Coroner’s inquest: Police need policy for reports of ‘grievous bodily harm’

BURNABY — Jurors who heard this week about a woman who spent four days paralyzed and dying inside her home in rural British Columbia say police and their dispatchers need to review how they handle serious calls.

A coroner’s inquest heard that two RCMP officers responded to a call about shots fired in Mission in 2008, but did not get out of their vehicles to investigate or contact the neighbour who called 911.

Inside the home, 37-year-old Lisa Dudley and her boyfriend, Guthrie McKay, had been shot in an attack over a marijuana grow-op in their home. McKay died immediately but Dudley was paralyzed and lay in the home for four days until a neighbour checked in and called for help.

Dudley then died in the ambulance on the way to hospital.

The inquest issued its written verdict Thursday night, ruling Dudley’s death a homicide and saying she had died of gunshot wounds to her head and neck.

Jurors also made nine recommendations, including that RCMP explore policies around following up on calls about “potential grievous bodily harm” such as shootings and stabbings, and look at increased training if such policies are already in place.

The jurors recommended that the Mounties’ dispatch service procedures and training make sure employees “properly and thoroughly document all details reported by a complainant,” and that all calls are recorded and can be made public under access to information laws.

RCMP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.