Ulster County Police Department Will No Longer Answer Phone Calls

Residents in Ulster County are being warned about a major change involving how they contact the local police department.

For many people, calling the police department is something they may only do when they need assistance, have a question, or need to report something that isn't considered an emergency. Going forward, residents in Ellenville will need to be aware that calling the department directly is going to work a little differently.

Ellenville Police Department

Police Department Changes How Residents Make Calls in Ellenville, NY

According to the Ellenville Police Department, starting Tuesday, September 1, the department will no longer have a police dispatcher answering its phone lines. The department made the announcement earlier this week and is reminding residents that 911 should be called immediately for all emergencies.

Police say residents should not call the police department's regular phone number when they are experiencing an emergency.

Instead, dial 911 immediately.

For non-emergency matters, residents can still call the Ellenville Police Department at 845-647-4422. However, instead of reaching a dispatcher, callers will be directed through an automated phone system and asked to leave a voicemail. The department says those messages will be returned "ASAP."

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While this is certainly a big change for the community, the department says one program will continue operating as it has.

911 Dispatcher

Senior Program Continues in Ellenville

Operation Senior Watch will continue, and residents participating in the program will still be connected to the Village Clerk's Office. The department did not provide additional details about the program in the announcement.

This is something Ellenville residents will probably want to keep in mind, especially if they are accustomed to calling the police department directly and immediately speaking with someone. The most important thing to remember is pretty simple: if it's an emergency, don't call the police station — call 911.