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Helpful Information
Using the non-emergency number 937-333-2677 helps keep the 911 lines available for persons reporting real emergencies. Because keeping these lines available is of utmost importance to public safety, deliberate misuse of the 911 system is a crime which endangers lives.
Using the non-emergency number will not delay police response. All calls are prioritized according to a system which automatically assigns a high priority to emergencies and a lower priority to non-emergencies. The prioritizing system assigns numbers from a scale of 1-9. Emergency calls are assigned priorities 1-3. Calls which should be reported using the non-emergency number will be assigned a priority of 4-9.
Calls for service to the Police and Fire Departments are handled by civilian Emergency Operators who are trained and required to ask certain questions of each caller. Even if you don’t understand the reason a question is asked, be sure to answer the questions as clearly and completely as possible. If the operator asks you to repeat information, do so, because they wouldn’t be asking if they understood you the first time.
Speaking in a calm, clear manner will help you; yelling becomes distorted over phone lines and the operators will not be able to understand what you are saying. Do not argue with the operator - this may delay the response to your situation. Be assured that as you are speaking with the operator they are already notifying the police, fire or medics by computer. However, they continue to gather information and send it to the officers or fire fighters, so that they can formulate their response plan for your situation before they arrive.
If you have a compliment or complaint about the service you received from an Emergency Operator, give them all the information about your incident first, and when the operator tells you that they have everything they need, ask to speak to their supervisor.
If you determine you need a supervisor after you’ve already hung up do not call 911 - even if you just used this line to report an emergency! Instead call the non-emergency number, 937-333-2677 (COPS), ask for the Dispatch Supervisor, and be prepared to give the operator some background information prior to having your call transferred.
Prioritized Calls
Using the non-emergency number will not delay police response. All calls are prioritized according to a system which automatically assigns a high priority to emergencies and a lower priority to non-emergencies. The prioritizing system assigns numbers from a scale of 1-9. Emergency calls are assigned priorities 1-3. Calls which should be reported using the non-emergency number will be assigned a priority of 4-9.
Emergency Operators
Calls for service to the Police and Fire Departments are handled by civilian Emergency Operators who are trained and required to ask certain questions of each caller. Even if you don’t understand the reason a question is asked, be sure to answer the questions as clearly and completely as possible. If the operator asks you to repeat information, do so, because they wouldn’t be asking if they understood you the first time.
Speaking
Speaking in a calm, clear manner will help you; yelling becomes distorted over phone lines and the operators will not be able to understand what you are saying. Do not argue with the operator - this may delay the response to your situation. Be assured that as you are speaking with the operator they are already notifying the police, fire or medics by computer. However, they continue to gather information and send it to the officers or fire fighters, so that they can formulate their response plan for your situation before they arrive.
Feedback
If you have a compliment or complaint about the service you received from an Emergency Operator, give them all the information about your incident first, and when the operator tells you that they have everything they need, ask to speak to their supervisor.
If you determine you need a supervisor after you’ve already hung up do not call 911 - even if you just used this line to report an emergency! Instead call the non-emergency number, 937-333-2677 (COPS), ask for the Dispatch Supervisor, and be prepared to give the operator some background information prior to having your call transferred.