.”
While the felony charge was dropped, Sherman was charged with five misdemeanors, according to the Seattle Times: second degree criminal trespass with an element of domestic violence, reckless endangerment of road crews, driving under the influence, resistance to arrest and malicious mischief with an element of domestic violence.
Sherman pleaded not guilty to all counts on Friday.
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