Question: I want to report something to police, but I don’t know if it’s something I should call 911 for. How do I know if this is a real emergency?
Answer: If you want to report an incident to the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast, you have two options: call 911, or call our non-emergency line (604-885-2266). Choosing the best option will help those in most immediate need get the help they need first, while still ensuring that others in non-emergency situations also get the assistance they require. Some situations, such as a violent crime in progress, may clearly require the use of 911, while other situations may seem to be more of a grey area.
Call 911 whenever immediate action is required. Ask yourself, is someone hurt or at risk of being hurt, is there an immediate threat to property, or did a crime just occur and is the suspect still in the area?
Some examples would be:
A theft just occurred and the suspect fled the scene.
You see property crime in progress, such as graffiti or a break and enter.
You hear a scream, a gunshot, or something alarming.
The non-emergency line can be used for all other reports, such as:
A crime occurred the day before, and you want to report it now.
There is a loud party late at night next door.
You find that your car was broken into overnight.
Keep in mind that calling 911 or the non-emergency line will not necessarily affect how quickly police respond to your report. Response priority is based on the degree of urgency of an incident, and a call made to the non-emergency line could in fact be more urgent than a call to 911.
911 allows residents to quickly contact police, fire or ambulance. If you have any doubt about what number you should choose, and you feel that you need emergency services quickly, call 911. In all other situations, the non-emergency line is your best option, and will leave 911 available for those who are in truly urgent situations.
(Question the Constable! is a segment the Sunshine Coast RCMP features bi-weekly. Submit questions via email: [email protected] OR via Twitter: @COAST_RCMP. Persons submitting questions will have their information kept anonymous, and questions may be paraphrased.)
