Ayuda? 911 dispatcher under investigation for hanging up on Spanish-speaking callers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Officials say a Massachusetts 911 dispatcher is under investigation for hanging up on several callers who did not speak English.
WBZ-TV reports the Lawrence dispatcher, whose name has not been released, has been placed on paid leave and could lose her job.
Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera told WBZ-TV that approximately 75 percent of his city is Hispanic and that the dispatcher's actions could have put residents in harm's way.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“It’s not just they didn’t do their job, they put people in harm’s way,” Mayor Daniel Rivera said. “The people that work there for the most part do a good job.”
According to U.S. Census estimates, more than one-third of Lawrence's residents speak English "less than very well."
Police Chief James Fitzpatrick says dispatchers are supposed to get a translator on the line if they're having difficulty understanding a caller. He says residents should not hesitate to call 911 even if there is a language barrier.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fitzpatrick says one caller who may have been in need of help and was hung up on never called back.
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