When should I call 9-1-1? Can't I just text 9-1-1?
9-1-1 is solely to report life threatening emergencies, crimes in progress, medical issues, fires or any situation where there is potential for violence. Texting 9-1-1 should only be used in extreme and rare cases where you are unable to talk due to a life threatening circumstance.
What if I call 9-1-1 for something is that is not an emergency?
You will be provided with the Edinburg Police Department non-emergency number, which is 956 289 7700.
Are Communications Operators also Police Officers?
No. Communications Operators are licensed telecommunicators. You will not speak to a Police Officer when calling 9-1-1 or Crime Stoppers. All reports will be done in person with an officer.
Can a disconnected cell phone call 9-1-1?
Yes! Disconnected cell phones that are charged are still able to dial 9-1-1. If you do not pay for cell service, but have an old phone, you can keep it with you in case you need to use it to report an emergency. Please keep this information in mind when giving your old phone to a child to play with, as we receive many calls from children playing on disconnected cell phones, and these calls take time away from answering real emergency calls.
How many lines can the 9-1-1 operators answer at time?
We currently only have four answering stations for 9-1-1 and therefore can only take 3 calls at a time. However, 9-1-1 will only ring six times before it rolls over to a surrounding agency. All calls will be answered by an operator even if all operators at our department are busy on other emergency calls. Edinburg Police uses the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office as our back up to 9-1-1 calls.
Why does the operator keep asking me questions? If they just sent the police, they would find out all they need to know.
Answering questions an operator asks you does not delay the police / fire response in any way. While you are answering these questions, the information is being sent to a dispatcher who is updating the responding units. Situations change quickly in the time it takes for an officer to respond, and the chances of apprehending a suspect or stopping a violent act in progress are greatly increased when you provide the information the operator is asking from you.
