911 Information
The Westminster Communications division is responsible for answering all 911 and non-emergency phone calls and dispatching for Westminster Police & Fire units. They also dispatch for Animal Management and often communicate with the Standley Lake Rangers and various City departments.
Dispatchers are trained to process and prioritize multiple phone calls at once while also working a police or fire radio channel. They use multiple computer systems to create calls for service, log responder locations, check for wants/warrants, etc. All Westminster dispatchers are trained in emergency medical dispatch (EMD) so they can provide life-saving information to callers while an ambulance is on the way, as well as provide instructions during medical situations that are not life-threatening.
Calling 911
911 should be reserved for life or death emergencies when the situation urgently requires police, fire, or medical assistance. 911 is also for any crime that is in progress.
Our non-emergency phone number (303-658-4360) can be used to report non-emergency crimes that are not life-threatening, not in progress, or when no suspect is present. It can also be used for general police, fire, or animal management questions.
The first question the dispatcher will ask is for your exact location. This is the first and most important question so they know where to send help. Landline phones typically provide an exact address, but cell phones do not. Cell phones may provide only basic location information or no location at all, so it is important to tell the dispatcher exactly where to send help.
Once the location of the emergency is determined, the dispatcher may need to transfer your call to another agency so the correct law enforcement or fire jurisdiction can respond to your location.
Because the dispatchers are handling multiple phone lines at once, they may need to place you on hold while they process a phone call of a higher priority. If this occurs, please be patient and don’t hang up.
911 Misdials and Hang-up Calls
If you accidentally dial 911, please remain on the line and explain to the dispatcher that you dialed 911 in error.
When a dispatcher receives a 911 “pocket dial” or a hang-up call, they will make at least two attempts to call you back in an effort to make sure you are OK and you do not need assistance.
Text to 911
Westminster Communications is set up to receive texts to 911. If you are in a situation where it is unsafe for you to make a voice call or you are physically unable to call 911, simply send a text to 911. You will still need to be able to provide your location and the details of the emergency. If Text to 911 is not available in your area you will receive a bounce-back message indicating that you must make a voice call to 911. Calling 911 is preferred, as it a quicker and more efficient way to gather information about the emergency. CALL IF YOU CAN, TEXT IF YOU CAN’T!
Emergency Notification System
Dispatching Calls
Emergency Notification System