Mission Statement

The mission of the City of Reno Public Safety Dispatch department is to provide exceptional quality of service to our citizens and partner agencies in an expedient, professional and compassionate manner while respecting the diversity of our community and recognizing our employees as our most valuable asset.

About Public Safety Dispatch

The City of Reno Public Safety Dispatch department is a regional 9-1-1 emergency response center that provides service to the citizens of Reno and the surrounding areas within Washoe County. We are the largest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) in Northern Nevada and provide dispatching and/or telecommunication services to the following agencies:

• Reno Fire Department
• Reno Police Department
• Reno Municipal Court Marshal Division
• University Police Services

Make A Difference, Join Reno's Lifeline!

Interested in becoming a Public Safety Dispatcher?

City of Reno Public Safety Dispatch frequently opens up the application process to interested and qualified individuals. If you are interested in joining a challenging and noble profession that provides service and value to the community then look no further. No experience required with on the job training provided. See our recruitment page for more information.

Calling 9-1-1 or Non-Emergency

Do you have an emergency? Yes, call 9-1-1

Emergencies are situations that require immediate attention from police, fire or ambulance services and include:

• All crimes in progress
• Major crimes that have just occurred
• Any call with the potential for injury or death
• Any medical emergency
• Any type of fire

If you are unsure whether the situation is a true emergency, call 9-1-1 and let the call-taker determine whether you need emergency assistance.

What to expect when calling 9-1-1

• Know your location
• Answer the call taker's questions
• Follow the call-taker's instructions
• Try to stay as calm as possible

If you accidentally call 9-1-1, please don't hang up. The call-taker will need to verify if there is an emergency or not. If you hang up they will call you back and if no one is reached, will possibly send first responders to your location.  

Text to 9-1-1

Text only when you are unable to make a voice call to 9-1-1. Voice calls to 9-1-1 are still the best and fastest way to get help during an emergency. While Text to 9-1-1 is primarily for those with limited verbal communication, it can also help in situations when a crime is in progress or the caller is injured and cannot speak.

Important information:

• Location information is not transmitted to the call-takers when a text message is sent. Therefore, it is imperative the user begins their text message with a precise location and description of the emergency.
• Avoid the use of acronyms and emoticons (emojis) when texting to 9-1-1. Keep messages brief and concise, without abbreviations or non-standard language.
• Text to 9-1-1 messages sent with additional recipients will not go through.
• The Text to 9-1-1 system is not capable of receiving multimedia (photo or video) texts.
• If a Text to 9-1-1 is not available or temporarily out of service, a bounce back message will be sent to the user advising them to make a voice call to 9-1-1.
• Users must have a text or data plan to use the services and, as with all text messages, messages sent to 9-1-1 may take longer to receive or may not be received at all.
• Do not text and drive.

More about Text to 9-1-1.

Non-emergency (775) 334-2677 (24/7)

If you have a non-emergency situation contact Public Safety Dispatch non-emergency number (775) 334-COPS (2677). Some examples of non-emergency situations include, but are not limited to the following: 

• Noise disturbances
• Parking problems
• Past tense crimes 
• Welfare checks

Visit Important Phone Numbers for contact information for other local resources.

Requests for Dispatch Records

Copies of Dispatch Records may be obtained by submitting a Public Records Request online through the City of Reno City Clerk's Office. 

Public Safety Dispatch Administration

Business Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Review Important Phone Numbers for additional information.