Evanston Police Now Allow 911 Texts

The city of Evanston became the first North Shore community and the fourth in Illinois to implement a Text to 9-1-1 program this week.

The reasoning, according to a news release issued Thursday, comes from a Communications Center study that showed 70 percent of 911 calls coming from cellular phones.

According to the Evanston Police Department 9-1-1 Communications Coordinator Perry Polinski, the new service is intended to be used by those who need emergency help but are unable to place a voice call. Polinski cited as examples, residents with speech or hearing impairments and “the domestic crime victim that finds themselves in a situation where to speak may increase their danger.”

At this time, cellular phone users with a text or data plan who are served by one of the four major carriers – AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon – will be able to text 9-1-1 in an emergency, and only within the boundaries of the City of Evanston or in an area where texting to 9-1-1 is available.

If Text to 9-1-1 is not provisioned in the area, the major cell phone carriers will send an auto reply message that states, “Make a voice call to 9-1-1. Text service is not supported at this time.”