If you can't call 911 for help, CMPD says texting will soon be an option

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — If you can, call. If you can’t, text.

That’s the message the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department wants you to hear when it launches text to 911 in early 2020.

“We wanted to be very cautious and very intentional about the way we proceeded with text to 911," Crystal Cody, the department’s public safety technology director, said.

The department has talked about the effort since 2014, when cellphone companies allowed the option, but it did not have the resources to support it, until now.

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“Part of that process was upgrading our entire 911 system,” Cody said.

After making major upgrades in June, the department conducted text testing in August.

Although texting is nearly ready, dialing 911 will still be the recommended method.

Texting will be another tool for anyone who can’t call for help.

When it rolls out sometime between January and March, the technology will allow for two-way texting to allow a full conversation between a call taker and a resident.

CMPD is also ensuring that a full text dialogue can be transferred to another agency, such as the fire department or MEDIC.

“We want to make sure that the information is not lost or missed,” Cody added.

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When the feature goes live, CMPD said it wants as little issues as possible, because if you’re using 911, it could be life or death.

If you send a 911 text that doesn’t go through, you’ll receive a message back that you need to make a voice call.

“It’s been a really challenging project, but we really are excited about it and feel like it’s going to be something awesome for our citizens to use,” she said.

York, Iredell, and Gaston counties can already receive texts, as can the Cornelius and Boone police departments.

CMPD also dispatches for Huntersville and Davidson.

This feature will also be available in those areas once the department launches it.

Cox Media Group