Hopkins Police and Fire Working On Smooth Dispatch Center Transition

Editor’s Note: Sgt. Michael Glassberg submitted the following guest column about the city’s transition to Hennepin County dispatch services. On June 26, to let Hopkins use the county dispatch center, allowing the closure of the city’s own dispatch center.

On August 21, 2012 The Hopkins Police Department along with the Hopkins Fire Department will be making a transition to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office for dispatch services. The advantages of this change have been previously discussed and documented.

For the last several months, the police and fire departments has been working behind the scenes diligently to make this transition as smooth as possible. Additionally, a transition team comprised of leaders within the police department was created to plan out this change and ensure that our service remained outstanding. Our goal is to ensure there will be no difference in the quality of service provided to the community that we serve. This transition team is now working with Hennepin County Dispatch to finalize the change-over.

What Happens When I Call 911?

Citizens or businesses who call 911 will hear “911 what is your emergency?” The dispatcher on the phone will take your information and immediately start a response by police, fire or ambulance. There will be no difference in the amount of time or delay before squads will be dispatched. As always please try to provide as much information as possible for the dispatcher.

If the dispatcher answers your 911 call with “911 is this an emergency?” that indicates that the dispatcher maybe on another emergency call and are trying to prioritize emergencies. In this case, the caller should immediately tell the dispatcher whether or not their call is an emergency. The same type of emergencies that our current dispatch center prioritizes will be the same standard with the Hennepin County Sherriff’s Dispatch. If you are unsure as to the category of the call, always call 911. The Hennepin County Sherriff’s Dispatchers are highly trained, have substantial resources, and can quickly assist the concerns of the public.  

What if I need the police, but it is not an emergency?

When an immediate police response is not needed, citizens should call 952-938-8885.  Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 4:30 PM, these calls will ring directly into the police department. A member of our police department staff will direct the call as needed. Outside of these hours the phone call will be directed into the Hennepin County Sherriff’s Dispatch Center, phone number 763-525-6210 for assistance.

The police department lobby will be open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. A citizen is welcome to come into the police department lobby and use the available telephone for immediate assistance.

As in the past, there will be round-the-clock police and fire assistance available. The department will be staffed with officers at all times; day, night, weekends, and holidays. We are committed to the citizens of Hopkins and we will continue to provide an exceptional level of service.