Reporting Suspicious Behavior – Calling 911 From a Cell Phone

This is Part 4 of a 5 part series on Reporting Suspicious Behavior. It’s from a flyer handed out by the police at the North Precinct Advisory Council.

When you call 911 from a land line, the 911 call center knows from what address you are calling. If the person calling 911 is unable to speak (for instance if the person is having a medical emergency), the call taker knows the address and can send emergency responders.  Even so, the call taker will ask your exact location.

Knowing your exact location becomes even more important when you call 911 from a cell phone. When calling 911 from a cell phone, you will be routed to the jurisdiction in which you are located. For example, if you have a cell phone that has a Tacoma or even a Portland area code, but you are in Seattle and call 911, you will be routed to Seattle’s 911 center. However, depending on where you are in Seattle, you may be connected with Seattle Police Department, Washington State Patrol (if you are on a freeway), King County, or another jurisdiction that borders Seattle. The 911 operator will only see your cell phone number and your general location based on the cell tower closest to where you are.

Since the 911 center you contact will only know the general area from where you are calling, always tell the 911 call taker where you are so they can transfer you to the correct jurisdiction, if necessary. The 911 call taker needs your specific physical address or nearest intersection. Don’t assume they know; remember that cell phones do not give your exact location.

Part 5 will be about identifying yourself (or not) when calling 911.