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leaving your number with 911 — Brooklynian

leaving your number with 911

anotherdayinbkln
anotherdayinbkln
edited November -1 in Prospect Heights
Do you ever leave your number when you call 911?

I called the police/paramedics today because there was some man laying half-unconcious in the garden of my building wearing no shoes with a bottle of liqour next to him. Most of the people that I saw ignored him and just went inside, but I called.

I didn't leave my number, nor have I ever before. Is there a point to?

Comments

  • doctorj
    doctorj

    Subject: Re: leaving your number with 911

    Anotherdayinbkln wrote: Do you ever leave your number when you call 911?

    I called the police/paramedics today because there was some man laying half-unconcious in the garden of my building wearing no shoes with a bottle of liqour next to him. Most of the people that I saw ignored him and just went inside, but I called.

    I didn't leave my number, nor have I ever before. Is there a point to?
    Have you switched off caller ID? Or were you calling from a payphone? No need to leave your number if they already have it attached to the file containing the recording of the conversation.
  • anotherdayinbkln
    anotherdayinbkln
    no , called on my mobile. if they have it why do they ask?
  • doctorj
    doctorj
    Anotherdayinbkln wrote: no , called on my mobile. if they have it why do they ask?
    Maybe your anonymity could be upheld in a court of law if they didn't ask?
  • pitu
    pitu
    When you call 911, it doesn't matter if you have caller ID blocked.
    They get your number.
    They will call you back to check on something if they want -- it happened to me from a blocked phone when I didn't particularly want to leave my info. There was a drug dealer fight in progress on the street. The police arrived 20 minutes later, then called me back to ask why it was over or why I had called.

    Would love to know the court aspect of this . . .
  • anotherdayinbkln
    anotherdayinbkln
    see, its hard calling about fights. I did that once, and pretty much as soon as I hung up with the dispatcher, the fight broke up and everyone ran in opposite directions. I was scared they would call back and blame me with a false alarm or something.
  • pitu
    pitu
    Anotherdayinbkln wrote: see, its hard calling about fights. I did that once, and pretty much as soon as I hung up with the dispatcher, the fight broke up and everyone ran in opposite directions. I was scared they would call back and blame me with a false alarm or something.
    I wouldn't worry about that -- it's not like they get mad, or come and arrest you or something. It's just the way it goes. When someone is beating on someone else, or threatening to shoot someone, I call.

    If they call you back, you can tell them to step up the response time if they want to do their jobs . . .
  • brooklynpotter
    brooklynpotter
    apparently, 311 also has all the #s of people who calls. sadly, however, nobody will give me the number of my "anonymous" neighbor who calls constantly to complain about noise (of which there is none), or lack of heat (and it's plentiful), and when she's bored any other number of complaints to the DOB about our building.

    i'm all for anonymous complaints, but i'm in a situation where they're being seriously abused with absolutely no recourse.
  • erikka
    erikka
    I always feel like if I don't they'll question the legitimacy of my call...not that I call terribly often.
  • brooklynpotter
    brooklynpotter
    erikka wrote: I always feel like if I don't they'll question the legitimacy of my call...not that I call terribly often.
    erikka, unless you're making DOB complaints about the construction in your backyard--the stuff on 15th street, so i'm pretty familiar with the situation--then they'll listen.
  • paraderest
    paraderest
    There is no legal aspect to providing your number. 911 wants to confirm your number and place it in the body of the job (what the dispatcher sees on her screen as she reads it out over the radio) so that it is easier to find should the dispatcher need to call you back.

    Many times the police will arrive at a call and see nothing going on. They will ask the dispatcher to try the "call back" for more information. Sometimes the caller will answer and have more information such as the direction the perp fled, a vehicle description or a more specific location of a sick person. Just because the caller can see it doesn't mean that the police can see it.

    Just confirm the number and please answer the phone if 911 calls you back. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can still help the dispatcher by giving her any additional info you might have but also tell her that you don't want the police to come to your house/apt.
  • armchair_warrior
    armchair_warrior
    last time when i called 911. i left them my cell. cause the cops on the scene called me to make sure they got the right address and place etc...

    also if you ever got disconnected they can call back or try to track you down via the number.
  • paraderest
    paraderest
    I asked around a little bit to help provide an answer to this. I learned that eventhough 911 gets all incoming numbers it doesn't happen instantly. It takes time for the number to be retrieved from the phone service provider which could slow down the response to an emergency if there is a question as to location, description, etc.
  • pitu
    pitu
    ParadeRest wrote: I asked around a little bit to help provide an answer to this. I learned that even though 911 gets all incoming numbers it doesn't happen instantly. It takes time for the number to be retrieved from the phone service provider which could slow down the response to an emergency if there is a question as to location, description, etc.
    that's interesting, thanks for the info
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