RSS FeedUse 911 For Police Non-Emergencies Now (Public Service Announcement)
As of yesterday, the DC Office of Unified Communications moved police non-emergency calls from 311 to 911. Many were caught off-guard and this blogger still can’t find an official press release on a DC.gov website.
This was announced on the 1st District MPD listserv:
Police & Fire Department’s Emergency & Non Emergency Number: 9-1-1 (per Office of Unified Communications Jan 14, 2008)
To Request City Services (graffiti removal, assistance with abandoned cars and abandoned houses, etc.) dial 3-1-1
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Comments
I saw this from Cmmdr Groomes on the listserve as well and I have to say it is surprising – seems like a bad idea that is doomed to end up getting reversed when there is a life threating emergency on hold because a bunch of non-emergency calls are tieing up the line.
I noticed the change a few evenings ago. Implementation must have started early. Called 311 to have an aggressive panhandler removed from the front of my building and after going through 20 prompts, was sent to 911.
I think this is a great change. I’ve never waited when calling 311 or 911 in DC and it is the same people answering so I doubt it will be inundated with calls.
Mr. T: I think that 727-1000 was the same as 311 for a while. 727-1000 will probably still work, but it’s not being advertised any more.
Does this mean the cops will actually respond now? I doubt it. I called 911 when someone was trying to break into the back door of my house. Despite giving the oeprator clear directions on my address, I was asked about 10 times about the location of my residence. After all of that, no one ever showed up. Thankfully the crack head moved on after he couldn’t easily get in.
I just want to point out you can’t report an abandoned house via 311/727-1000 because the system is completely unconnected to DCRA.
http://lifein.mvsna.org/index.cfm/2007/12/13/Vacant-Property-Meeting
you can however, report a vacant lot.
for vacant buildings: http://dcra.dc.gov/dcra/frames.asp?doc=/dcra/lib/dcra/information/vacant/vacant_property_citizen_report_form.pdf
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Finally — DC starts working a bit like other cities!!! We call the police when the police are needing. Calling a drug deal, public urination, aggressive pan handling non-emergencies did not make us safer.
Good change.