Outsourced 911 System Delayed Response Time to Attack on Cop: Report

DANBURY, CT — Anyone who has lived in the Danbury area, especially local police, knows where Jimmie's Market and Germantown Plaza is located, however the 911 dispatcher seemed to have a hard time understanding where exactly an attack on an officer was taking place which delayed response time, according to a report on The News Times.

Det. Lt. Christian Carroccio of the Danbury Police Department sent Patch three 911 calls related to a vicious attack on a Danbury police officer last week. The News Times reported that Danbury's 911 system was outsourced to a non-local agency, IXP, in February of 2015, and that is the reason why officers did not immediately respond to the attack on Officer Pooler.

The 911 caller can be heard yelling to "hurry up" and to send officers to Jimmie's Market in Germantown. While on the call the two women went to Engine 23 nearby to get help, watching the attack in frustration. "He's running after the car," the woman said. Another woman in the background can be heard saying, "I just want to help him!"

"The cop is driving circles around this guy, he's trying to hurt him...the man is trying to follow him," she said.

The New Jersey-based company apparently sent backup officers to the wrong location three times before police arrived on scene, while Officer Pooler was being brutally attacked by a 20-year-old Danbury man.

Det. Lt. Christian Carroccio of the Danbury Police Department said last Monday that Officer Pooler is recovering from injuries sustained in a brutal attack on Sunday.

"At this time we have not established any motive for the attack, but this is still an active and ongoing investigation. Officer Pooler and the entire Department greatly appreciates the outpouring of support we have received."

The brutal attacked occurred last Saturday shortly after 11 p.m. near Jimmie's Market on Germantown Road, according to a police report. The man was later identified as Pierre Elhayek, age 20, of Danbury.

Officer Joe Pooler was parked in the lot of 38 Germantown Road at Jimmy's Market in his clearly marked patrol cruiser when he said he observed Elhayek "pacing up and down Germantown Road two to three times" before he suddenly approached his cruiser and began banging and kicking the vehicle.

Pooler said he got out of the police cruiser because he thought Elhayek was trying to get his attention for help. Elhayek immediately attacked Pooler, striking him on the side of the head and ear, police said, and a violent struggle ensued.

Elhayek punched and kicked the officer in the head and body numerous times, police said. Pooler lost his Taser during the struggle and was unable to get to his portable radio for help, but after some time, he was able to get back inside his cruiser and radio for assistance, police said.

Elhayek continued to kick and bang on the cruiser while Pooler was inside, police said. Several backup officers quickly arrived and took Elhayek into custody after a brief struggle, according to police. Pooler was treated and released from Danbury Hospital, police said.

Pooler, 55, is a 14-year veteran of the police force and in 2015 was named Officer of the Year. The Hat City Housing Herald reports that Pooler has served as a member of the patrol division, as a crisis negotiator, in the Emergency Services Unit and as Sniper Team leader.

Elhayek was charged with second-degree assault, assault of a police officer, interfering with a police officer, second-degree breach of peace and criminal mischief. He is being held on a $250,000 bond. He is due in Bantam Superior Court on Sept. 9 to answer to the charges, according to the Connecticut Judicial Court.

Det. Lt. Christian Carroccio said that video footage of the assault will not be released because "disclosure of such recording at this time may prejudice a pending prosecution and/or a prospective law enforcement action, pursuant to C.G.S. Secs. 1-210(3) and 1-215."

Related:

Danbury Police Officer Brutally Attacked