2 senior cops face disciplinary hearing
Ian Austin, The Province
Published: Thursday, March 29, 2007It took 76 minutes for police to be dispatched after receiving a 911 call that Michael Sproule was going to commit suicide.
Sproule, a 40-year-old Vancouver schizophrenic, slashed his wrists during the interval.
Yesterday, Vancouver police Chief Jamie Graham said the dispatcher who decided the 911 call was a low priority has been fired, and two police sergeants face a disciplinary hearing in two weeks.
At 1:56 p.m. last Sept. 19, Sproule's aunt called 911 from Ontario, saying he was threatening to commit suicide.
The mentally ill man had called police on previous occasions, and the dispatcher -- aware that police were having a busy day -- deemed the call a low priority.
An hour later, at 2:56 p.m., Sproule called to say he had cut his wrists and was dying.
Sixteen more minutes passed until police were finally sent to his Oxford Street apartment, near the Pacific National Exhibition grounds.
Police tried to break down the front door, but Sproule had barricaded it with a piece of furniture.
He was still conscious, however, and told police to come in through the second-floor window.
They did but were too late.
In a "judgment of inquiry," coroner Mark Coleman concluded emergency dispatchers should have given Sproule's aunt's call top priority.
"Mistakes were made, policies were not followed, delays took place," a contrite Graham said yesterday. Graham said 14 police calls were "stacked up" at the time, so police were not available for low-priority calls.
He said police, busy or not, should have been dispatched to Sproule's home as a top priority.
Gary Glacken, executive director of the B.C. Schizophrenia Society, said Graham has been actively trying to improve relations between police and the mentally ill.
"Knowing him, I'm sure that this is heartbreaking for him that two of his senior officers were involved in a delay that likely cost this man's life," said Glacken.
"We've had a long history with Chief Graham -- he's been a great advocate for the mentally ill."
Glacken said he didn't know whether Sproule was getting mental-health support at the time of his death.
"Our statistics show that 50 per cent of people with schizophrenia will attempt suicide, and 12 to 15 per cent will die," said Glacken.
"Based on that, we believe these situations should be treated very seriously and help dispatched right away. We'll be sending our recommendations to Chief Graham."
Graham is also concerned that his two sergeants were apparently joking inappropriately with the dispatcher about the situation.
"Black humour, stupid things said on the telephone back and forth, I can deal with that," he said.
"There were comments made on those tapes that I find shocking," said the chief.
"We go to try to help people. In this case, a man is dead. We owe it to his family, to you, to find out if we could have done something better here."
iaustin@png.canwest.com
