Use of 911 for Non-Emergencies Raises Safety Concerns

As you heard first on WTOP Radio, if you need non-emergency police help in the District help you no longer dial 311, you dial 911.

That raises the question: Will it be harder to get help in a real emergency?

"This is going to be confusing to the public," says Council member Phil Mendelson, who chairs the committee on public safety that includes police, fire and the 911 call center.

"It's always been drummed into citizens' heads, 'non-emergency you don't call 911.'"

Those non-emergency calls include issues such as pothole problems and barking dogs.

"Now the 911 call takers are going to be dealing with non-emergency calls. I'm concerned that could slow down the function. I'm afraid it's going to slow down the 911 process."

Officials at the call center and the Metropolitan Police Department tell WTOP they're unwilling to discuss how this change will affect emergency response because the mayor hasn't officially announced the new procedure.

Travis Dupree, spokesperson for Office of Unified Communication, which operates emergency call center, tells WTOP, "The Director (Janice Quintana) will be glad to speak about it after the mayor's announcement."

"Chief Lanier wouldn't be able to speak about it before the mayor makes the announcement," says Traci Hughes, spokesperson for Metropolitan Police Department.

Mendelson plans to hold an oversight hearing on the issue Feb. 21.

"We're going to look very closely to see whether this is working or whether it's backfiring."

Earlier this month, Fenty told WTOP dialing 311 would eliminate confusion, and allow callers to reach any city service. Today, callers to 311 are greeted with a recording of "Welcome to the District's 311 Mayor's Citywide Call Center," and an assurance that a calltaker will promptly be on the line.

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