An AT&T telephone outage yesterday knocked out the City of Midlothian's primary non‑emergency dispatch number, cutting off the usual line residents use for routine police help. While the main line is down, officials say that the 9-1-1 emergency service is still operational and that the workaround will remain in place until AT&T restores service.
In a Facebook update, the Midlothian Police Department told residents that anyone who would normally call the non‑emergency number, (972) 775‑3333, should instead dial (817) 524‑9396 or (682) 220‑5366 for non‑urgent assistance. The department stated that the issue is related to AT&T service problems and that the company had not provided a timeline for repairs at the time of the post.
The City of Midlothian's official contact page lists (972) 775‑3333 as the non‑emergency dispatch line, backing up which number is affected. That same page reminds residents that 9‑1‑1 is meant strictly for life‑threatening emergencies and that routine reports should go through the non‑emergency line when it is available, according to the City of Midlothian contact page.
What To Call And When
Residents are being asked to keep 9‑1‑1 reserved for true emergencies such as crimes in progress, serious medical issues, fires, or any immediate threat to life or property. For everything else, from noise complaints to minor crashes with no injuries, officials say to use the alternate non‑emergency numbers provided by the city. NCT9‑1‑1 and local agencies emphasize that using non‑emergency lines appropriately helps ensure 9‑1‑1 lines stay open for the most critical calls.
Why This Matters
When non‑emergency lines go down, people with routine issues may start dialing 9‑1‑1 instead, which can clog up dispatchers who need to be free for urgent situations. During earlier AT&T outages, call centers urged people who did reach 9‑1‑1 to stay on the line and clearly state their location so responders could still be sent, even if some routing data was limited, according to FOX4.
