Those who work in 911 centers nationwide are often called the first first responders. The 911 call-takers answer many calls ranging from traffic accidents and medical issues, to shoplifting and assault crimes just to name a few.

The men and women working in Gwinnett’s 911 center are available to members of the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year.

Below is a helpful guide that outlines when to dial 911 and how to report emergencies.

When to dial 911

Residents should dial 911 to report any incident that requires immediate dispatch of police, fire, or an ambulance, including:

• Medical emergency
• Fire
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Suspicious vehicles or persons
• Auto theft
• Burglary
• Rape
• Arson
• Assault
• Robbery
• Shoplifting
• Disturbances
• Theft
• Domestic violence
• Fights
• Missing persons
• Shootings
• Stabbings
• Destruction of property
• A crime in progress or just occurred
• Road hazards
• Drunk or reckless drivers
• Wires down
• Tornadoes

When to dial the non-emergency number: 770.513.5700

Gwinnett residents may call the non-emergency number 770.513.5700, to report non-urgent incidents that require a police response, such as loud music; lost wallets, cell phones and passports; and non-violent animal complaints. The same dispatchers who answer the 911 calls also answer the non-emergency number, so be patient. 911 calls will be answered first, then the non-emergency phone calls will be answered.

When to directly call the sheriff’s office, police, or fire departments

Residents should contact their local agencies at their regular number for the following:

• Sheriff:  Call the Gwinnett Sheriff's Office at 770.619.6500 when requesting information on someone who was arrested recently, bond information, prisoners, warrants, and the civil process. To obtain a temporary restraining order, contact Magistrate Court at 770.822.8100 Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm and 770.619.6709 for after hours and on weekends.
• Police:  Call the Gwinnett Police switchboard at 770.513.5000 when requesting information on towed vehicles, obtaining copies of reports, and traffic ticket information. Open Records can be reached at 770.513.5250.
• Fire/EMS:  Call Gwinnett Fire at 678.518.4800 when requesting information on burning permits, inspections and billing questions, and educational presentations.

911 Don’ts:

• Don't hang up when you call 911 in an emergency. If you get a recording, stay on the line until the dispatcher answers. Hanging up will only further delay the answering of your call.
• Don't call 911 to ask when power will be restored during outages or to report power outages. Call your power company.
• Don't call 911 to ask for weather reports.
• Don't call 911 for school reports, such as closings.
• Don't call 911 to ask about scheduled events in Gwinnett, such as fireworks or the times of trick-or-treating on Halloween.
• Don't hang up if you dial 911 accidentally. Dispatchers have to call the numbers back, and if no contact is made, a police officer will be dispatched to your address to ensure your safety.
• Don't play with 911 or make false calls. It is a violation of the law.
• Don't call 911 to request directory assistance. 411 is the correct number.
• Don't call 911 to arrange ambulance transportation to a scheduled medical appointment.
• Don't call 911 to discuss legal problems, legal issues, or for questions on laws.
• Don't call 911 to ask for directions.

Helpful numbers:

• Gwinnett Police non-emergency number: 770.513.5700
• Records and reports: 770.513.5000
• Gwinnett Sheriff's Office: 770.619.6500
• Outdoor burn line: 678.518.4979
• Animal Control: 770.339.3200)
• Department of Natural Resources/Forestry: 770.535.5700 or after hours 800.241.4113
• Gwinnett Water Department: 678.376.7000
• Magistrate Court: 770.822.8100
• Recorder’s Court: 770.619.6100
• Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center: 770.822.8000
• Poison Control: 800.222.1222

Did you know?

• When you call 911, you get the local police department. If you need an out-of-state number, call 411 to get the number to that police department.
• Any working phone or disconnected phone can call 911 as long as the battery is charged.
• It is very easy to pocket-dial 911. Please lock your phone. You can also turn off the automatic emergency call feature on your phone so that it does not accidentally dial 911.
• It is a state law to move your vehicles out of the road if they are moveable to avoid another accident if there is no apparent serious injury or death. Please move out of the road, get your location, then call 911 if no one is injured.
• The same operators that answer 911 also answer the non-emergency lines. There might be a delay on the non-emergency lines due to answering 911 calls first. Please be patient and do not hang up.
• 911 operators are skilled in asking specific questions to get help started quickly. These questions are necessary and do not cause a delay in the appropriate dispatch of police or fire/medical personnel being sent. A dispatcher will send help while the 911 operator is still getting more information.

Mission:

The Gwinnett County Police Department is committed to serving the community through the delivery of professional law enforcement services in an unbiased and compassionate manner in order to protect the lives and property of the citizens and improve the quality of life in our community.

Have you ever considered working in the 911 Center? If so, please apply at Gwinnett911Careers.com. Start your career at the Gwinnett County Police Department and join the ranks of the other first first responders.