Full Notification

As of March 1, 2019 the Simi Valley Police Department will publicly launch the Text-to-911 capability. The Simi Valley Police Department constantly strives to meet the needs of the public and has implemented Text-to-911 for instances when a voice call to 911 is not an option.

Texting is one of the most common forms of communication and Text-to-911 services can provide life saving resources for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities. However, existing voice-based 911 services is still the most reliable and preferred method of contact.

Please note that not all public safety agencies have implemented Text-to-911 services in their area. In an instance where a phone transfer must be placed, 911 operators will advise the texter to contact 911 via voice call or other methods.

To place a Text-to-911 call on your cell phone, simply go to where you would send a text message and in the recipient field type “911”, compose your text message, and push send. If you receive an automated message that says, “Text-to-911 not available”, this service is not supported at this time in your area and a 911 operator did not receive your text. Language translation services are currently unavailable on 911. In these cases, please use other methods to place your emergency call.

Do’s and Don’ts of Text-to-911

-Do keep messages short and simple
-Do include the location of emergency (address, city, state) and
type of emergency (Police, Fire, or Medical) in the first message
-Do look for a reply from 911. If you do not receive one, please
place a voice call to 911
-Do call 911 first if you can, as texting takes longer to
communicate needed information
-Do text 911 when your safety would be compromised if you
spoke out loud (i.e. active shooting, domestic violence, home invasion, abduction)
-Do not text and drive. If able, please pull over to a safe location
before sending a text to 911
-Do not text 911 for anything that is not a life-threatening
emergency
-Do not text 911 if you are safely able to place a voice call
-Do not text 911 through an app, you must have a standard
wireless data plan

Remember, CALL IF YOU CAN, TEXT IF YOU CAN’T. Contacting 911 either by voice call or text is ONLY for life-threatening emergencies. You can contact the Simi Valley Police Department for all other police related requests at 805-583-6950.
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