How do you find phone number for police stations?

Answer 1

#1. Try the internet, use Google. Many police agencies have websites with their contact phone numbers. This is the best, quickest way. If not....

#2. Try 411 and ask for the specific police department. 411 is only as good as the numbers provided to them by their system...and most likely will only offer business numbers that are manned Mon-Friday by clerical folks at any given police department. If it's urgent that you speak with an officer, you will need to ask the operator for a 24 hr dispatch number for that agency. If they do not list a 24 hr dispatch number ask the 411 operator if they have a listing for a number in "records". Many larger agencies have 24 hour records room staff who would be able to transfer your call to their dispatch center or give you the direct, 10 digit phone number to their 911 center. All dispatch centers have at least one - 10 digit phone number assigned to their center....it looks like a regular phone number but finding it is the pain.

#3. In an emergency, you can call your local 911 center and tell the 911 Operator/Dispatcher that you have, say... an emergency in Boston, Massachusets (for example). The 911 center should be able to access an "ORI" file that provides information on how to contact a different (out of area) police agency. If they're lucky, the file will contain a 24 hr dispatch phone number for the agency needed. Otherwise, the 911 center can send an administrative request through a "teletype" system asking for a response.

If there is a phone #, the local 911 center can transfer you to the correct agency or give you the phone number of the police agency you are trying to reach.

If no phone number is provided in the ORI system for the 911 operator to use, , the 911 operator can request, via "teletype", for a police response to a situation in another city's jurisdiction. This is a clunky process that takes some time for various reasons. Using this system allows law enforcement agencies to ultimately accomplish a response but a phone call is always faster.

Remember, 911 centers do not have access to a nationwide database of police and fire agencies phone numbers. They only have access to the agencies they dispatch for and maybe some nearby jurisdictions,neighboring counties, etc. 911 centers have the same access to public police/fire phone numbers as the general public via the internet. Just like 411 is only as good as the information available to them through the system they use, 911 is only as good as the ORI system they use. Many law enforcement agencies do not provide the 24 hr number to their own dispatch center because they do not think of it at the time they are filling out the information needed to sign up.

If you can, get this information before you need it. Have it ready in case you need to call.

I hope this has been at least somewhat informative.