Blog | 911 Emergency Dispatcher | 911 Emergency Dispatch

Answering police non-emergency calls is an important part of the work we do on behalf of our 33 police agency partners, but not every non-urgent matter requires a call to your police non-emergency line. Approximately 36% of calls E-Comm receives on police non-emergency lines need to be redirected to a more appropriate resource for help. Knowing who to call when you have a problem will help ensure you get the assistance you need as quickly as possible, while keeping critical lines free for genuine police matters.

Although E-Comm’s goal is to answer all non-emergency calls as quickly and efficiently as possible, there are times where non-emergency callers must wait to reach a call taker, as our call takers answer both 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls and must prioritize 9-1-1 lines first. Receiving calls on police non-emergency lines that are better suited elsewhere only adds to these extended wait times.

The public can help us help, by making the right calls and sharing the following non-emergency tips:

• Knowing when to call 9-1-1, when to call the non-emergency line with a non-urgent police matter or when an alternative resource is better suited for your concerns means you can get the help you need faster.
• If you are experiencing a lengthy delay on the non-emergency line, do not call 9-1-1 – unless your matter has escalated to a life-threatening situation and immediate action is now required by first responders.
• If you need to call the police non-emergency line, try to make your report before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on a weekday to help minimize your wait time.
• Many non-urgent crimes can be reported through online crime reporting on local police websites – visit nonemergency.ca to see if this service is available in your area.
• Are you unsure where to call for help?
  • If you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please dial 9-1-1.
  • For concerns of a non-urgent nature, check online to see if you should call the police non-emergency line, report your concerns through online crime-reporting or reach out to an alternate resource.

We want to thank the public for your patience and understanding as our hardworking call takers prioritize answering calls from those who are experiencing life or death emergencies first.

With 36 per cent of police non-emergency calls needing to be redirected, new E-Comm campaign urges people to ‘make the right call.’

Vancouver, B.C.—Extraordinarily high demand for emergency services has led to longer wait times on police non-emergency lines answered by E-Comm, as call takers prioritize a record-breaking number of 9-1-1 calls from people in life or death situations.

A number of major incidents across the province, from gang-related shootings and the ongoing opioid crisis, to the historic heatwave that swept across British Columbia and the earlier-than-normal wildfire season, have resulted in increasing 9-1-1 call volumes. Now, with the province nearing the end of COVID-19 restrictions, E-Comm, the emergency communications centre responsible for answering 99 per cent of B.C.’s 9-1-1 calls, anticipates continued challenges with long wait times on police non-emergency lines.

“Heading into the busier summer months, we always expected to see increased call volumes,” says Oliver Grüter-Andrew, President and CEO of E-Comm. “But the current strain on emergency services, including 9-1-1, is extraordinary. This record-breaking demand has led to increased wait times on police non-emergency lines, as E-Comm call takers must prioritize answering life or death emergencies coming through on 9-1-1.”

E-Comm has been struggling with increasing demand and longer wait times on police non-emergency lines for the past few years, but the problem has been greatly exacerbated by higher call volumes on 9-1-1 and ongoing staffing challenges. Adding to current issues with wait times, E-Comm is reporting that up to 36 per cent of police non-emergency calls do not belong on these lines and must be redirected to other more appropriate resources. This is a huge drain on police dispatch services and takes up valuable call taker time that could otherwise be spent on helping people needing to report actual non-urgent police matters.

“For many of the calls we receive on non-emergency numbers, a police call taker is not the right person to action the caller’s concern. Knowing when to call 9-1-1, when to call the non-emergency line to report a non-urgent police matter or when to call elsewhere doesn’t just free up these critical resources – it also means callers can get the help they need faster,” explains Grüter-Andrew.
Of the 36 per cent of calls that cannot be handled on police non-emergency lines, some of the most common redirects are:

• Local police agency
  Visit your local police agency’s website for information about finger printing services, criminal record checks or requests for copies of police reports.
• Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
  Call 1-888-495-8501 or report fraud online if you have experienced fraud or a fraud attempt but did not lose any money.
• ICBC
  Call 1-800-910-4222 or make a claims report online if you were involved in a motor vehicle incident where there are no injuries or imminent threat to public safety and all vehicles are drivable.
• Local civic services
  Visit local municipal websites for all questions or concerns related to city bylaws including dumped garbage, parking-related complaints or concerns about traffic lights.
• BC Residential Tenancy Branch
  Call 1-800-665-8779 to ask questions about tenancy laws or to get help with landlord/tenant disputes or apply for dispute resolution online.

