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Oct 23, 2017 When NOT to Call 911 The Columbus Division of Police receives approximately 1.3 million calls a year to its dispatch center. Many of these call are emergency calls, many of them are not. 'What's so suspicious about them?' 911 call leads police to question family sitting in parked car. The anonymous 911 caller said the woman in the back seat gave her a look that led her to suspect.
The number '911' is the universal emergency number for everyone in the United States. In 2000, approximately 150 million calls were made to 911, according to the (NENA). If you were born in the 1960s or later, 911 was ingrained in you during childhood, and those born prior to 1968 have been exposed enough to 911 that it has become second nature.Prior to 1968, there was no standard emergency number. So how did 911 become one of the most recognizable numbers in the United States? Choosing 911 as the universal emergency number was not an arbitrary selection, but it wasn't a difficult one either. In 1967, the (FCC) met with to establish such an emergency number. They wanted a number that was short and easy to remember.
More importantly, they needed a unique number, and since 911 had never been designated for an office code, area code or service code, that was the number they chose. Soon after, the U.S. Congress agreed to support 911 as the emergency number standard for the nation and passed legislation making 911 the exclusive number for any emergency calling service.
A central office was set up by the Bell System to develop the infrastructure for the system.On February 16, 1968, Alabama Senator Rankin Fite made the first 911 call in the United States in Haleyville, Alabama. The Alabama Telephone Company carried the call. A week later, Nome, Alaska, implemented a 911 system. In 1973, the White House's Office of Telecommunication issued a national statement supporting the use of 911 and pushed for the establishment of a Federal Information Center to assist government agencies in implementing the system.After its initial acceptance in the late 1960s, 911 systems quickly spread across the country. By 1979, about 26 percent of the United States population had 911 service, and nine states had passed legislation for a statewide 911 system.
Through the latter part of the 1970s, 911 service grew at a rate of 70 new local systems per year, according to the NENA. Approximately 50 percent of the U.S. Population had 911 service by 1987. In 1999, about 93 percent of the U.S. Population was covered by 911 service.Here are some interesting links.
If a situation escalates into a crisis, you may have to call the police. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to keep the situation as calm as possible.
On the Phone
Share all the information you can with your 911 operator. Tell the dispatcher that your loved one is having a mental health crisis and explain her mental health history and/or diagnosis. If the police who arrive aren't aware that a mental health crisis is occurring, they cannot handle the situation appropriately. Many communities have crisis intervention team (CIT) programs that train police officers to handle and respond safely to psychiatric crisis calls. Not every police officer is trained in a CIT program, but you should ask for a CIT officer if possible.
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During a Crisis
Police are trained to maintain control and ensure safety. If you are worried about a police officer overreacting, the best way to ensure a safe outcome is to stay calm. When an officer arrives at your home, say 'this is a mental health crisis.' Mention you can share any helpful information, then step out of the way. Yelling or getting too close to the officer is likely to make him feel out of control. You want the officer as calm as possible.
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Be aware that your loved one may be placed in handcuffs and transported in the back of a police car. This can be extremely upsetting to witness, so be prepared.
What Can the Police Do?
- Transport a person who wants to go to the hospital. A well-trained CIT officer can often talk to a person who is upset, calm him down and convince him to go to the hospital voluntarily.
- Take a person to a hospital for an involuntary evaluation. In certain circumstances, police can force a person in crisis to go to the hospital involuntarily for a mental health evaluation. The laws vary from state to state.
- Check on the welfare of your family member if you are worried about her or can't reach her. Call the non-emergency number for the police department in your community and explain why you are concerned. Ask them to conduct a welfare check.
If you have questions about the laws in your state, talk to your local police department or contact your local NAMI.
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