Calling ‘911’
Everybody knows the emergency telephone number by heart. Many, though, aren’t sure what to do when they have to call it. Phoenix police recommend that you try to stay as calm as possible, speak clearly, answer all questions and stay on the line until told to hang up. Following those simple instructions could make the difference in how long it takes for police, fire or medical responders to reach you.
When the operator answers, be prepared to provide:
- the location of the emergency
- the telephone number you are calling from
- the nature of the emergency
The operator already will know where you are calling from if you are using a landline. However, you still will be asked for the location of the emergency so that the operator can be certain that the correct location is obtained.
The increasing use of cell phones has created some problems for operators because some wireless phones do not provide the location of a call. If you are using a cell phone be sure to know your exact location
- street address
- highway name
- intersection
- mile marker
- or even landmarks
Do not panic if the operator appears to be wasting time by questioning you. Most likely, emergency responders are being dispatched as you are speaking.
If operators are busy when you call you will receive a message so be sure to remain on the line. The message repeats in Spanish and then plays Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) tones which sound similar to a fax machine. To help non-English speaker, about 15 percent of the Communications Bureau’s 200 operators speak foreign languages. The bureau has a translation service if someone is not immediately available. The operator will attempt to get the caller to stay on the line until a translation service can identify the language and bring a translator to the phone. And remember, “911” is only for emergencies. If you call ‘911’ with a non emergency, the operator may transfer you to message recording which will provide with instructions to call Crimestop. Operators work quickly to get the needed information and the caller off the line when no further information is needed. This is necessary to keep ‘911’ operators lines from being out of service with non emergency matters.
Calling ‘CRIMESTOP’
If you have a non-emergency such as minor traffic problems, theft reports or loud parties call Crime Stop at 602-262-6151 which operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When calling Crimestop keep in mind that the Communications Operator may place you on hold in order to answer emergency 911 calls so please be patient and don’t hang up. It will only delay the assistance you are requesting.
Callback Unit
Most non-priority calls when a police officer is not needed at the scene can be taken over the telephone by Callback Operators between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., seven days a week. These highly experienced, motivated and dedicated former and retired police officers have committed to continue to utilize their policing skills and vast experience in processing your report over the telephone. When a Crimestop call is assigned to the Callback Unit it is placed on a list and is taken in order of time called into Crimestop by the complainant. Due to the volume of calls processed by the Callback Unit it could be several hours until the complainant is contacted by a Callback Operator. The Callback Unit processes 33% of all Departmental reports and 17% of all calls for service requiring a police officer on a yearly basis.
Prioritizing Calls?
Calls are prioritized based on a Priority 1, 2, 3 system. When a more urgent call is received it may delay your call even if your call was received first. The 9-1-1 operator determines the priority of the call based on the information obtained from the caller.
Priority 1: Crimes in progress such as a burglary, robbery, unknown trouble, aggravated assault, etc.
Priority 2: Crime that just occurred such as accidents, suspicious activity or situations that may escalate quickly such as disputes, arguments, etc.
Priority 3: Reports for service not needing immediate response such as reports for burglary, theft, abandoned vehicles, criminal damage, etc.
Other important items to keep in mind when calling 9-1-1 and Crimestop:
- Supervisors are responsible to randomly monitor Operator's calls. They complete a quality assurance form and use the information to allow improvement feed back and suggestions to operators.
- All calls are taped and held for a required period of time.
- Callers to 9-1-1 and Crimestop are often usually upset, scared, or confused when calling 9-1-1/crime stop since they may be involved in an emergency, or experiencing a tragic situation. Phoenix Police Communications Operators are trained to get the specific information needed to get you the correct assistance in a timely manner. Often this involves interrupting the citizen, repeating requests for clarifying information, or asking questions that seem unimportant to a citizen. Please do not mistake this as uncaring or rude behavior, the operator is simply in a fact finding mode of conversation.
- If you wish to speak to a supervisor request the employees “A” number (serial number) and ask to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor can review the taped conversation. If a problem is found, we will handle it as a training matter or investigation depending on the situation.
REMEMBER : Stay calm…Speak clearly…Stay on the phone…