Unless an unknown person or solicitor is ringing your doorbell and/or knocking on your door is attempting to make a forced entry to your home, DO NOT CALL 9-1-1. CALL the normal Fort Worth Police Department number which is (817) 335-4222. 9-1-1 is for LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCIES ONLY, not to report peddlers or solicitors.
Write down (817) 335-4222 near your telephone and USE IT for these sorts of situations.
The misuse of 9-1-1 for non-life-threatening emergencies or to call an ambulance for non-emergency transport to a hospital (such as for a broken arm or leg) costs the City of Fort Worth, i.e., the taxpayers, including the residents of White Lake Hills, millions of dollars each year. The Fire Department, the Police Department, and MedStar Ambulance all are involved in sorting out who actually needs to come to the caller's address for the 'emergency' when a 9-1-1 call is placed.
Yes, 9-1-1 is convenient to remember, but is not intended for non-emergency situations such as those described above. By the time the police arrive, the peddler or solicitor (nine times out of ten this is whom is knocking on your door or ringing your doorbell) has long since left the area and the police officer's time and resources could have been used to answer real emergency calls or life-threatening emergencies.
Workers with TXU (electricity), ATMOS (natural gas), ONCOR (TXU repair crew), and the Fort Worth Water Department all have identification and will display it if asked.
