999 call handler sacked 'after making light-hearted joke with man who made heart-wrenching decision to report family member for drink-driving'

A 999 operator who 'laughed and
sniggered' throughout a call from a man
reporting that a suspected drink-driver
may have been involved in a hit-and-run
has been sacked for gross misconduct.
Sue Heeney failed to 'grasp the
seriousness of the situation' after joking
with the caller when he made a mistake
while giving her the registration of the
car.
As a result, she graded the call with the
incorrect heading 'suspicious
circumstances' rather than 'non-stop road
traffic collision'.
A disciplinary hearing was told that she
'got the giggles' and from then on 'failed
to deal with the conversation in a sober
and professional manner'.
Miss Heeney, 38, who worked for Essex
Police, had been told by the caller that the suspected drink-
driver may have been involved in a hit-and-run accident.
But she did not take immediate steps to start an investigation
or gather evidence that could have helped with the search for
the suspect or victims.
It was only when a dispatcher realised the seriousness of the
incident that more immediate action was taken.
The adjudicator said: 'It is extremely fortunate that the
dispatcher who picked up this incident, reviewed and
reassessed its nature and urgency and took effective action.'
The driver in question was later found to have been involved
in two collisions that evening and failed to stop at both of
them.
One of the victims was a cyclist who was lucky to escape
serious injury, it was heard.