911 Communications

For emergencies, call 911. For non-emergencies, call (209) 668-1200.

The 911 Communications Center is an operation within the Support Operations Division of the Turlock Police Department. The Support Operations Division is one of three major Divisions comprising the Turlock Police Department. The Division is overseen by the Support Operations Division Amanda Fortado. The center is supervised by the Public Safety Communications Supervisor, Marivel Rodriguez. The 911 center is staffed with (3) three lead Dispatchers and (12) twelve Emergency Services Dispatchers.

The Turlock Police 911 Communications Center operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Dispatchers work 8 or 10 hour shifts providing around the clock dispatching services for police and fire in the City of Turlock and Cal State Stanislaus. The 911 Center provides support and routes calls for medical emergencies to AMR/VRECC and coordinates joint responses when needed.

The 911 Communications Center is staffed by well trained professionals whose mission is to provide both emergency and non-emergency police and fire services for our community, in a professional and expedient manner. Dispatchers are almost always the first contact the public has with the Police or Fire Department. They are required to evaluate and prioritize the incoming calls for service, and make referrals to other agencies when appropriate. They are responsible for dispatching calls for service to police officers and fire personnel, tracking the location of field units and monitoring their safety. Each call received is entered into a Computer Aided Dispatch System (CAD).

The 911 Communications Center is equipped with state-of-the-art communication equipment. Each workstation is ergonomically designed for comfortable dispatching while sitting or standing. The workstations have individual environmental controls allowing each dispatcher to maintain his or her personal comfort level.

In addition to dispatching for the community and emergency responders, dispatchers also process paperwork which includes processing Ramey warrants; stolen and towed vehicles; lost, stolen and found guns; all missing persons including runaways and the entering of all domestic violence restraining orders. This information is entered into a nationwide database which allows us to share information with other agencies.

The California Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) certify dispatchers in public safety dispatching. Turlock Police is a P.O.S.T. certified agency. Our dispatchers attend a 3 week dispatch academy and a minimum 24 hours of continued professional training every two years. The staff of the Turlock 911 Communications Division is committed to giving the highest quality and level of service to the citizens of Turlock.

What You Need to Know About 911

911 is a three-digit telephone number that you can call 24 hours a day for Police, Fire or medical emergencies
911 should only be used for life-threatening emergencies or in-progress calls, where there is an immediate threat to life or property
When you call 911 from a landline, your address, telephone number and billing name is automatically displayed on our phone system; however, we will ask this information each time you call 911 to verify the information is accurate

What to Expect When You Call 911

The ability of police to locate and arrest criminals often depends on the thoroughness and accuracy of the information submitted. Expect to be asked for the following information:

What is the address of the emergency?
What is occurring?
When did this occur?
Do you have any suspect and/or suspect vehicle descriptions? Direction of travel?
Are weapons involved? (gun, knife, stick, etc)
Does anyone require medical attention?

You will be asked to give your name, address and telephone number (anonymous calls are accepted). If you wish the responding police officers to contact you at your home or business, advise the 911 dispatcher. Please remain on the telephone to provide all information as requested.

DO NOT hang up until the dispatcher advises you to do so.
ALLOW the dispatcher to direct the questions.

Examples of Emergency Calls

Fires
Calls involving the use of weapons, such as a shooting or stabbing
Burglaries or robberies in progress or just occurred
Someone having a medical emergency such as a heart attack
Traffic accident with injuries
Domestic violence, in progress or just occurred
Child or elder abuse, in progress or just occurred
Missing persons at risk (in need of medication, have Alzheimer's or other medical disorder or are suicidal)

Please call 668-1200 for Non-Emergency calls such as

Loud party or music
Parking violations
Barking dogs
Non injury accidents
Petty theft or burglary not in progress
Time delayed reports
Information on towed vehicles
Juvenile runaway or missing adults who are not at risk

For calls to our business office, please dial 668-5550.

Calling 911 and Hanging Up

Whether you call 911 on purpose or by accident, the dispatcher will receive your information even if you terminate the call before the line is answered. In these instances the dispatcher will call you back and inquire if an emergency exists. If the line is busy, the dispatcher will have an operator interrupt your call so that he/she may determine if there is an emergency at your residence or business. If the line is not answered when the dispatcher attempts to call, an officer may be dispatched to the address from which the call originated for a security check of the home or business.

These procedures are followed as a safeguard in the event someone tries to make a discreet call and is interrupted or unable to speak for various reasons.