The Text-a-Crime email option at the Post Falls Police Department will be discontinued effective July 31, 2018.

The Text-a-Crime email option at the Post Falls Police Department will be discontinued effective July 31, 2018.  Don’t worry…. you can ALWAYS reach US! After this date we will no longer be monitoring crime@postfallspolice.com.

For Emergencies, please call 911. If you are having an emergency and cannot speak please use the Text to 911 system that is in place for all of Kootenai County as well as Bonner and Shoshone Counties.

Simply text your location and type of emergency to 911 and an Emergency Communications Officer will respond and send assistance.

If you do not have an emergency you can reach the Post Falls Police Department by calling our business line at 208-773-3517 or send us an email at our website www.postfallspolice.com. Once you are on our website find the Crime Tips icon, fill out the form, and submit.

Please do not send an email to the department website if you are having an emergency, dial 911.

Dialing 911 in an emergency is still the preferred way to request help, and the public is being reminded to Call if you can, text if you can’t. Time is critical in a life-threatening emergency, and customers should be aware of the differences between calling and texting 911.

For most people, sending a text to 911 will not replace making a call. A 911 text may take longer than a voice call because someone must enter the text, send it through the system, and then the 911 call taker has to enter a text response and send it back. And just like regular text messages, 911 texts can take longer to receive, get out of order, or may not be received.

Location information with a text is not equal to calling 911 at this time. As is the case with calling 911, customers should only text 911 for emergency situations that require an immediate response from police, fire, or emergency medical services.

When to text 911:

  • Deaf, hard of hearing callers or individuals with a speech disability.
  • The caller is unable to speak due to a medical issue or other condition.
  • When speaking out loud would put the caller in danger such as a home invasion or an abduction, a domestic violence incident or an active-shooter scenario.
  • Do not text and drive!

 How to text 911:

  • Enter the numbers 911 in the ‘To’ field.
  • In the message field, type your exact location and a BRIEF description of the help you need. Use simple words. Do not use abbreviations or shorthand.
  • Push the ‘Send’ button.
  • Be prepared to answer the 911 call taker’s questions.
  • Group texts, photos, and video cannot be sent to 911 at this time.

Tips on texting 911 in an emergency:

  • Provide clear information about your location and the type of help needed in the first text message sent to 911. Emergency personnel cannot always determine your location.
  • Be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions from the 911 call taker. Stay on the line until the dispatcher ends the dialog, if it is safe to do so.
  • Text in simple words – do not use abbreviations, emoticons, or emoji.
  • Keep text messages brief and concise.
  • Silence your phone if you don’t want to be heard.

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