Chicago mother waits hours for police response after Wicker Park break-in – NBC Chicago

A Chicago mother is raising questions about the police response after two men broke into her Wicker Park home. It took four hours for officers to arrive following their emergency call.

Homeowner Michelle doesn’t want us to show her face or give her full name because the would-be robbers haven’t been caught.

She says she left her door open around 12:30 p.m. after letting her dog out, and that’s when two men broke into the house.

“I saw two masked men standing in my house,” she said. “I yelled, ‘I’m calling the police,’ and they ran away.”

Michelle and a neighbor ran after the men. Then, she says, she called 911.

“They told me processing was on the way and I would wait outside,” she said.

Michelle said she waited and waited and waited some more. She called 911 several times and asked for a supervisor on the sixth call.

“A gentleman got in and apologized that we didn’t have any units to send to you…then there was an awkward pause,” she said. “He also recommended I call my city councilor and I said why – and he said to encourage him to hire more police officers. The dispatcher also asked me if I was thinking about defending myself… if I had a gun or was thinking about getting one.”

Michelle says officers arrived more than four hours later.

“The officers who showed up were caring and apologetic that it took them so long to get there,” she said.

Chicago police told NBC Chicago that the delay in officers arriving at Michelle’s home may be related to the priority list for routine 911 emergency calls.

If there is no immediate threat to life, this may be viewed as a lower priority by dispatchers.

We also reached out to OEMC – but did not receive a response before our story aired.

In a statement – ​​1^st Councilor Daniel La Spata wrote:

“It’s terrible that our neighbor experienced this. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home. My co-workers immediately alerted me to the problem and I am in contact with the 12th District Police Department. I will continue to support any resources our districts request and I will continue to work with the city on a planned satellite location in West Town for the 12th District Police.”

Michelle says she called the city councilor’s office and is waiting to meet with him in person.

She also wants to make it clear that she doesn’t blame the police for making her wait so long.

“I don’t think it’s the police’s fault that they are overstaffed and overwhelmed,” she said.