A surge in demand for police has RCMP reminding Vernon residents to “make the right call.”
E-Comm, the agency responsible for handling most of the emergency calls in B.C., says up to 36 per cent of calls should be reported to more appropriate resources.
Vernon North Okanagan RCMP media relations officer Const. Chris Terleski said the local detachment is supported by E-Comm and the Southeast District RCMP Operational Communication Centre — one of the largest and busiest 911 police dispatch centres in the country.
“Often, calls to police non-emergency lines are not police matters and should be referred to another agency such as ICBC, the BC Residential Tenancy Branch, or municipal bylaw services,” Terleski said.
“Any time we can direct these calls to a more appropriate resource, not only does it save time, but it eases the strain on E-Comm and our OCC and ensures essential communication lines remain free for emergency and police matters.”
So, who should you call?
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911.
If your concern is of a non-urgent nature, check online to see if you should call your local police non-emergency line; report the incident using our online crime-reporting tool at https://ocre-sielc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/bc/en or reach out to an alternate resource.
A full list of links to online crime reporting and non-emergency phone numbers is available through E-Comm at nonemergency.ca.
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