911 Operator Accused Of Calling FDNY To Break Down Door Of Old Apartment
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A 911 operator for the NYPD has been suspended from the job for allegedly faking a 911 emergency of her own in Brooklyn this week.
As CBS2's Sonia Rincon reported, police said it was the second time on Thursday night that Joselene Brunot, 28, called 911 to have the FDNY break open a door in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. She claimed she lived in the apartment behind the door and was locked out, police said.
But building superintendent Fulgencio Rivera said that claim is not exactly true – she used to live there, but not anymore.
"She wanted to come back in and get some stuff," Fulgencio said. "Whether she had stuff there or not, I do not know."
Brunot used to rent a room in the apartment from a woman who did not want to be identified, Rincon reported. For whatever reason, Brunot is no longer welcome – at least not by herself.
"I told her, I said it's best that we have someone here if you come, so we don't get into an altercation," the woman said.
The former roommate said instead of bringing someone else to keep the peace, Brunot called 911 -- and being a 911 operator, she allegedly knew exactly what to say.
"And the next thing I know, it was the Fire Department breaking down my door, for the second time," the woman said.
The FDNY responded to the call of a resident locked out with food left on the stove, and sent six fire trucks to the building, Rincon reported.
Fulgencio said he only found out after the fact -- and after the damage was done. He replaced the broken lock.
"They explained to me, and then I told them, 'OK, the lady called me right now to change the cylinder, so I changed it for her," Fulgencio said. "And they told me what was happening and I said, 'OK, this has happened before.'"
Brunot was arrested on two counts of falsely reporting an incident. The first one was back on Sept. 13.
The circumstances in that case are not clear, since she did still live here at the time.
Brunot received a desk appearance ticket and is due back in court on Nov. 13, police said. She is suspended from her job as a police communications technician.