San Angelo Police Has an Urgent Message for the Community

        People in San Angelo continue to dial the wrong number when they’re in need of non-9-1-1 police assistance, so the San Angelo Police Department has an urgent message for area residents in hopes of curbing this ongoing issue, said Tracy Gonzalez,                 public information officer.

“We are asking the citizens of San Angelo to pre-program the Non-Emergency Dispatch phone number to [their] cell phone and home phone’s contact list and/or write it down for future reference,” read the message. “The Non-Emergency Dispatch line, 325-657-4315, is the ONLY number [residents] should dial in the event they need police response that is not a life or death/critical emergency incident. 9-1-1 is to be used ONLY in emergencies that require immediate assistance from the police, fire department, or ambulance.”  

Gonzalez explained that the call issue stems from citizens attempting to search the internet for the Department’s Non-emergency phone number, and most search engines populate alphabetically. The Police Department’s Community Services Division phone number often appears first; however, that number is not to the Dispatch/Communications center, but rather the emergency line. As a result, SAPD officials are worried that people in need of timely police response may not be getting the help they need.

In addition, Gonzalez explained that being knowledgeable and prepared can make all the difference when seconds matter, but many people question what entails a true 9-1-1 emergency.

To assist with this confusion, SAPD officials offered the following advice:

Know WHEN to call 9-1-1.  9-1-1 is for emergencies only. You should only be dialing 9-1-1 if someone is hurt or in danger, or if you are in immediate need of police, fire, or medical assistance.   If you aren’t sure if your situation is an emergency, you should err on the side of safety and call 9-1-1 and let the expert who answers your call make the decision whether to send help or not. Here are some examples of when to call 9-1-1: heart attack or stroke, structure fire, domestic violence, or, anything else that seems like an emergency.

Know WHEN NOT to call 9-1-1.  Don’t call 9-1-1 for information, driving directions, when the power is out, to report a broken fire hydrant, to report past thefts or burglaries, when your water pipes burst, to get a ride for a doctor's appointment, for paying tickets, to report animals crossing the street, or as a prank. 

Finally, for those individuals in need of non-life-threatening police response and who get an officer’s direct voicemail after dialing a number located in an internet search, they should hang up and not leave a message. Chances are the officer will not hear the message until the next business day.

SAPD asks for those reading this information to please share it with family, friends and co-workers. 

“We want our citizens to be informed and get the help they need when they need it. Navigating the internet while under stress is never a good idea. So please, program 325-657-4315 in your contact list today,” Gonzalez said.