Community members are continuing to call the police for non-emergencies.
The OPP have a toll-free number that operates 24/7 for non-emergencies for all non-emergency calls. Constable Suzanne Runciman says OPP policy states an officer must be dispatched to the location of every 9-1-1 call. This means non-emergency calls actively tie up police resources and increase the danger for those in real emergency situations. She says a 9-1-1 emergency is when your health, safety or property is in immediate danger.
The OPP also wants citizens to be aware that they can actually report certain crimes to police from your computer or cell phone. The Citizen Self Reporting system allows for certain crimes to be reported without attending a detachment. Runciman says this is for non-emergency use.
Runciman finished by saying they start by trying to educate those making bad 9-1-1 calls but charges can be laid at the officer’s discretion.
More details about citizen self-reporting can be found here.
