DEAR PUBLIC, FROM A VETERAN 911 OPERATOR

I switched things up a bit today to talk about something that is very near and dear to my heart.  This letter to the general public.  It is not meant to offend, but is rather a call to action.  I am compassionate, empathetic, and consider it my responsibility and privilege to offer grace to those who find themselves in difficult situations.  Please know that if you are in distress, emergency or not, and you have no idea where to turn we are here for you.  

Dear Public,

I have heard it all, from the report of the person that “doesn’t belong” in your neighborhood to the lady that called in to report an “illegal alien” because the driver she decided to follow and scream “go back to Mexico” decided to clap back and began following her.

Stop calling and dropping issues that you are fully capable of handling and/or preventing on the doorstep of someone else.  Be present in the resolution of your own problems.

Barbecue Becky is real and she is not alone.  There are several of you out there who believe that you are in danger real or perceived and have decided that your fear is superior to everyone else’s and should be addressed quickly and aggressively by the police.  When you do this you are essentially weaponizing the police department against the person on whom you called.  Stop.

Your words matter and they have power.  When you call 911 and state that someone has a gun when you in fact did not actually see a gun, you have put the public’s safety in grave danger.  While I understand that there are a myriad of reasons why police shootings occur I am going to stand by my assertion that false and misleading representations of what what you are calling the police about is one of those things.  

When you are in distress or eminent danger you may not remember what the person was wearing or what kind of car they were driving or any of the other questions we are required to ask you.  All you may be able to utter is help and that perfectly fine. When you are afraid because of something traumatic you just endured or witnessed you do the best you can and we are here for you 100 percent.

When you call 911 because someone cut you off for that last parking space at the grocery store you have not only prohibited your fellow citizen’s access to emergency services but you have also improperly utilized police services for something that is not only NOT an emergency but is also not a problem for the police to address.  Rudeness and lack of common courtesy is not a crime.  There is no penal code for that.  Accept that some people lack decorum, park your car in the next open spot, then proceed into the store and check off the items on your grocery list. It’s going to be ok.

Public, I would like you to get an understanding on the following:

-In a see something say something culture, calling the police for the smallest of issues is normalized thus putting an enormous strain on law enforcement’s ability to respond to actual emergencies in a timely manner.  Think before you dial those 3 digits. 

-You are often complicit in incident outcomes resulting in fatalities of your fellow citizens.  

-You are often codependent and assume little to no responsibility in the resolution of your own problems.

-There is a responsibility that you have as a citizen when you call the police.  Whether it is the 911 line or a non emergency number.

I fully recognize that some people call the police because they cannot think of anywhere else to call, but there are a myriad of resources to address your problem.  If you are not in immediate danger or the issue is not urgent please consider other resources that may be able to more adequately address your issue. Google is an amazing tool to locate information.  Please use it as opposed to your local 911 operator as a concierge service.

I pray before I take 911 calls.  I pray for the people who will call and be, no doubt, victims or witness of traumatic experiences.  I have loved on folk over the 911 line, I’ve even prayed for a few.  For me, it is all about a human connection.  The people on the other end of the line are real people with real issues and problems.  Please, leave the 911 line open for folks with bonafide emergencies.  Take the time to google the non-emergency number for your local police department for the police to be dispatched on non emergent calls.  In so doing, you are doing your fellow citizens and public safety a great service.

Sincerely,

Marsha Joi