Effective Aug.1, the Arkansas City Police Department phone number, (620) 441-4444, and the Winfield Police Department phone number, (620) 221-5555, will no longer connect to Cowley County Emergency Communications dispatch.
Cowley County Emergency Communications said in a press release Tuesday it has two non-emergency phone numbers, (620) 221-5447 and (620) 441-4547, that should be used anytime a caller needs to make a report requiring a non-emergency law enforcement response from the police departments or the sheriff’s office.
Because of the complexity of the infrastructure used to transfer these calls, there is a concern that services could be impacted, and delay calls being answered, CCEC says. Therefore, the direct lines to the dispatch center provide a better option for the citizens to contact dispatch.
Callers trying to reach the police department administration and records departments often mistake the dispatch center for the police departments and this can lead to understandable frustration when they are referred to another number to call.
CCEC says in an emergency, callers should always dial 911.
