In an outage nobody in Milpitas was asking for, police today said a PG&E transformer problem has knocked out the department’s phone system, leaving its non-emergency and business lines offline while 9-1-1 and other urgent calls are being rerouted to county dispatch. The department said emergency services are still available and officers are responding to calls as usual. Officials urged residents to save 9-1-1 for life-threatening emergencies and said they will share updates as the situation develops.
Police Route Calls To County 9-1-1
In a post on X, the Milpitas Police Department said its non-emergency and business phone lines were “not operational” and that both 9-1-1 and regular calls are being routed to the Santa Clara County Communications Center. The Milpitas Police Department on X also reported that PG&E had not given an estimated restoration time and that the department will share updates as they become available. County 9-1-1 is the regional Public Safety Answering Point and can accept transferred calls during local outages, according to Santa Clara County 9-1-1 Communications.
⚠️ Community Alert ⚠️
— Milpitas Police (@MilpitasPD) June 15, 2026
Due to a PG&E transformer outage affecting our area, the Milpitas Police Department is currently experiencing issues with our phone system. At this time, our non-emergency and business phone lines are not operational, and PG&E has not provided an estimated… pic.twitter.com/oCBD21Ykt0
How To Reach Police And Stay Safe
For life-threatening emergencies, residents should dial 9-1-1; if you cannot speak, Milpitas supports text-to-9-1-1 as an alternative. The Milpitas Police Department lists its contact information online and posts updates on its social accounts. If you see downed lines, sparks or other hazards, officials advise staying clear and reporting them to emergency services and the utility through official reporting channels.
PG&E Outage And Restoration Work
PG&E’s outage portal provides a real-time map of affected areas and tools to report problems, and the utility typically posts estimated restoration windows once crews have assessed the damage, according to the PG&E Outage Center. Replacement or repair of a damaged transformer can sometimes be wrapped up in a few hours, but more complex or equipment-heavy work can take longer, depending on parts and access, which is a pattern reflected in CPUC closure letters and utility reliability documents.
Milpitas police said they will provide updates as they learn more; residents can follow the department’s feed for the latest notices from the Milpitas Police Department on X.
