911 should only be used for an emergency.
An emergency is a life-threatening situation, crime in progress, or serious crime that has just occurred. Obviously there are other situations that require police response but are not really 9-1-1 type calls. For those, use the toll free police number: 877-ASK-LAPD.
What to expect when you call 9-1-1
When you call 9-1-1 for an emergency, it is important that you remain calm and are prepared to answer the dispatcher’s questions. The "Where," "What," "Who," and "When" of the situation you are reporting are extremely important. Sometimes it may seem the questions are unnecessary, or may not make sense to you, but there are good reasons why they are asked. You can help by providing brief accurate answers. Patience will help us to process your call and get help to you as quickly as possible.
9-1-1 & ASK-LAPD Language Services
9-1-1 and non-emergency operators have immediate access to translation service for just about any language spoken. In addition to these services, all operators are trained and capable of handling calls directly from TTY users and the hearing impaired community, deleting the need for a relay service.
One last important note
When calling 9-1-1, it is important that you remain on the line, even if you dial in error. If you dial in error and the call goes through and you didn’t stay on the line, the dispatcher is required to send police to the computer provided location that the call came from to confirm that no emergency exists.
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