UPDATED Friday, May 9 --- 9:45pm

Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz toured 911 center tonight following a mishandled call from murder victim Brittany Zimmermann.

The tour was actually planned before the recent murders of Joel Marino and Brittany Zimmerman. The city's 20-year contract with the 911 center is up in July.

The mayor says he wants to get a better understanding of how the center works. "Specifics of how calls are handled, calls coming from cell phones," says Mayor Cieslewicz. "Of course, how those calls are handled both when we're able to make contact with and when there isn't sufficient information, how those are handled, how those are logged, how the operators can juggle those calls."

The Dane County 911 Center Director testified before the county board Thursday night.

Joe Norwick apologized to Zimmermann's family about the mistakes made the day the U-W student was killed in her Doty Street home. A dispatcher did not call Zimmermann's cell phone back after it disconnected, instead providing a call-back to a hang-up call.

County Board Chairman Scott McDonell: "Is this common to have multiple errors like this or is it uncommon?"

Norwick: "I don't think it's a frequent occurrence, I think people are human. People make mistakes. people in a very stressful job make mistakes."

Norwick says he can't guarantee that no mistakes will be made, but is working to limit the opportunities for mistakes.

Changes are already in the works to improve communication between different agencies in Dane County. NBC15 News has learned 30 million dollars will go toward replacing 911 computers and other equipment.

Meantime, County Board Chairman Scott McDonell says the board wants to bring in an outside source to review policies and procedures at the 911 center and make improvements.

"It seems the policies are solid, it's whether they are being followed or not. That's really a concern especially for someone like me who lives downtown, right in the middle of basically unsolved murders" said McDonell.

Board supervisors are also concerned about whether the 911 center followed a strategic plan from 2004. The report recommended increasing staffing, changing procedures and creating a stronger oversight board.

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UPDATE Posted Thursday, May 8 -- 5:00pm

At 5:30 Thursday night, the director of Dane County's 911 center will be in the hot seat, trying to explain the botched 911 call from Brittany Zimmermann the day she was murdered.

Today, NBC 15s Carleen Wild learned:

- City and county officials are concerned too much information is being said in this case.

- The District Attorney, Chief of Police, two police captains and a detective working on the case walked together into the County Executive's office.

- They are very concerned about the statement the union steward has made about what is or isn't on the 911 tape, and essentially asked that nothing else be said by anyone - in regard to the call or what may be on the tape.

- There is concern that too much information if being released and will jeopardize not only the investigation, but also a possible genuine confession.

NBC 15s Carleen Wild also confirmed the following changes coming to Dane County 911:

- 30 million dollars has been authorized to spend to replace all 911 computers, radio towers, equipment and other technology that supports the 911 call center.

- The new software will better bridge what have been communication gaps between the 60 plus emergency response teams, meaning the different community police, fire and other agencies within Dane County, that have to interact when there is an emergency.

Stay with NBC 15 and www.nbc15.com for continuing coverage of this developing story.

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UPDATE Posted Thursday, May 8 --- 8:05am

Today, Dane County 911 officials will brief Dane County Board members on the 911 investigation.

It takes place at 5:30pm at the City-County Building (210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 201).

The meeting is open to the public, but board members may go into closed session to discuss any personnel-related issues.

NBC15 News will have live reports from this meeting on NBC15 News at 5pm and 6pm, and a full report on NBC15.com and NBC15 News at 10pm.

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UPDATE Posted Wednesday, May 7 -- 1:50 pm

Madison: Madison Police are saying today the 911 center's mistake did not derail or jeopardize the Zimmermann murder investigation.

Tuesday NBC 15 News reported the 911 center sent detectives down the wrong path initially, by saying a dispatcher had called back Brittany Zimmermann's cell phone and two men had answered and said there was no emergency.

In fact, the dispatcher never did call Zimmermann's cell phone, instead the two men were from a 911 hang up in the Town of Middleton.

But it took 13 days for the 911 center to catch the mistake. By then, police had "focused some investigative efforts on that callback and the two males".

