The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is moving to a new 9-1-1 dispatch center this Sunday, March 16, at the Pima Emergency Communications & Operations Center.
During the one-hour period when the 9-1-1 network will be reconfigured, calls from the unincorporated areas of the County and the Town of Sahuarita will be temporarily rerouted to the City of Tucson’s 9-1-1 center. According to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, this is nothing new. The City of Tucson already serves as the County’s backup 9-1-1 service provider when necessary, such as when lines are extremely busy.
As part of the extensive preparation for this project:
• New 9-1-1 equipment has been thoroughly inspected and tested;
• Sheriff’s staff has received extensive training on its use;
• New 9-1-1 circuits have already been configured and fully tested;
• Technicians from CenturyLink and the Sheriff’s Department will be present to oversee cutover, monitor system performance and address any issues that might arise;
In the event callers in unincorporated Pima County or the Town of Sahuarita are unable to connect to 9-1-1, they may alternatively summon emergency assistance by calling (520) 351-6911.
Editor’s Note: 9-1-1 callers in the City of Tucson, Town of Oro Valley, Town of Marana, and on tribal lands are not affected by this transition.