Policy Text
E-800-1
Kern County Sheriff’s Office – Communications Section
Policies and Procedures
TITLE:
TEXT-TO-911
NO: E-800
APPROVED:
Commander John Carpenter
EFFECTIVE:
February 13,2018
REVIEWED:
August 21, 2025
REVISED:
July 29, 2024
UPDATED:
July 29, 2024
POLICY
It is the policy of the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center to follow the
procedures set forth in this policy for the processing of calls received via Short Message Service
(SMS) to 911.
PROCEDURE A - TEXT-TO-911
In lieu of voice communications, callers may opt to contact 9-1-1 via text messaging.
Text-to-911 provides equal access to emergency services for the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing Community as well as an alternate method of reporting emergencies when other
traditional avenues are unavailable.
The Short Message Service (SMS) also known as text messaging provides support for
wireless subscribers to send 911 SMS text messages to Public Safety Answering Points
(PSAPs) by using t