Dakota Communications Center

The DCC encourages the use of 9-1-1 for any situation which requires the response of police, fire or emergency medical personnel. This includes non-emergency situations such as reporting a crime, a traffic situation or suspicious activity. The dispatcher will ask questions to help assure the proper level of response and assure that emergencies receive the highest priority. 9-1-1 should not be used for information-only purposes.

Examples of Proper 9-1-1 Usage:

Reporting any situation that requires a police officer at the scene (e.g. assaults, traffic accident, burglary report, damage to property, parking complaint, other ordinance violations, etc.)
Summoning an ambulance for medical assistance.
Reporting fire, smoke or fire alarm.
Reporting a crime in progress.
Reporting suspicious or criminal activity. (shouts for help, glass breaking, vehicle or person that does not appear to belong in neighborhood).

Examples of Improper 9-1-1 Usage:

Informational requests. (e.g. local event information, status of persons under arrest, impounded vehicle questions, ordinance or law questions).

Contact your Local Police Department or Sheriff’s Administrative Phone Line to:

Ask for information regarding the status of a report or investigation.
Ask for information regarding a city ordinance.
Talk with a specific officer or employee of the department.
Information regarding person under arrest.
Inquire about impounded vehicles or animals.
Request a copy of a police report.

Wireless Phone Services and 9-1-1:
Approximately half of all 9-1-1 calls are now made on wireless phones. Although wireless phones provide a reliable connection to 9-1-1 dispatchers, callers should be aware of important differences in how wireless 9-1-1 calls are processed.

Depending upon location, the call will be answered by the local dispatch center such as the DCC, or by the State Patrol. The dispatcher will determine if your situation requires the call to be transferred.
The dispatcher may not receive your name and specific location on the 9-1-1 screen when you call. Depending upon the age of your phone and grade of service, the location information may or may not be available. The dispatcher will need to confirm your exact location.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and 9-1-1
Many consumers are subscribing to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services for their telephone needs. Unlike traditional wire-line and wireless services, VoIP calls are routed over the internet to connect with the public service telephone networks. These calls present unique challenges to the 9-1-1 system because the user account information is not validated in the same manner as wire-line and wireless phones. Therefore, address information may not conform to 9-1-1 standards and not be reported to the dispatcher. Secondly, because VoIP devices can travel with the customer, a 9-1-1 call can easily be delivered to the wrong 9-1-1 center. For example, a Farmington VoIP user calling 9-1-1 from Miami with a VoIP device may be routed to the DCC based upon the account information associated with the device.

Although VoIP providers and regulatory bodies are working to eliminate these problems, users should be aware and be prepared to describe their location while calling 9-1-1.

Please contact the DCC administrative number during business hours if you have further questions or e-mail us at info@mn-dcc.org

DCC Phone Numbers:

9-1-1. Police, Fire or Emergency Medical Response.
(651) 322-2323 or (952) 322-2323. 24 hour dispatch.
(651) 322-1900. DCC administrative offices.