By: Law Enforcement Dispatcher KC Torgerson
For many people, when they dial 911 for an emergency, it’s the first time they’ve ever made that call. It is perfectly normal to feel nervous in that situation, but remember — the dispatcher who answers is there to help and will direct the call by asking questions. It’s not your job to remember the priority of information during a crisis. However, it’s good to be aware of what law enforcement needs to know so that we can get help to you as effectively as possible in the case of an emergency.
The dispatcher on the phone will likely follow a cadence when gathering information, and ideally, it should be in this general order:
WHERE
The most important thing for dispatch to know is the exact location of the emergency. If there is a fleeing suspect or any other moving pieces of the puzzle, the direction of travel is vital as well. We need to know the location where the crime occurred and the current location of the victims and suspects.
WHAT
Tell us exactly what happened. If any injuries or weapons are involved, we need to know that as soon as possible so that our responding units can be kept in the loop and better prepared to make contact.
WHEN
Time-lapse is crucial. Responding units need to know if the emergency is still occurring and how long it has been going on. If you are reporting an incident that is not ongoing, that needs to be made clear early on in the call.
WHO
We’ll need your name and phone number for our records, and to make sure we can contact you if the line gets disconnected. It’s also important for us to know who you are in relation to the emergency. Are you a witness? Family? Friend? The victim? We will also try to specify who the victims and suspects are, get their physical descriptions, and collect any other information you can provide about their identity.
What qualifies as a good reason to call 911?
There are no specific requirements for calling the police. In general, if you feel you are in danger or are observing criminal activity, call us. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Any emergency is a valid reason to call 911, especially when there is a risk of endangerment of life.
Can I contact the police if I don’t have an emergency?
If you don’t feel you are experiencing an emergency but would still like to report something to police, you can call our non-emergency line at 608-264-2677. If the issue isn’t urgent or timely, you can even stop into our lobby, which is open 24/7. Another alternative is contacting us through the BadgerSafe app, which allows you to message with us.
If something occurs off campus, you can contact Dane County Communications — but you can always contact us, and we can help you reach the correct agency.