The 911 operator will need the following information when taking a report of an incident in progress (taking place at the time you call) or one that has happened prior to the call. Giving the operator this information will reduce the number of questions that have to be asked and speed police or fire response.
- Address where you are now
- Type of incident: burglary, shoplift, assault, etc.
- Where and when the incident occurred or is occurring
- Your name and job title if on the job
- Where the person(s) committing the incident are located or where they went if they are now gone
- Description of suspect(s) (for each person involved):
- Race (White, Black, Asian, Indian, etc.), Sex (male, female), Age (best guess), Height, Weight, Eyes, Clothes (from top to bottom)
- Description of suspect(s) car
Incident in Progress
Additionally, if you are calling about an incident in progress, the operator will want to know if you have the ability to stall the suspect(s) until police arrives.
There will be additional information that the operator and responding units will need to know. Remember: help is already on the way - the operator is gathering more information for the responding units.