CMPD: Texting 9-1-1 Now Available For Charlotte-Mecklenburg Residents

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says residents in need of emergency services can now text 9-1-1 when calling is not an option.

“In the event of an emergency, we ask residents to call 9-1-1 when possible as this is the most effective way to communicate with a dispatcher and get a first responder out to you,” said CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings. “In an emergency, timeliness is critical, so please call 9-1-1 if you can; however, if you cannot talk to a dispatcher for whatever reason, text 9-1-1 so that we can continue to keep our community as safe as possible. Call 9-1-1 if you can. Text if you can’t.”

Police say this new service will help those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or if your life might be endangered by speaking on the phone.

CMPD, along with the Charlotte Fire Department and Medic, worked with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon networks in Mecklenburg County to make this text-to-911 service available for residents regardless of their mobile carrier, according to a news release.

CMPD says texts to 9-1-1 are answered by the same responders who answer calls, and texts will be transferred to the most appropriate first responder agency, either police, fire, or medic.

“Having this capability, especially with our disabled and hearing-impaired community, is important,” said Deputy Director of the City of Charlotte Community Relations and the City’s Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator Terry Bradley. “If one of us has access to critical services, then all of us must have that same access, and this gets us one step closer to that.”