Police, fire and emergency alerts

Palo Alto has its own police department and its own fire department, both run by the city rather than the county. They share the Public Safety Building at 250 Sherman Avenue, near the California Avenue business district, along with the city's 24-hour dispatch center.

This guide lists the numbers to save, explains what you can report online, how to get emergency alerts and where the city publishes crime and police data. It does not replace 911. If someone is in danger or a crime is in progress, call 911 first. For earthquakes, wildfire and floods, our emergency preparedness guide goes further.

Numbers to save

These come from the police department's contact directory and the fire department's page in October 2026.

Use the dispatch line for things like a noise complaint, a suspicious car that has been parked for days or a past theft with no suspect nearby. The police email address is not monitored around the clock, so do not use it to report crimes. Animal problems also go through dispatch after hours. Our pets guide explains how Animal Control works.

Anonymous tips

Text the keyword PAPD and your tip to 847411, use the Palo Alto PD Tips app or leave a voicemail on the tip line. The department notes that tips are not monitored 24 hours a day, so anything urgent goes to 911 or dispatch.

The Police Department

The Palo Alto Police Department patrols the city, investigates crimes, handles traffic enforcement and oversees the Animal Control Division. Its chief is James Reifschneider. The department's front desk at the Public Safety Building handles in-person business on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The city also has an Independent Police Auditor, listed in the department's directory, who reviews police investigations. The department publishes its full policy manual online, which runs to more than 850 pages. You can commend an officer or file a complaint through the department's accountability pages.

Filing a police report online

For some minor crimes you can skip the wait and file online. The city's online reporting page accepts only these types:

• Auto burglary or theft from a vehicle
• Vandalism of personal property that is not a hate crime
• Lost property and harassing phone calls
• Minor traffic collisions and non-injury hit and runs
• Bicycle theft and theft of vehicle parts such as catalytic converters
• Identity theft involving credit card fraud and phone scams
• Child custody order violations
• Shoplifting where no prosecution is wanted

There are conditions. You must be 18 or older and the victim. The incident must have happened in Palo Alto. There can be no suspect information or physical evidence to collect. Thefts must total less than $5,000. Stolen cars, license plates and firearms cannot be reported online. Never use the system for a crime in progress.

Traffic and bike concerns

The department's online reporting area also lists a Traffic Concern form. Think of it as a channel for ongoing problems on your street rather than for emergencies. A crash with injuries or a dangerous driver on the road right now is a 911 call. Bicycle theft is on the online reporting list, which matters in a city where many people ride. Write down your bike's serial number and take a photo of it so an online report has the details police need. Our biking guide covers the main routes. For medical emergencies and where the nearest emergency room is, see our healthcare guide.

The Fire Department

Palo Alto Fire handles fire suppression, emergency medical calls, ambulance transport, hazardous materials and technical and water rescue. It also works under a service agreement with Stanford and shares mutual aid with neighboring agencies. According to its operations page, the department staffs six full-time stations:

Station 8 in the foothills is listed as seasonal. The department says it runs a foothills station on high fire danger days. Paramedic ambulances run from several stations. The department's Fire Prevention Bureau handles inspections and fire permits. Its wildfire preparedness page follows the Ready, Set, Go! approach. Households can also join Palo Alto FireMed, a low-cost monthly ambulance subscription. Fire administration is at (650) 329-2184.

Emergency alerts with AlertSCC

AlertSCC is the free mass notification system that Santa Clara County officials, including Palo Alto, use to warn residents about emergencies. The city's AlertSCC FAQ explains how it works:

• Sign up at alertscc.com. Anyone can register.
• Choose your devices. Text, email, cell, home and work phones are all options. Text is the fastest. You can set the order in which you are contacted.
• Save the senders. Texts come from the short code 88911 and calls from (650) 329-2420.
• Confirm messages. Replying to confirm a text or email stops delivery to your other devices.
• Expect few alerts. The system is used for emergencies in progress that need immediate action. A test goes out once a year.

Landline numbers in public phone listings can receive calls even without an account, but registering lets you add cell phones and email. Keep your phone's Wireless Emergency Alerts turned on as a second channel.

Crime data and transparency

The police department's Public Information Portal gathers its public data in one place.

• Crime statistics. Annual tables of calls for service, crime reports, collisions and online reports from 2016 through 2025. The 2025 crime total was 3,176. Monthly hate crime counts run from January 2023 through September 2026.
• A changed system. The department moved to the more detailed NIBRS reporting system between 2021 and 2022, which counts every offense within an incident. The city warns that comparing years before and after the switch is difficult.
• Calls for service map. A beta map showing calls officers handled in the past 24 hours. Locations are approximate and a call is not a confirmed crime.
• Police Report Log. A new log each business day listing reports taken, with arrests. The last 30 business days stay online.
• Other data. Traffic citations and collision data under the Police Data Initiative, stop data under the state's Racial and Identity Profiling Act, license plate reader policy and military equipment reports.
• Custom reports. The Crime Analysis Unit prepares location and time-specific statistics on request. Complex reports carry an hourly fee.

Records requests, such as a copy of a collision report, go through the portal's request page. For neighborhood context, our guide to California Avenue covers the area around the Public Safety Building.

Frequently asked questions