Wednesday, a spokesman says they were investigating many leads early in the case and the two men were not the main focus of detectives, and this mistake did not "derail" the investigation.

The dispatcher that messed up the call has transferred to another job but could still face discipline.

Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk says she has no plans to discipline or fire Joe Norwick, the 911 center director.

But that doesn't mean she didn't have plenty of criticism for his performance in the last few days.

Joe Norwick has faced a lot of media pressure since last Thursday, when it was revealed one of his 911 center dispatchers failed to send police to help Brittany Zimmermann the day she was murdered.

At the time Norwick was brusque and unapologetic. "I don't think there's anything to apologize for at this time," he said.

Since then Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk has apologized for him. "I concluded that an apology was appropriate for the errors committed in our 911 center."

But it wasn't just his tone that brought criticism. Thursday, Norwick was asked if the dispatcher was still working in the 911 center.

Norwick said she had worked in the center after the screw up. But it was later revealed the dispatcher requested and received a transfer and is now in a different county department.

Falk was asked why Norwick mislead reporters. "He believes, when I asked him the same question, that he technically and honestly answered the questions he was asked. I said, 'Joe, while I understand you answered the questions technically accurate. The impression left by everyone in that room was different."

County Board Chairman Scott McDonell had similar worries. "It does concern me. I think that will be one of the issues we raise Thursday." Thursday is when Norwick will testify before county board supervisors.

McDonell says in private they've been getting better answers. "I know he has a long distinguished record. I just think the media part of it is not his strong suit, and it's unfortunate."

Despite all this Falk says Norwick won't be disciplined. "I have not agreed with a number of the statements...that Director Norwick has said in the last several days. But I have confidence in his ability to lead our 911 center."

Falk has called for an external investigation of the mistake. That will be conducted by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials.

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UPDATE Posted Wednesday, May 7 --- 9:00am

Just a clarification from the Middleton Police Department:
Recent news reports related to the Brittany Zimmermann case indicated that a landline 911 hang-up call that center personnel handled during the time period that is the focus of the investigation originated in "Middleton."

We would like to clarify that the call originated in the "Town of Middleton" not in the City of Middleton. Landline 911 calls originating in the City of Middleton are directed to the City of Middleton Communications Center, not the Dane County Communications Center.

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UPDATE Posted Wednesday, May 7 -- 1:25 pm
By Zac Schultz

Madison: It appears the 911 Center made two crucial errors the day Brittany Zimmermann was murdered.

The first error prevented Zimmermann from getting police help immediately. The second error-just revealed Tuesday- ended up sending detectives down the wrong path for nearly two weeks.

Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk presented new information at a press conference Tuesday afternoon. Falk says the month-long internal investigation was completed Tuesday. She ran through it with the District Attorney and Madison Police to find out what details could be released without compromising the investigation.

Here's the background: On April 2nd, Brittany Zimmermann called 911 from her Doty St. apartment. The 911 dispatcher made three inquiries, heard nothing and then the call was ended. (Previously 911 Center Director Joe Norwick said the dispatcher hung up on Zimmermann, but now they say it is unclear, and they can only say the call ended.) The dispatcher moved on to a 911 hang up call.

According to policy, she should have called back Zimmermann's cell phone. Instead she called back the second hang up call and spoke to two men who said there was no emergency. She never called Zimmermann back. That was her first mistake.

The second mistake came when the 911 center later told police that the two men answered Zimmermann's cell phone.

911 didn't learn for 13 days that the men were from the second call and not related to the murder. But all the while detectives had been focused on finding these two men who where ultimately never connected to the murder.

The dispatcher said she heard nothing on Zimmermann's call, but police have said there were noises on the call that should have resulted in police being dispatched.

The next point of contention is where police would have been sent. Last week Joe Norwick said cell phone GPS technology was unreliable, and could have sent police miles away. The internal investigation shows police would have been sent to a building right next to Brittany Zimmermann's apartment, and the dispatcher could have used the cell phone provider to look up Zimmermann's real address within five minutes.

