If you have an emergency need for police, fire, or medical assistance, Please Call 911 Immediately.
 

Pursuant to Government Code section 53112 (AB 1168), by January 1, 2021, each public safety answering point shall deploy a text to 911 service that enables an individual to text “911” for emergency services that is capable of accepting Short Message Service (SMS) messages and Real-Time Text (RTT) messages.

As such, the UC Santa Cruz Police Department has implemented Text to 9-1-1 within the Dispatch Center, making this additional service available for communicating emergencies on and around the campus.  

This method of contacting 9-1-1 can be critical, and can save lives when a voice call to 9-1-1 is not possible, or may further endanger the caller.  

Texting to 9-1-1 should only be used when the caller is unable to make a voice call to 9-1-1.  

How to text 9-1-1 in an emergency:

• Enter the numbers “911” in the “To” field

• The first text message to 9-1-1 should be brief and contain the location of the emergency and type of help needed

• Push the “Send” button

• Be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions from the 9-1-1 call taker

• Text in simple words – do not use abbreviations

• Keep text messages brief and concise

Below are a few tips that are important know if you need to text 9-1-1:

• Text location information is not equal to current location technology

• As with all text messages, 9-1-1 messages can take longer to receive, can get out of order or may not be received

• Text-to-9-1-1 is not available if you are roaming

• A text or data plan is required to place a text-to-9-1-1

• If texting to 9-1-1 is not available in your area, or is temporarily unavailable, you will receive a message indicating that texting 9-1-1 is not available and to contact 9-1-1 by other means

• Photos and videos cannot be sent to 9-1-1 at this time.

• Text-to-9-1-1 cannot include more than one person. Do not send your emergency text to anyone other than 9-1-1

• Do not text and drive

Non-Emergencies

If you have a non-emergency need for police or fire assistance, need to file a police report, or other inquiries, call (831) 459-2231 ext.1

To contact a staff member that may or may not be listed in the directory, please reach out to our department number at (831) 459-2231 ext. 1

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