Gatineau Police say a dispatch error and failure to follow proper workplace guidelines resulted in a delayed response to the scene of the city's first homicide of 2017.
On Friday, Gatineau Police launched an internal investigation into why it took half an hour for police to respond to a home at 177 Boulevard de la Cité-des-Jeunes last Wednesday after a 911 call about an agitated man.
The body of 83-year-old Thérèse Gauvreau was later found.
21-year-old Jean-François Dupuis is facing a charge of second-degree murder.
Gatineau Police say, while it's true no patrol vehicle was available to immediately answer the call on Wednesday, procedure allows for a vehicle to be released in priority cases.
According to a statement, that wasn't done in that case because the urgency of the call was not properly assessed by the dispatcher.
Gatineau Police say the dispatcher has been disciplined, but would not comment further, citing issues of confidentiality.
Police say they will conduct an in-depth analysis of the management of urgent calls and report the findings to the municipal Public Safety and Traffic Commission.