Chief of Police Noble Wray said last Thursday it was too soon to know if sending police would have saved Brittany's life, but Falk says no way. "From what I know, I do not believe Brittany Zimmermann's death could have been prevented."

Falk has now called for an external investigation by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials.

She also wants the 911 center's oversight board to examine their policies.

The dispatcher has requested and received a transfer to another county department. She could still face discipline.

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UPDATE Posted Tuesday, May 6 --- 4:45pm

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Dane County's top official says a better response to a 911 call from a college student before she was murdered still could not have saved her life.

County Executive Kathleen Falk apologized at a news conference for numerous errors employees made responding to the April 2 call from Brittany Zimmermann's cell phone.

But she says she does not believe the University of Wisconsin-Madison student's murder could have been prevented.

Falk says a county dispatcher inquired three times about whether an emergency existed but heard nothing before the call ended. She then failed to call the number back as required under department policy.

Falk says the call does contain sounds that have significance but they were not heard by the dispatcher.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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UPDATE Posted Tuesday, May 6 --- 4:10pm

The Press Conference by Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk is still underway.

However, she has already released several recommendations that she has made to the Director of the 911 Center:

- She requests that 911 administrators review current training and personnel qualifications.

- When an issue occurs about the sequence of several incoming phone calls in a short amount of time, 911 (administrators) should review as soon as possible all three sets of available records.

- With respect to the adequacy of existing technology, there is no fool proof ability to pinpoint where a cell phone call is originating. For land line phones, technology allows for accurate determination of the caller. With cell phone callers, the technology allows a location to be identified that may often be fairly precise but can on occasion range anywhere within a few miles of the actual caller.

- "Many people want a third party objective review of this situation and the overall performance of the 911 system. I think your report has identified the key concerns a review should consider. Please, as soon as possible, contact the Association of Public Safety Communication official (the national organization which sets the standards for 911 operations) and ask it to review this situation and the general performance of the 911 center."

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UPDATE Posted Tuesday, May 6 --- 2:10pm

Dane County Board Chair Scott McDonell Issued this Press Release today. (Many of these items were reported Monday, by NBC15 News)

McDonell announced several steps the County Board will be taking to follow-up on the 911 Center’s involvement in the Brittany Zimmermann case:

• There will be a joint meeting of the Public Protection and Judiciary Committee and the Personnel and Finance Committee at 5:30 p.m. in Room 201 of the City County Building this Thursday, May 8th, 2008.

Emergency Communications Center staff will provide details of their investigation to the committees, and be available to respond to questions from county board supervisors. All county board supervisors are allowed to attend.

Parts of the meeting may be conducted in closed session, if necessary, in order to allow discussion of specific personnel or disciplinary issues or issues related to potential litigation.. All supervisors are allowed to remain in the room but may not divulge any information shared in closed session.

Madison City Channel, which is available on many cable TV systems throughout the county, has indicated they will carry the meeting live, and it will also be streamed live on the Internet at www.mcc12.tv.

• The County’s internal investigation of the 911 call from Ms. Zimmermann’s cell phone requested by the Madison Police Department will be completed in the next few days, and will be made available as soon as possible.

• County Board staff will review a study that was completed in 2004 by MTG Management Consultants, a Seattle, Washington consultant, to determine if recommendations have been implemented and whether the county needs to bring in an additional experts to review current operations. The Executive Committee will consider whether further audit attention in needed in coming weeks.

“Everyone in county government regrets the outcome of Brittany Zimmermann’s phone call to the 911 Center, and we are taking immediate steps to ensure there will not be a repeat of this occurrence,” said McDonell. “The County Board will get a report from Emergency Communications Center director Joe Norwick Thursday night, and then we will review the findings of the internal investigation and the MTG study that was completed in 2004. We will then determine whether additional county board action is necessary.”

McDonell also assured Dane County residents that they should continue to have confidence that their calls to the 911 Center will result in the assistance they need. The Center handles approximately 442 calls per day - over 161,000 calls in 2007 - with great accuracy. “Our citizens rely on the fact that when they call 911 for help, the call will result in emergency assistance being dispatched within minutes,” McDonell noted. “They should continue to have confidence in the public safety communication system.”