For those who aren’t sure if their call belongs on the police non-emergency line, E-Comm has a list of alternative resources and information on its website. Meanwhile, many non-emergency concerns can be reported online, at the caller’s convenience. Otherwise, calling on a weekday outside the hours of 7:00 a.m.—7:00 p.m. can help reduce the wait time to speak with a police non-emergency call taker. A full list of links to online crime reporting and non-emergency phone numbers is available at nonemergency.ca.

E-Comm appreciates the public’s support as it continues to navigate the busy summer months and wants to remind the public that everyone can do their part by keeping 9-1-1 lines free for police, fire and ambulance emergencies only.

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Media Contact
Jasmine Bradley
604-215-6248
[email protected]

About E-Comm
E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across the province.
E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.

Today marks 22 years of helping to save lives and protect property in British Columbia.

Before E-Comm came to be, first responders operated on their own independent radio systems – which meant that police, fire and ambulance personnel were not able to communicate with one another. When the Stanley Cup riots broke out in Vancouver in 1994, the Vancouver Police were forced to request back up from neighbouring RCMP detachments and other first responders. Police, paramedics, and firefighters found themselves in danger when they could not communicate with one another to help diffuse the crowds because their radios were not compatible. During this time, it became very clear that a new, consolidated system was needed. E-Comm was born to be the owner and operator of this new radio system, now the largest multi-jurisdictional, tri-service emergency radio system in British Columbia, and it was decided the organization would begin 9-1-1 call answer and dispatch as well. On June 8, 1999, E-Comm 9-1-1 officially opened its doors, answering the very first 9-1-1 call for the Vancouver Police at the brand new emergency communications centre.

Over two decades later, E-Comm has grown to a team of more than 700 public safety communications professionals across four locations. We serve as the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts and provide dispatch services for 73 police and fire agencies, handling more than 1.8 million 9-1-1 calls a year.

E-Comm plays an integral role in helping save lives and protect property in British Columbia. While we have evolved over the last 22 years, one thing remains the same: our passion for public safety. We extend a big thank you to all of our past and present partners, board members, stakeholders and every employee at E-Comm that plays an integral role in keeping our communities safe.

Have you made a call to 9-1-1 before? Canadians are likely to call 9-1-1 at least twice in their lifetime. Whether you have been impacted by an emergency, or you want to recognize the behind-the-scenes heroes who keep our community safe, you can thank an E-Comm staff member below.

Earlier this month, E-Comm completed the first successful call transfer in a test Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) environment from its Lower Mainland emergency communications centre to Calgary 9-1-1’s centre. This marks a monumental step toward B.C.’s province-wide transition to NG9-1-1.

NG9-1-1 is a federally mandated initiative to evolve and modernize existing 9-1-1 services across Canada. The new network will enhance 9-1-1 services by adapting to emerging voice, text messaging and multi-media services. Although the existing 9-1-1 service is resilient and reliable, it was originally designed for landline devices. Currently, when you call 9-1-1 from a cellphone, call takers receive very minimal information. The new NG9-1-1 technology will provide additional caller identification and location information from cellphones—information that is essential for effective and fast emergence response.

Not only will NG9-1-1 improve 9-1-1 systems across the country, but it will also ensure that the life-saving systems remain effective, secure and resilient.

Want to learn more about Next Generation 9-1-1? Listen to Chief Innovation Officer Mike Webb here as he provides insight into the current 9-1-1 system and explains how the new NG9-1-1 network will enhance emergency response.

E-Comm Voice Systems Technologist Gary Tam performs successful NG9-1-1 Transfer Call on April 1, 2021.

Please help us keep 9-1-1 lines free emergencies. Do not call 9-1-1 to ask questions about Public Health Orders or to report violations of COVID-19 health restrictions unless there is a life or death emergency requiring immediate action from first responders.

For COVID-19 related enquiries, refer to the following resources instead:

• To report violations of COVID-19 health restrictions, please contact your local by-law office or call your local police non-emergency line
  • In Vancouver, please call 3-1-1 or report your concern online
• Dial 1-888-COVID-19 for non-medical information about COVID-19 (available 7:30am-8pm)
• If you are sick or feel like you might have COVID-19, use the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool or call 8-1-1 to help determine if you need further assessment or testing
• Visit your local health authority website for regional information
  • Vancouver Coastal Health
  • Fraser Health Authority
  • Island Health Authority
  • Interior Health Authority
  • Northern Health Authority
• Visit your local police agency website for information about front counter closures and availability of services such as fingerprinting and criminal record checks
• Report suspicious cross-border activities to the Canada Border Services Agency border watch line at 1-888-502-9060
• For information on the latest travel restrictions in British Columbia, please visit the BC Government’s website on Travel and COVID-19