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Address causes confusion, delays during 911 call

Confusion over an address caused a delay during a 911 call in Sherwood.

SHERWOOD, Ark. (KTHV) – A Sherwood mother is looking for answers after it took her almost five minutes to get someone to dispatch an officer to her house when she called 911.

Alivea Lafavor was feeding her baby early Wednesday morning when she heard a loud banging on the door. She has lived on Gravel Ridge in Sherwood without problem for four years.

"I started hearing noises because at first I was trying to brush it off because I'm super anxious about everything,” Lafavor said.

The noises were so loud, they scared her husband.

"It was loud and consistent and he got up, grabbed his gun and was like call the cops,” she said.

Calling the cops led to a lot of confusion on both ends, and over two and a half minutes of being transferred.

"I guess they saw that I was in Gravel Ridge and they transferred me to Sherwood Police, so that took a couple seconds,” she said.

Lafavor's house sits in Sherwood, but her mailing address is in Jacksonville.

“Again they asked me is what’s your address once I got transferred to Sherwood. As soon as they heard Jacksonville they were like OK we are going to get you back to the Jacksonville PD. So I was like No please don't!" she said.

Keith Wilson with Sherwood police says the Gravel Ridge area was originally only part of Pulaski county.

"It was not part of Jacksonville, it was not part of Sherwood. The post office assigned it a Jacksonville address,” Wilson said.

But in 2008, that changed.

"Eventually, Sherwood annexed it but the post office still has it under the city of Jacksonville. It causes some confusion,” Wilson said.

Wilson said one of the only solution for Gravel Ridge residents is to clarify on the phone where exactly they are.

“When you give the address, it’s one thing to say Jacksonville but make sure you say I am in the city of Sherwood,” he said.

But Lafavor says the situation could have meant life or death, and wants more people to become aware of where exactly they live.

"I have a daughter, if she wasn't breathing and it takes you two and a half minutes just to figure out which cop is supposed to handle the call that is terrifying,” Lafavor said.

Wilson said residents can also register their information on Smart911. People can clarify exactly where they live to speed up the call.

Wilson said the mayor is working with the post office to clear up the address issues.

Lafavor says Sherwood Police dispatched to her house quickly and everyone is safe.

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