The Brittany Zimmermann murder has brought to light the limitations of cell phone technology for pinpointing the location of a caller in an emergency. It is important that the public be aware of how to place a 911 call in general, as well as understand that calling 911 from a cell phone is not like calling from a landline. If possible, it is best to use a landline when calling the 911 Center because the address of the call can be precisely located. However, many now depend on cell phones and, in some cases, the location of these calls cannot be exactly pinpointed with the current 911 technology.

“It is critical that people know what to do if calling for help,” McDonell said. Specifically:

• When calling 911, a caller will be asked for the address of the emergency, a call-back number, his or her name, and a description of what happened.

• If calling from a cell phone, the 911 Center has offered these guidelines - Assume the person taking the 911 call does not know your location and be prepared to work with them to determine the most accurate location where help is needed. Be prepared to give your cell phone number or some other way of re-contacting you. If the call is disconnected or if you are otherwise uncertain you’ve secured help, call 911 again.

• Call 911 if you need a assistance, but do not program it as a speed dial number. This will cut down on the number of calls made to the 911 Center in error.

Additional information regarding the ongoing investigation into the Brittany Zimmermann case will be posted on the county’s website (www.countyofdane.com), and will be updated as new information becomes available.

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UPDATE POSTED: Monday, May 5 -- 9:30pm
REPORTER: Brock Bergey

Dane County's top leader says it's time to apologize to the Brittany Zimmermann family.

Kathleen Falk says she's sending letters to the murdered college student's family and fiance.

She's not making the letters public at this time. However, she tells NBC 15 they will express -- "heart-felt compassion".

Falk says the 9-1-1 center made a mistake the day of Brittany Zimmermann's murder.

Last week, we learned a county dispatcher received a call, from Zimmermann's cell phone, on April 2nd, the same day the 21-year-old was found murdered in her Doty Street home.

Records show the dispatcher eventually hung up on the call and failed to place a call back, as is protocol.

On Thursday, when the news broke, 9-1-1 director, Joe Norwick said, then, no apology was needed.

However, Falk says the county is ready to take some responsibility.

"The 9-1-1 director has just completed the first phase of his investigation," she says. "And, now, based on what I know, I think we need to apologize to the Zimmermann family and Brittany's fiance, so I have drafted apology letters."

Falk says the letters will be delivered, soon, through the district attorney's office.

In addition to the apologies, Falk tells NBC 15 she will announce directives to the 9-1-1 director and staff, on Tuesday, to ensure something like this doesn't happen again.

She wouldn't elaborate any further on what those directives might be.

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UPDATE Posted Monday, May 5 --- 4:35pm
By Zac Schultz

Madison: The 911 Center Director will testify in front of the County Board this Thursday

At issue; why a dispatcher hung up on Brittany Zimmermann's 911 call the day she was murdered.

Jack Martz has been a County Board Supervisor for six years.
He says he was blindsided last Thursday when he learned about Brittany Zimmermann's dropped 911 call. "I was totally surprised and quite frankly, flabbergasted."

That's why Martz and five other Supervisors wrote a letter asking for a special meeting so they could question Joe Norwick-the 911 Center Director. "I'm really interested in getting down to solving the problem. Getting the community back to feeling confident that if they call 911 something will happen," says Martz.

"The system has failed, and we have to find out why and what we're going to do to fix it," says Supervisor Dave Wiganowsky. He wants more than a hearing. "We want an external investigation in the department-or at least I do-to find out what went wrong."

Madison Police asked for an internal investigation April 2nd, the day Zimmermann was murdered. That was when they learned a dispatcher had hung up on Zimmermann's 911 call and ignored policy by not calling back.

Norwick met with the County Executive and the Board Chairman this afternoon, but he would not speak with media.

Board Chairman Scott McDonell says they asked about the investigation. "It's not quite complete, but it should be complete soon."

