The first thing you should do when you dial 9-1-1 is to tell the call taker your location. This is crucial because it allows them to send help as soon as possible. Then, the call taker will ask you some questions to determine what kind of emergency you have and who you need: police, fire, medical, or a combination.
They will also ask you how urgent your situation is and whether you need responders to come with lights and sirens or not. This is very important because using lights and sirens can be risky for the responders and the public, so we only do it when it's absolutely necessary. That's why 9-1-1 is only for emergencies.
While you are talking to the call taker, they are typing everything to the dispatcher, who is in charge of sending someone to help you. They will try to assign the closest available officer to your location, but sometimes they are all busy with other calls. In that case, they will have to look for someone who is on a lower priority call and see if they can switch to your emergency. This can take some time, so we appreciate your patience and cooperation.
One thing you may not know is that when you call 9-1-1, you are not talking to the Portland Police Bureau directly. You are talking to a different city bureau called the Bureau of Emergency Communications. They are the ones who handle all the 9-1-1 calls and dispatch them to the appropriate agencies. If you have any feedback, complaints, or compliments about their service, you should contact them directly.
We want to be there for you when you need us the most, and we hope this information helps you understand how we get there when you call 9-1-1.