Communications Division
Emergency (911) and non-emergency (361-664-0186) calls placed to the Alice Communications Center are answered by our highly trained Dispatchers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year.
This includes calls for:
- Police
- Fire
- EMS
- Animal Services
Dispatchers are specially trained to handle all types of calls, from non-emergency inquiries about police services, to providing lifesaving CPR instructions when seconds count.
911 Calls
Answering 911 calls is challenging due to advances in technology. Besides traditional phones, dispatchers receive 911 calls from cellular phones and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) devices. Additionally, Alice can now receive 911 messages via text from Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T. The dispatch center is also equipped to handle emergency and non-emergency calls from the hearing impaired, and has translation services available for numerous languages.
Not all cellular 911 calls provide location information so it's important to verify your location with the dispatcher when calling 911. VOIP calls come in on emergency and non-emergency lines, but do not always provide the correct location information. As a result, it's very important to stay on the line and give an accurate location so emergency services can respond. Additionally, not all VOIP calls come directly into the 911 Center. There are numerous services that have VOIP calls go through a service center, which can notify us of a problem or can connect the person so we can speak to them directly.
Did you know?
If you accidentally dial 911, stay on the line to let the dispatcher know it was accidental.