Calling 911
Emergency Calls
9-1-1 is the emergency number to use when you need prompt, urgent help from firefighters, paramedics or law enforcement.
Call 9-1-1 to report:
- A fire
- A serious injury or medical condition
- A crime in progress or a serious crime has just occurred
- An event happens that poses or indicates an immediate threat to people or property (such as screaming or gunshots)
- A suspicious package
- The following types of threats: bomb, radiological, biological and chemical
When you call 9-1-1:
- Calmly and clearly answer the dispatcher’s questions. You may be asked:
- What is the emergency?
- Who needs help?
- Where are you? This is especially important if you are calling from a cell phone.
- When did it happen?
- What is your name and phone number?
- Who is with you?
- Stay on the line until the 9-1-1 dispatcher says it is okay to hang up.
- Do not hang up if you dial 9-1-1 by accident. Tell the dispatcher your call was in error and that there is no emergency; otherwise, an officer may be sent to see if everything is okay.
When you’re on a cell phone:
Calls from a cell phone in Sacramento County may be routed to the California Highway Patrol, and may not display some information for the 9-1-1 call taker the way calls from a land line do. That can result in a response delay. If possible, use the following numbers instead of 9-1-1 when you make an emergency call from your cell phone:
- Sacramento County Sheriff: 916-874-5111 (Use this number for events that occur in Sacramento County, but not in one of the following cities.)
- Police Departments
- Citrus Heights: 916-726-3015
- Elk Grove: 916-714-5111
- Folsom: 916-985-7551
- Galt: 209-366-7020
- Rancho Cordova: 916-362-5111
- Sacramento: 916-732-0100
Non-Emergency Calls
Do not call 9-1-1 if there is no emergency.
If you need to report a problem to law enforcement, but there is no immediate danger, use the following phone numbers instead of 9-1-1.
- Sacramento County Sheriff: 916-874-5115 (Use this number for events that occur in Sacramento County, but not in one of the following cities.)
- Police Departments
- Citrus Heights : 916-727-5500
- Elk Grove: 916-714-5115
- Folsom: 916-355-7231
- Galt: 209-366-7000
- Rancho Cordova: 916-362-5115
- Sacramento: 916-264-5471
