Life-threatening emergencies: dial 9-1-1
For non-emergencies and information: (941) 534-5034

How does 9-1-1 Work?

When 9-1-1 receives a call the system provides the operator with the name of the subscriber, address, telephone number, proper jurisdiction for police, fire or ambulance.

You can test (with prior permission of the Police department) what information is displayed from your home if a 911 call would be placed.
This would allow you to verify that the correct information is being displayed in the case of an emergency.

You must call  to schedule this test.
DO NOT call 9-1-1 and request your information be tested without prior approval.

Special circumstances can be added to the computer bank.

How are 9-1-1 calls prioritized?

Immediate response: 

Dispatched as soon as possible to closest available unit, a nearby unit on lower priority call can be broken free.

Conditions: 

Danger to human life or property (emergency), perpetrators at scene or still in area, evidence may be destroyed and magnitude of incident.

Priority 2: Delayed response: 

Requiring presence of police officer but not an immediate response,
quality of police service will not decrease due to delay,
may be "stacked" until appropriate police unit is available.

Why do the operators ask questions that they already have answers to?

Regardless of the information displayed on the screen the 9-1-1 operator has to confirm that it has not changed.

A digital recording system allows immediate playback of all phone and radio transmissions coming into the communications center - Via 911,
allowing call takers to quickly replay messages whenever necessary.
In addition, a Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) is used to assist hearing-impaired callers.

What is considered suspicious activity?

Vehicles in neighborhood cruising slowly and you think twice about it,
people walking your neighborhood you know do not live there,
alarms, screams, horn blowing, solicitors. Call (863) 534-5034 for non-emergency situations.

What do I do if I find a child in trouble in water?

Pull the child from the water, calling loudly for help the entire time
Call - or have someone call 9-1-1 immediately for emergency assistance
Begin CPR, if necessary

 User's Guide to 9-1-1 for Emergencies:

Dial 9-1-1
Tell the operator what the emergency is
Wait for further instructions from the operator
Don't hang up until the operator tells you to

What is an Emergency?

Any serious medical problem (chest pain, seizure, bleeding)
Any type of fire (business, car, building)
Any life-threatening situations (fights, people with weapons, etc.)

What information will the operator need?
The location where assistance is needed
Your name and phone number
The nature of the emergency
Descriptions of suspects, or additional information

DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION

PEOPLE
Sex
Race
Height
Weight
Age
Clothing
Any distinguishing features (glasses, facial hair, scars)

VEHICLES
Color
Make
Model
Body Style (2 door, station wagon, etc.)
License number


Which way did the suspect leave?
Were they running, or in a vehicle?
Were they going north, south, east, or west?


Helpful Hints:

Always listen to the police operator for guidance.

The questions they ask are for the safety of the public and the officers. 

 Just because they are questioning you, does not mean help is not on the way.
Information is entered into a computer and dispatched by another operator.

 The officers may arrive while you are still talking to the operator.

Remain on the line until told to hang up. 

The operator may need more information or to give you further instructions.

Be familiar with your area. We can't help if you don't know where you are.

NEVER intervene in a crime in progress.

What to do when you need help, but it's not an emergency:
Within the City of Bartow; Dial (863) 534-5034
Tell the operator the problem
The operator will ask you questions and tell you when to hang up

What are non-emergency calls?

Property damage accidents ("Fender Benders")
Break-in to a vehicle (when suspect is gone)
Theft of property (when suspect is gone)
Vandalism (when suspect is gone)
Panhandlers
Intoxicated persons who are not disorderly
Cars blocking the street or alleys

Some DON'TS for 9-1-1:

Never program 9-1-1 into a memory location or "speed dial". It's the one number you'll probably never forget, but when this number is in memory, we get accidental calls from people pushing the wrong button.

Never call 9-1-1 and just hang up . Our policy on "hang up" calls is to call back and attempt to verify if there is an emergency. If we cannot verify to our satisfaction that everything is all right, our policy is to send police officers to the indicated address.

This is to ensure that a person who is incapacitated can receive help without having to talk on the phone. Unfortunately, many "hang up" calls are false, and we have wasted police manpower and resources to respond to them. False calls cost you money, and tie up police officers who are needed on other calls.

Cellular Phone Users:

Cellular phones do not work the same way as regular phones.
If you dial 9-1-1 from a cellular phone , please remember:
Stay calm. 

We will not receive location or phone number information on a cellular call, and what you tell us is the only information we will have to determine how to respond.

Know where you are. We need location information from you, and we have to determine if you are within our police jurisdiction. If you are not, we will have to transfer the call.

Know your mobile number. We will ask for it, in case the call is disconnected, and we have to call you back for more information. (And, leave your phone "on" so we can call you back.)

Try to use the seven-digit number for the agency you are calling if your call is not extremely urgent (Remember, our number is (863) 534-5034). Sometimes this can be faster than using 9-1-1, because you directly reach the agency you need, without a call having to be transferred)

It's a good idea to program the seven-digit numbers for all law enforcement agencies in your travel area in your phone, if it is equipped with a memory. (And remember, never program 9-1-1 into a memory location or "speed dial.")

Calling (863)534-5034:

This number should be used to request police assistance on less urgent matters. Usually, these will be property damage accidents, reports of various crimes where the perpetrator is gone.