Santa Monica Police To Provide Text-Updates For Calls For Service

SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica residents are now able to get updates on their calls for police service through text message.

People who have called 911 or the non-emergency in Santa Monica will receive automated text messages providing confirmation of the service request and status updates.

“Santa Monica’s dispatchers answer over 250,000 calls annually,” said Chief Resilience Officer Lindsay Call, who oversees Santa Monica’s OEM Public Safety Communications Division. “This new technology will help improve communications and transparency between residents, businesses and visitors who report incidents, OEM public safety dispatchers and police personnel.”

The updates will only be sent to people who called the police using a cell phone and will not send texts about in-progress calls. Situations where a text message may pose safety concerns for individuals will not receive messages.

Messages will come from the number 424-484-0511, which will be unable to be used to send communication to dispatchers. The messages can be accessed in Spanish and can be stopped at any time by replying with "STOP."

“We want everyone who needs police assistance to know the status of their request,” said Santa Monica Police Chief Ramón Batista. “It is vitally important that we can confirm with the reporting party that their call for service will be answered and when.”

The two-phase project began on Tuesday, Nov. 7 with the first phase. The second phase, beginning Dec. 11, will send a text-based survey for feedback on the service about 24 hours after conclusion.