Henderson Police says 911 texts are a valuable tool for the department
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Last month, Henderson police arrested a kidnapping suspect after a chase that started near Boulder City.
The victim texted 911, stating she had just been kidnapped and feared for her life.
“Our dispatchers or call takers all receive the texts to 911 and the next call taker will answer the 911 call,” said Casey Jackson, Communications Operations Manager for Henderson police. Jackson said the ability to text 911 was put into action in 2015.
“They are responding on a computer screen,” said Jackson. “The first question they will ask is, ‘What is the location of your emergency?’”
She said it has been most helpful in situations for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
“If it is a medical emergency, they are not able to physically speak,” said Jackson. “Or they might be in a situation where they can’t physically make a phone call because it could be a domestic violence situation.”
The department said it received 250 texts to 911 last year. It gets between 20 and 25 texts monthly and it has received over 150 this year.
Metro also has a 911 texting ability that was implemented in 2020. The monthly average for that department is 411 texts. with a yearly average of over 4,000.
Whether you are in Henderson or Las Vegas, all you need to do is get out your phone, start a new message and type 911 with your emergency, and it will go directly to dispatch.
“The very next question is, ‘Tell me what is happening,’” said Jackson. “We have to determine what kind of response is required. Is it a police response, do we have a crime in progress, is it a medical emergency?”
Jackson said while texting 911 is a valuable tool, the department prefers voice calls.
“Listening for other information,” said Jackson. “What might be going on in the background. Being able to get information from something that is occurring firsthand.”
She said many people will text 911 just to test it, but says this is considered 911 abuse and to only text in the case of an actual emergency.
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