Reporting an Emergency

When to Call 911

Use 911 to report an emergency, which would be any situation that requires immediate action or an urgent need for assistance.

Make 911 your first call. Do not call your parents, friends or anyone else before you dial 911. Time is of the essence when reporting an in-progress call.

Some examples of when to call 911:

• Report an accident
• Report a burglary
• Report a domestic incident
• Report a drunk driver
• Report a fight
• Report a fire
• Report a prowler
• Report a robbery
• Report someone looking in your windows
• Report suspicious noises in or around your house
• Report a suspicious person
• Report a theft
• Request an ambulance

Do NOT use 911 to:

• Ask a question
• Ask what the sirens are for
• Report a barking dog
• Report fireworks
• Report loud music
• Report a parking complaint
• Report a power outage

What to Expect When Calling 911

First rule: Remain calm.

When you dial 911 from a cell phone in the City of Kent, you may not automatically reach the Kent Police Department. Your call may be answered by another local department’s emergency communications center. If you have not originally reached Kent Police Department, you will be transferred. It only takes a moment. Stay on the line.

When 911 is answered, the dispatcher will ask "Where/what is your emergency?" You should say:

• I need the police at... (give address)  OR
• I need an ambulance at... (give address)  OR
• I need the fire department at... (give address)

Tell the dispatcher:

• What is happening
• Where it is happening
• Who is involved

Do not hang up until the dispatcher tells you to. Answer the dispatcher’s questions. Remain calm and speak clearly so that the dispatcher can better understand your answers and get help to you quickly.

Answering the dispatcher’s questions does not delay a response. If it is an in-progress call, another member of the dispatch team has already started the units to the scene while the call taker continues to speak with you. The information we gather will ensure that the emergency responders arrive quickly with the correct equipment and manpower and this will increase the likelihood of apprehending a fleeing suspect, for example.

Call 330-673-7732 for Non-Emergencies

It might be a good idea to program Kent Police’s non-emergency number into your phone so that you always have the number handy. That number is 330-673-7732.