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L/RAIN Temp: 37 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Saturday, December 21, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend November 26, 2002 Police punish dispatcher over Repp murder site call By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune A Medford Police Department dispatcher who hung up on a 911 call made from the scene of Kerry Repp’s murder has been disciplined, police officials said. The female employee, whose name will not be released, still works in the police department’s Central Communications (CCOM), said Medford police Deputy Chief Ron Norris. Norris would not say how she was disciplined, adding that personnel matters are not available to the public. The murdered woman’sparents said they were devastated to hear that the dispatcher ignored the call, placed hours before their 29-year-old daughter was found dead in her Central Point home on May 4. CCOM dispatches for Central Point police and answers the city’s 911 calls. "If you hear screaming and gunshots, and you did nothing ... I can’t justify that in any way," said JoeAnn Johnson, Kerry Repp’s mother. An anonymous letter sent to the Mail Tribune in October brought the call to light. The author wrote that gunshots and screaming could be heard over the phone. The call was taped. Police would not discuss what could be heard on the recording. Prosecutors said they will not release the tape to the media because it could be used as evidence in the trial of 32-year-old Gary Marvin Repp Jr., who was charged with his wife’s murder in May. Gary Repp pleaded not guilty to the charge and is still lodged in the Jackson County Jail. His trial date is set for May 20. Kerry Repp’s father, Ron Johnson, found his daughter dead around 1 p.m. on May 4. Gary Repp and Kerry’s two sons reportedly were at a T-ball game. Ron Johnson called 911 from the Repp house on his cell phone, police said. Investigators would not reveal what time the dispatcher took the first call from the Repp home nor who made the call. Because the dispatcher received no response from the caller, she disconnected the line. Her action violated the police department’s policy to send an officer to the residence, officials said. "The policy has been reinforced to all the additional CCOM operators," Norris said. Sending out officers in response to 911 hang-up calls is fairly common, Norris said. No statistics on the number of hang-up calls were available. The police department took formal disciplinary action against the dispatcher about a week after officials released information on the botched call. She had spent several weeks in re-training, officials said. Norris would not say how long the dispatcher had been working for the police department nor discuss how the discipline would specifically affect her employment. "When you do disciplinary action, it could affect their employment, particularly if subsequent problems were encountered in the same area," Norris said. Detectives uncovered the mistake in August while checking a log of 911 calls received on May 4. The Johnsons learned of the call only about a week before police released information to reporters, said JoeAnn Johnson. She would not discuss how the family heard the news. Even if officers had responded immediately after the first call was made, they could not have saved Kerry Repp’s life because of the extent of her injuries, said Medford police Lt. Mike Moran. Three months’ pregnant, Kerry Repp was shot more than once with a handgun found near her body, investigators have said. Detectives initially were unsure whether the death was a suicide, accident or homicide. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] . Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S