How to report a non-emergency
A non-emergency incident is any incident that does not require the immediate emergency response of the police, ambulance or fire department. Some examples of non-emergency incidents are:
- Report an abandoned vehicle, a loud party, a pet related problem
- Report vandalism
- Report crimes not in progress
- Request information
- Report situations like water in the cellar or trees down
When reporting non-emergency incidents:
- Tell the public safety telecommunicator/call taker that your call is not an emergency.
- Provide your name, address (including house number) and telephone number.
- Answer all questions. Provide the best description of the situation that you can.
- Listen for instructions. Do exactly what the public safety telecommunicator/call taker says.
- Stay on the line. Don't hang up until you are told to do so. The public safety telecommunicator/call taker is trained to gather all information necessary to determine if the incident should be dispatched and which agencies will respond.
- If calling from a cellular telephone, provide as much information about your location as possible, including mile markers, cross streets, etc.
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During especially busy times, the public safety telecommunicator/call taker may have to put you on hold in order to answer incoming emergency calls. Please be patient, the hold time of our non-emergency callers is usually brief.
- NEVER LIE to a 9-1-1 public safety telecommunicator/call taker. Such misrepresentation could result in criminal prosecution. It could also put the responders at risk. It is also a crime to knowingly and intentionally give false information.