911 dispatch ‘mistakes’ delayed search for Parker Wells, according to City of Calgary

A review of City of Calgary 911 procedures following the high-profile disappearance and search for an 11-year-old boy this summer found that police dispatch was delayed roughly one hour. 

Parker Wells was at a care facility for the day when he went missing in July. A large-scale search involving civilians and police led to his body being found two weeks later in a system of underground pipes. 

According to city officials, the internal review of calls from the day Parker went missing examined dispatcher actions, decision making and adherence to operational policies. The results show a lapse in adherence to procedure rather than a lack of prescribed procedure, officials say. 

“We discovered there were some mistakes made, that procedure was not followed correctly, and we’ve subsequently implemented measures to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” said Iain Bushell, the city’s director of emergency management and community safety, on Tuesday.

In a press release the same day, he said those instance of not following procedure resulted “in a delay in how certain information was acted on.”

WATCH | A vigil for Parker was widely attended in August:

Calgarians mourn Parker Wells at community vigil downtown

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas and police Chief Katie McLellan were among those who spoke at the service at Municipal Plaza Wednesday evening. In mid-July, Parker, 11, had walked away from his care home, prompting a massive search. His body was later found in a tunnel system near Deerfoot Trail.

What caused the delay

The first call to 911 regarding the disappearance of Parker from his care facility was made on July 16 at 10:53 a.m.

At that time, the caller stated they did not wish to file a missing person report. However, the review found that sufficient information was given during the call to initiate an emergency response and to dispatch police. 

The review also found that a supervisor subsequently reviewed the call and also did not escalate, reassess or reopen the call. 

At 11:24 a.m. the care facility called back to officially report Parker missing, triggering police dispatch at 11:41 a.m. 

According to officials, the delay was a missed opportunity to dispatch police earlier. 

Changes to procedures and training underway

In response to the city’s review, several actions are underway to strengthen oversight, reinforce policy compliance and improve training for dispatchers, officials said. 

Reviews of calls flagged as “advised events” (categorized as not requiring police assistance) now occur every 15-30 minutes by two rather than one supervisor. Spot checks and periodic reviews by coaching mentors and the coaching pool have been implemented, and employees are now seated closer to senior staff to improve guidance, mentorship and oversight. 

All employees completed a mandatory review of missing persons policy and team briefings focused on reinforcing policy adherence, critical thinking and decision making. A broader review of policies and procedures is also underway. 

Training for new recruits is extended by one week, and the city is developing new training focused on critical thinking, emotional intelligence and problem solving. 

Finally, supervisor training regarding event review and escalation responsibilities is also being developed. 

“We are committed to strengthening our processes and ensuring our employees have the support, training and tools they need to serve Calgarians effectively,” said Bushell.

“Calgary 911 employees are deeply committed to public safety, and when an event has a tragic outcome such as this, they feel the weight of that responsibility.”

The city said appropriate disciplinary action has been taken as well.

“There is one individual who is no longer with the city,” said Bushell.