I was at a neighborhood meeting recently where the topic of calling 9-1-1 came up. If you’re like me, you’ve been trained to only dial 9-1-1 if it’s an emergency. Is that the case today? The short answer is no.
In my dealings with the Southwest District of the Raleigh Police Department (RPD), I’ve come to learn that 9-1-1 is the number to dial for most police matters. If you want an officer dispatched, call 9-1-1. Noise violations, fireworks, pan handling, parking violations, traffic accidents, and many other concerns.
Thankfully, RPD has recently implemented a Community Policing Squad focused in three areas of Southwest Raleigh: Hillsborough Street, Western Blvd, and Lineberry Drive / Peach Road. The purpose of the new squad is to address the quality of life issues in these areas.
But who do you call? The non-emergency number or 9-1-1 (or Ghostbusters)?
I remember an email interview I did with Walt Fuller, Deputy Director of Operations for Raleigh-Wake County Emergency Communications Center, that helps to clarify some of the confusion. The Q&A focuses on parking, loud music, loud noise, and nuisance party violations, but applies to other concerns like pan handling and solicitations.
1. What happens when a call comes in to the Raleigh-Wake County Emergency Communications Center for a Raleigh Police officer?
The call taker processes the call and gets the callers name, address, and phone number. They then ask what happened. Based on what the caller advises the call taker assigns the incident an Incident Class. The Incident Class has a predetermined Priority Code which determines how fast we have to get the call dispatched.
2. How are calls to the non-emergency number dispatched to Raleigh Police Department?
The same people answer the non-emergency numbers that come into the Center. We do not handle the [RPD District] Front Desk lines. The Call Taker goes through the same process to determine what the caller needs and makes a dispatch if necessary.
3. Are calls to the non-emergency number recorded?
All telephone and radio traffic coming into and going out of the Center is recorded.
4. Are calls to 9-1-1 and the non-emergency number answered by the same communications specialists?
All lines coming into the center are answered by the same people. However, we have dedicated Call Takers who’s primary job is to answer incoming 9-1-1 lines.
5. If someone is calling about parking violations, loud music, loud noise (after 11pm), or a nuisance party violation, should they call 9-1-1 or the non-emergency number?
Either way is fine. As mentioned above, the same people answer the phone. It is easier to process a 9-1-1 call as opposed to a 10-digit call because all we have to do is verify the address on 9-1-1 as opposed to manually entering the address info.
6. What kind of details should callers be ready with for parking, loud music, loud noise , or nuisance party violations?
On every call, emergency or non-emergency, we will always need the callers name, address, address of the incident, call back number ,and what is going on. From there we will ask questions based on the nature of the call.
7. What if a caller wishes to remain anonymous about a parking violation, loud music, loud noise , or nuisance party complaint?
We will always ask for the callers name and phone number simply to have something to call back if the officer, fire unit, or EMS unit needs further information. If the caller doesn’t wish to leave their information, we make a note in the call comments field that the caller wishes to remain anonymous, so the responders are aware.
8. Where can people go to find out more information about the Raleigh-Wake County Emergency Communications Center?
We are on the City of Raleigh web site under Public Safety. We have tabs for employment, history, stats, social sites and other info available.