text: is it right if your local police department is long distance? we got a long distance block on our phone to prevent people from running our phone bill through the roof. the problem is: even our local police department is long distance from our house! so if we have to call the police, we have to dial 911 because we won't be able to call the sheriff's department sense its long distance! the state police isn't long distance, but often times the state will refer me back to the county. they are nice enough to transfer me to the county, but i don't wanna bother these guys when i need to be getting to my local police department. these men and women put their lives on the line for us, and i respect them. i just wish they had a better system for communicating! when you call 911 you'll most likely be getting the same people at your local pd that would answer if you called the 7 digit non-emergency number. if they ask why you are calling 911 for a non-emergency explain to them the long distance call block on your phone service, they will understand.  if it's an emergency you have nothing to worry about.