911 Communications

New Castle County Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Communications organizational structure:

911 Communications

The 911 Center is the lifeline between the citizens needing assistance and the proper emergency agency being dispatched to render professional services. It is our intent to provide you with informative and useful information regarding the 911 system and how to use it.

We are a public service agency working together to make a difference!

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How to Report a Crime

Dial 911 for all police emergencies. A police emergency is when immediate police response is necessary to protect life and/or property. If a crime is actually occurring, it is important that you tell the 911 call-taker that the crime is in progress. Stay calm and answer any questions that the call-taker may ask. Stay on the line. Remember that the 911 call-taker is not the one dispatching the call to responding units. Continue to update the call-taker of the situation so they can provide current and accurate information to the dispatcher.

In Delaware, CALL 911 if you can.  Text 911 if you can't.

How do I Text 911?

  • Enter the number "911" in the "To" or "Recipient" field.  The first text to 911 should be short; include the location of the emergency; and ask for police, fire or ambulance.
  • Answer questions and follow instructions from the 911 call taker.
  • Text in simple words - no abbreviations, emails or slang
  • Keep all text messages short.
  • DO NOT TEXT AND DRIVE

Smart911

Use Smart911 to create a family profile to be used by first responders in the event of an emergency.

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Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide the county with a computer-aided emergency communications center that is easily accessible to all residents and is responsive to all requests for fire, police, and emergency medical services regardless of location.