9-1-1 call deemed non-emergency: Saskatoon mom

A Saskatoon mom is sharing her concerns after she claims it took police more than 90 minutes to show up at her house after her 15-year-old daughter was ambushed outside her home.

“I want to know that if there is another child out there that’s being bullied, that child can phone 9-1-1 and somebody will help her,” said Christine West.

West says her daughter’s “friend” showed up at their home on Monday night. Emma, who was home alone at the time, was convinced by her friend to step outside.

“They kind of went across the street towards the alley, where the rest of the kids were hiding. There were about 12 of them,” West said.

West said six kids approached her daughter; one of them hit her in the back of the head twice.

Emma managed to get away. She ran back into her house, locked the door, and called her mom who was at a baseball game.

West told her daughter to hang up the phone and call 9-1-1.

Outside, one of the girls in the group who confronted Emma continued to bang on the front door of the home. The dispatcher assured Emma that help was on the way.

According to West, that was at 9:14 p.m.

By the time West got home about 10 minutes later, most of the kids had dispersed, although some were still lingering in the alley.

West said she and her daughter waited for police to arrive.

At around 10 p.m., West called police a second time.

“I was just disgusted that the call was made, and nobody was here,” West said.

She said police showed up at 10:39 p.m., about 90 minutes after the initial call was made. West said the sergeant who showed up was great.

She said in no way is she trying to discredit the police department. On the contrary, she said she thinks they are “doing the very best they can.”

“I am very upset with the 9-1-1 call,” West said. “(The teens) could have easily gotten into our home. There was no follow-up, no phone call to say, ‘Hey, did your mom arrive?’ The 9-1-1 operator didn’t even keep (Emma) on the phone until we arrived.”

West said she was told by police it wasn’t an emergency, most likely because Emma was safe inside the house.

She was also told a caller needs to be “bleeding or pretty much dying for it to be considered an emergency.”

CKOM contacted Saskatoon police for comment on Wednesday. In an emailed statement, police said they have attempted to contact the complainant and encouraged her to connect with “the Professional Standards Unit if she would like to have the call reviewed.”

But “with no formal complaint in regards to this incident, we’re unable to comment on the matter at this time.”

West said she intends to file a formal complaint.