McDonell says they learned the dispatcher has changed jobs. "My understanding was that she requested a transfer. Given the circumstances that's not unreasonable."

The supervisors want to know what's taking so long. "I don't want to say that a month isn't long enough, but it sure appears to me that we should have had some answers," says Wiganowsky.

"If you haven't uncovered at least some of the issues that caused this problem in a month, then I'm wondering where you're looking," says Martz.

Thursday's County Board meeting with the 911 Center Director will take place at 5:30. McDonell says he's not sure if that internal investigation will be complete by then.

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UPDATE Posted Monday, May 5 --- 3:45pm

From NBC15's Zac Schultz:
NBC15 News has learned the internal investigation into the botched 911 call made by Brittany Zimmermann is nearly complete. Also today, one County Board Supervisor is calling for an external investigation.

It's been more than a month since a 911 dispatcher hung up on Brittany Zimmermann the day she was murdered in her Doty Street apartment.

Madison Police asked for an investigation at the beginning of April, and now the Chairman of the County Board says he hopes the investigation will be wrapped up this week.

Last Thursday Joe Norwick, the 911 Center Director, admitted a dispatcher hung up on Zimmermann's cell phone because she didn't hear anything, and the dispatcher ignored policy and failed to call the cell phone back.

Now Dave Wiganowsky, Dane County Board Supervisor, wants an external investigation into the whole matter.

Wiganowsky says: "The problem happened, but my concern is how we're going to fix it. We're a month out right now. They can still keep the investigation going, but what we need to know is do we need to put help on more right now? Do we need to do it right away? Is this going to happen again?"

Earlier today, six members of the board demanded the chairman call a special meeting so they can get some answers. Late this afternoon, the chairman announced that this Thursday at 5:30pm, the 911 center director will testify before the board.

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UPDATE Posted Saturday, May 3 -- 8:00am

The Wisconsin State Journal is reporting that the 911 dispatcher who mishandled a call from Brittany Zimmermann's cell phone the day of her murder has been transferred to another Dane County Job.

According to the Journal, officials confirmed the dispatcher was transferred soon after the day of the murder, even though 911 center director Joe Norwick said they remained on the job Thursday.

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UPDATE Posted Friday, May 2 --- 5:35pm

From The Associated Press:
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Dane County's chief executive says authorities mishandled a 911 call from the cell phone of a college student but she has confidence in her 911 chief.

County Executive Kathleen Falk says "the system didn't work like it should" when a dispatcher received the call from Brittany Zimmermann's phone on April 2.

The dispatcher eventually hung up on the caller, failed to call the number back and never sent a police officer to investigate. Zimmermann was found murdered in her apartment shortly after.

Madison Police Chief Noble Wray says the 911 call contained evidence that should have triggered a dispatch but county authorities have described it as a routine "hang-up" call.

Falk praised Joseph Norwick, director of the county's 911 center, as a skilled law enforcement official.

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UPDATE Posted Thursday, May 1 --- 8:53pm

"It just gets to the point where you're kind of numb you know? It's like it hurts but what can you do?" says Zimmermann's best friend, Jenna Krasselt.

Krasselt would have been her future sister in law. She wants to keep her memory alive and reminisces about the friend she once had.

"She is a person you know, keep her dreams and her hopes I mean all the good she would have done for this world."

Jenna Krasselt knew Brittany best and still finds her tragic death hard to believe.

"A month ago I was one of those people you know? It's like you read about people something tragic has happened to. You've seen it on the news obviously and it's just like until it happens to you it's just one of those people you know?"

Together with the help of several of Brittany's friends a scholarship fundraiser has been setup to keep Brittany's name alive while benefitting the life of someone else. Those who knew her feel that it's least they can do for a girl who touched their life.

"She's my best friend you know? In a time like this it's like I wish I could do more for her."

