Many times a day dispatchers answer the phone and on the other side they hear a voice that says: “I didn’t dial 911” or “I didn’t need 911.”
Just before the caller hangs up, the dispatcher stops them to advises that 911 dispatches for other agencies such as, county deputies, Houston PD, Licking PD or Summersville PD.
911 telecommunicators answer more than just emergency calls. Non-emergency calls are transferred through dispatch as well. For all the years past whenever a Texas County deputy was needed, citizens would just call the sheriff’s office. Now, if you need to talk to a deputy, or need one to respond, the call is routed through 911 dispatch. The same applies for Licking and Houston police. When their police department numbers are dialed, the call is routed to 911.
Texas County 911 has been dispatching for the Houston and Licking Police departments for a few years. In January 2019, we started dispatching for the Texas County Sheriff’s Department, and the Summersville Police Department. When you dial those non-emergency numbers, do not hang up when you hear “911” we understand that you are trying to reach the deputy or officer of that agency. Texas County 911 dispatch is in a separate building and separate department altogether.
When you call in to speak to a deputy or an officer, we cannot transfer your call to them nor just hand the phone over to them. We will ask your name, phone number and, yes, your address or the location of where the incident occurred. Why do we ask where you are, when you just want to ask a question? The answer is, to determine what jurisdiction it occurred in. If we obtain that information at first then it may save you time later by having the correct agency call you back.
If a deputy or an officer has called you or left their card for you to call them back, we will still need your contact information to relay to them. That information is put in our CAD system (Computer Aided Dispatch) then the correct personnel is advised. There are many times that the officers are out on patrol or responding to emergency calls and are not able to do a callback at that moment. As soon as they are free, they will return your call.
When the public dials the sheriff’s office number, 417-967-4165, they will hear a prompt to select an option. Option 1 will transfer your call to dispatch and option 2 will transfer your call to the jail. The jail will be able to answer your questions about anyone being arrested, or who might be in jail. Option 3 will transfer your call to the administration desk. Questions about an ex-parte, civil process or sex offender registries will be answered here. Option 4 will transfer your call to the person handling the CCW and ATV permits.
Dispatch does not have access to all of the active cases of which the officers are working. Therefore, in some instances, they will need a call reference along with contact information. It does not help your situation to call in and say, “just have them call me, they will know what for.” Law enforcement officers work very hard and just as dispatch is always open, an officer is always on duty. Officers rotate their schedules and may not be on-duty at the same time as you last spoke with them. If a certain officer is off-duty, and a call is of higher priority, then the on-duty officer may call you back. If the call is in reference to something that can wait until the officer is back on-duty then the message will be waiting for them in CAD. When an officer returns your call it will be from an unknown or restricted number.
Dialing the non-emergency numbers will transfer your call to dispatch, so when you hear a dispatcher say “911,” do not hang up. If you have reached the wrong office, dispatch can direct you to the correct number.
For all police, fire or medical emergencies, dialing 911 is the fastest way to reach dispatch.
The Texas County Emergency Services office in Houston is funded by a 3/8-cent countywide sales tax approved by voters in 2013. Assistant director Terra Culley can be reached by phone at 417-967-5309 or by email at terraculley911@hotmail.com.