Put on hold to report erratic driver, Yellowknife woman says RCMP dispatch delays could endanger others

A woman in Yellowknife says the public was at risk when she called RCMP to report a suspected impaired driver and was put on hold for three minutes.

Danika Boisvert was in the Tim Horton's drive-through in late October when she saw a man driving erratically. She sayshe was speeding, honking his horn, squealing his wheels and nearly hit several cars.

This behaviour led her to believe the driver was under the influence of alcohol, but when she called RCMP to report the activity, she says the dispatcher put her directly on hold. After waiting on hold for what she sayswasthree minutes, Boisvert hung up. Sheexpecteda call back, but says she never received one.

"I was angry, really angry," Boisvert said. "I was angry at the driver for driving like an idiot and I was angry at dispatch for not doing anything."

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Boisvert says when dispatch puts someone reporting a suspected drunk driver on hold it can be dangerous, because it gives the driver a chance to get away.

"They are long gone," she said. "What if something worse would've happened because they didn't do something?"

Patience may be required

Marie York Condon, an RCMP spokesperson, said in an email it's important for anyone reporting a crime to stay on the line. She said call volumes vary, and if someone calls at a busy time they could be put on hold if other calls take priority.

"The [Operational Communications Centre] is responsible for police calls for service for the entire Northwest Territories, so your call, while important, may require some patience as we prioritize the calls and then request the appropriate information to dispatch a member," she said in the email.

Last week the Yellowknife RCMP sent out a newsrelease reminding people what to do if they suspect someone is driving impaired. It said to pull over, call the local RCMP detachment and give your location, a description of the vehicle and driver, and the direction the vehicle was travelling in.

Boisvert said when she called the RCMP she had been expecting to give that information, but then she was put on hold. She believes that if the RCMP is going to urge people to report suspected drunk drivers, it should also have the resources to back it up.

"If they are going to promote so much about drinking and driving and reporting things like that then they should be properly equipped to do so," she said.