If you'd like to contribute you can send a check or money order to

Marshfield medical Center CU
Attn: Dollars For Brittany
302 West Upham St.
Marshfield, WI 54449
(715)387-8686

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UPDATE Posted Thursday, May 1 --- 6:00pm

Madison: The UW student murdered in her apartment last month called 911, but the dispatcher never sent police.

The dispatcher actually hung up on Brittany Zimmermann because they didn't hear anybody on the other end of the line.

Brittany Zimmermann's body was found by her boyfriend around 1 pm on April 2nd in their Doty St. apartment. Police have released few details surrounding her murder but Thursday they confirmed a 911 call was placed from Zimmermann's cell phone the day she was killed. "It would be accurate to state that there is evidence contained in the call which should have resulted in a Madison Police Officer being dispatched," says Police Chief Noble Wray.

But an officer was never sent. Police aren't releasing details like when the call was made, how long it lasted, or even whether anything could be heard.

Joe Norwick is the Director of the 911 Communications Center. "The dispatcher answered this call and inquired several times to determine whether an emergency existed on the other end of the phone, and received no answer to the inquiries."

Norwick says the dispatcher actually hung up on Zimmermann, because there were two other 911 calls waiting. Norwick says the dispatcher was ok to hang up but they should have called back. "Under current policy, if dispatchers a 911 call and either don't hear a voice on the other end of the call or unable to determine if there is an emergency the dispatcher calls the number back."

But even if the dispatcher had called back, police would not have been sent, because Zimmermann called from a cell phone. Only calls from a landline get an automatic police visit, because 911 technology still can't give an exact location for a cell phone. "The accuracy of determining the origin of cell phone calls may range from within a city block to several miles."

Police Chief Noble Wray says the callback doesn't matter, the first call should have been enough. "There was evidence from the call that an officer should have been sent."

Norwick won't identify the dispatcher, only saying they are a competent veteran with a good record. "And of course that person feels very concerned over what happened."

Despite the fact police had to notify the 911 center about the dropped call Norwick is not ready to apologize, either to the Zimmermann family or the public.

Chief Wray says he asked Norwick to conduct an internal investigation a month ago. Norwick says that investigation is still ongoing and the dispatcher has not been reprimanded.

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UPDATE Posted Thursday, May 1 --- 2:50pm

Official Press Release from Madison Police Department:

During the course of the investigation into the murder of Brittany Sue Zimmermann, Madison Police detectives were able to determine a 911 call for service was made from Zimmermann's phone to the Dane County 911 center on April 2nd, 2008. That day the MPD brought this call to the attention of the Dane County 911 Center. Also on this day, Command Staff from MPD requested that the 911 Center not release information pertaining to this call. The request for non-disclosure has been reviewed throughout the investigation and is currently in force.

The MPD investigation also revealed that this was not an accidental 911 call, it was not an intentionally erroneous call, nor was it a hang-up call.

To protect the integrity of the Zimmermann case the exact contents of the open-line 911 call cannot be revealed. It would be accurate to state that there is evidence contained in the call, which should have resulted in a Madison police officer being dispatched. That would have been consistent with both Madison Police Department Policy, and national 911 standards. The 911 center did not call back to the telephone number, MPD was not notified of the call, and no officer was sent.

Shortly after the homicide Madison Police Chief Noble Wray recommended that the Dane County 911 Center conduct an internal investigation into what happened with this 911 call.

The MPD has enjoyed a good working relationship with the Dane County 911 Center, and is committed to continuing that relationship as we look to uphold public trust and confidence in our law enforcement system.

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UPDATE Posted Thursday, May 1 --- 2:30pm

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Madison's police chief says an officer should have been dispatched to investigate a 911 call from a college student shortly before she was murdered.

Police Chief Noble Wray says the call from Brittany Zimmermann's cell phone contains evidence and should have been enough for a dispatcher to ask his department to send an officer.

He says the Dane County 911 Center never notified his agency and no officer was sent. He says he's concerned about the way the call was handled and asked for an internal investigation shortly after the April 2 murder of the University of Wisconsin-Madison student.

Zimmermann was murdered in her apartment while she was home alone. Police continue to search for her killer.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.