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9-1-1 is for emergency
use only.
If you do not have an emergency, please dial the non-emergency
line.
RPD Non-emergency line:
(209) 599-2102
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FAQ: Frequently Asked
Questions About Dialing 9-1-1 |
What is 9-1-1?
9-1-1
is the number to
call for all emergencies. If
you need police, medics, or the fire department, in an emergency,
9-1-1 is the number to call. 9-1-1
is the dedicated phone line that will connect you to your local
Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).
A highly skilled and well-trained dispatcher will be the
person you will speak with.
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How do I
dial 9-1-1?
During an emergency, dial
9-1-1 from any phone. 9-1-1
calls will go through to your local PSAP whether you’re calling
from a push button, cordless, cellular/wireless, rotary, or pay
phone. Remember to
remain calm and tell the dispatcher where emergency assistance is
needed. Please remember
to follow the dispatcher’s instructions; we are here to help you
in an emergency.
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When should I use 9-1-1?
9-1-1 is only to be used when an emergency has just
happened, or when it is in progress.
An emergency is defined as being any situation that requires
an immediate “Code 3” type response from the medics, fire, or
police department. In
public safety, Code 3 means a response with lights and siren to a
high priority situation. For
example, any type of serious, or life threatening crime in progress,
or injury vehicle collision. Any
type of serious medical situation, i.e. a heart attack, a serious
injury to a person, or an unresponsive person.
Remember; use your judgment and common sense when dialing
9-1-1. Please do not
dial 9-1-1 if you do not have a real, LIFE
OR DEATH or CRIME IN PROGRESS
emergency.
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When should I not use 9-1-1?
Please do not use 9-1-1 to ask what the number for the non-emergency
line is. Do not call
9-1-1 for/to: report a crime that has occurred hours or days
earlier, animal related calls (unless the animal is attacking a
person), civil standbys, child custody disputes, non-injury vehicle
collisions, suspicious persons or vehicles, verbal
disputes/arguments, general information, as a prank, loud music,
loud parties, directory assistance, or to speak with an officer.
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What if I
dial 9-1-1 on accident?
Do not feel bad, many people misdial 9-1-1.
The most common reason dispatchers hear, “I meant to dial
4-1-1.” If you misdial
9-1-1, do not hang up, stay on the phone with the dispatcher and let
them know you misdialed. Do
not disconnect until they tell you to do so.
If you hang up, the dispatcher will attempt to call you back
and check to determine if everything is okay.
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What is
Enhanced 9-1-1?
Enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) is the tool that dispatch centers
use to determine where a 9-1-1 call is coming from.
When you dial 9-1-1 from a land based phone line, the
dispatcher’s computer screen will display the address, phone
number, and the name that the phone is under, as well as other
information. Computer
systems are not perfect, so the dispatcher will always confirm with
you where it is that you are calling from.
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Can
I use 9-1-1 if I’m hearing/speech impaired?
The RPD dispatch center has equipment that allows us to
communicate with citizens that are hearing/speech impaired by means
of a TTY/TDD system. If
you call via the TTY/TDD system, stay on the line, and tell the
dispatcher what the problem is.
Every time the dispatcher is done typing, they will end the
sentence with “GA” which is short for go ahead.
If you are hearing or speech impaired and do not have a TTY/TDD
system or any other means of communicating during an emergency, dial
9-1-1 and stay on the line. The
dispatcher’s computer will have your address and phone number, so
they can send an officer over to check and see what the problem is.
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Why does
the dispatcher ask so many questions?
The dispatcher does this to determine the severity and
nature of each call we receive.
It is our job to keep our officers as safe as we can, and not
send them into harms way without knowing some information.
You may feel that the dispatcher is being nosey, or asking
too many questions, but that is our job, we are in the business of
information. We also ask
questions to determine the priority of the call and how we need to
respond. Say for example
we get a call of a fight. We
need to know if it’s a verbal dispute, or a physical fight, or a
fight with weapons involved. A
verbal dispute would get a different response as compared to a fight
with weapons, which would generate a “Code 3” response from our
officers. Also, it’s
important for our officer’s safety to know if they might encounter
a suspect who could be under the influence of drugs, or if the
suspect might have a knife. We
ask questions like, “which way did they leave,” so our officers
know where to look for a person.
All of these questions are important, and it’s even more
important that you cooperate and answer them.
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Why
can’t you take my non-emergency call on 9-1-1?
As was said before, 9-1-1 is for emergencies only.
The City of
Ripon
only has two lines dedicated to 9-1-1, and one 7-digit emergency
line 209-599-5022, remember,
we also dispatch for the City of
Escalon
after hours, weekends, and holidays.
A major incident will generally generate a large number of
9-1-1 calls. For
example, if there is a vehicle accident, it’s not uncommon for the
dispatcher to answer multiple 9-1-1 calls, non-emergency line calls
advising of the accident, as well as a few CHP cell phone transfers
that are calling for the same accident.
It’s dangerous to have 9-1-1 tied up on non-emergency
calls. Just think, when
you dial 9-1-1, you don’t want to hear a busy signal.
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9-1-1 Prank
calls
Prank calls are when someone dials 9-1-1 as a joke,
or dials 9-1-1 and then hangs up when there is no need to dial
9-1-1. This is very
dangerous; someone with a real emergency might not be able to get
through. It is also
against the law in the state of
California
to misuse 9-1-1. You can
be charged with a misdemeanor if you make a 9-1-1 prank call.
(
California
Penal Code 653x)
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If
I don’t speak English, can you still help me?
Yes, we can help you. If
you dial 9-1-1, or the non-emergency line, the dispatcher can
conduct a three-way phone call with a translator that will assist
them. If you can speak
any English, please tell the dispatcher what language you speak so
they can get the proper translator.
The City of
Ripon
has a contract with a company called Language Line, which has over
150 languages that they can translate for us.
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Can the police find me if I call 9-1-1 from my cell phone?
The City of Ripon Police Department has implemented a computer automated
Geographic Information System (GIS). The implementation of this GIS mapping
system/software will serve in direct support of the emergency call takers at
this PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point). It will also assist in keeping
our communications center functioning at its best in regards to the handling
of all calls including the WE9-1-1 calls and providing the best service to
our citizens whether by wireline or wireless calls.
As of December 6, 2004 the City of Ripon Police Department signed an
agreement with the State of California Telecommunications Division in
regards to answering 9-1-1 calls from cell phones. Known as WE9-1-1
(Wireless Emergency 9-1-1)
What does this mean to the citizens of Ripon?
If you have a cell phone and dial 9-1-1, you will now get the Ripon Police
Department instead of CHP. What this means for you the caller is:
1. No need for a call transfer
2. Faster response time
3. The caller is only interrogated once
4. Caller will talk with their local police department
If the cell phone caller has GPS (Global Positioning System) capability on
their cell phone then the dispatcher will be able to track the caller’s
location as long as the call remains live/active. Also, if the caller is
unable to speak and the cell phone they are using has GPS, the police will
be able to respond to the location of the phone/caller and provide emergency
help if needed.
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Remember, 9-1-1
is a vital tool that can assist public safety in an emergency.
It is only to be used in an emergency.
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