Law enforcement has seen a recent increase in the number of automated 911 calls.
Many smartphones and apps now have the capability to detect dangerous events such as car crashes, falls and medical emergencies. When the phone detects an event, it automatically calls 911. This technology can save lives and speed up response times. There are also many calls that come in through automatic notifications that are mistakes. There have been several calls where someone left a phone on a vehicle, and it fell off triggering a crash detection.
These kinds of incidents happen, it goes with the territory, however, the most important thing we ask on inadvertent calls is to answer when a dispatcher calls the number back to check for more information. If a phone is lost from a vehicle, that is an understandable circumstance, but, if someone accidentally dials 911 or recovers the phone please answer the call back and tell dispatch what is happening. Another circumstance that sometimes leads to unintentional 911 calls is phones that do not have current service. Cellphones that do not have a provider are still capable of calling 911. Some people like to give their old phones to their kids to play with or watch videos on if connected to the internet, however, sometimes this leads to inadvertent 911 calls. If that situation occurs and you are aware of it, please call 911 back and let the dispatcher know it was an accidental call.
Texas County schools will go back into session in late August. I would like to remind everyone to be mindful of their driving and watch out for kids and school buses. Parents, please talk to your kids about paying attention to traffic when walking and getting on and off the bus. Avoiding a tragedy is the responsibility of all of us, it’s not about who is at fault. When it comes to school traffic, drivers and pedestrians both need to anticipate mistakes and pay attention at all times. That means as a driver watching your speed to increase reaction times and avoiding distractions. The same advice applies to pedestrians, avoid being distracted by a phone when walking near traffic.
During the month of July, the deputies and I generated the following types of written reports:
- Stealing – 19
- Warrant arrest – 9
- Domestic assault – 5
- Abandoned vehicle – 4
- Fraud/identity theft – 3
- Peace disturbance – 2
- Assault (nondomestic) – 2
- Animal complaint – 2
- Mental health – 2
- Failure to register as a sex offender – 2
- Traffic offense – 2
- Death investigation – 2
- Sex offense – 2
- Burglary
- Civil matter
- Failure to appear in court for a felony
- Missing person
- Violation of a protection order
- Unlawful use of a weapon
- Trespassing
- Resisting arrest
- Perjury
- Property damage
- Passing bad checks
- Delivery of a controlled substance