Text messages are accepted by Boulder County’s four 9-1-1 dispatch centers, including the CU Boulder Police Department. While this is a great feature, there are only specific times and reasons to use this type of emergency communication.
“Calling 9-1-1 instead of texting is a more effective way of communicating and allows our dispatchers to give more concise instructions to the caller before first responders arrive on scene,” said Melissa Hart, CU Police communications manager.
The slogan for the program is “Call if You Can, Text if You Must,” and texting to 9-1-1 should only be used in special situations.
“Texting is a tool for people to use when it is not safe for them to speak because of an immediate threat,” Hart said. “It also now allows our hearing-impaired and speech-impaired communities to reach 9-1-1 directly.”
If you do need to send a text, it should be simple, brief and concise and should not use abbreviations. You are not able to send photos or videos to 9-1-1 at this time.
“Text-to-9-1-1” can also be used when voice connectivity is unavailable either because of limited cell service or overwhelmed phone lines.
Unlike with voice calls, dispatchers will not automatically receive location information. For this reason, if it is necessary to send a text message, it is important to include an accurate location or address in the message as quickly as possible.
