9-1-1 is for police, fire, or medical emergencies when immediate action is required: someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy or a crime is in progress.

If you need police assistance that is not of an emergency nature (for example, your situation is a valid police matter but does not require immediate police attention), please call the non-emergency number at 604-525-5411. Many non-emergency matters can also be reported online, at your own convenience.

If you are unsure if your situation is an emergency, dial 9-1-1. Emergency call takers will help determine if immediate action is required or if you should hang-up and dial the non-emergency line.

When should I call 9-1-1?

• Whenever you—or another person’s—health, safety or property is in jeopardy or a crime is in progress.
• Domestic disputes, attacks, gunshots, fires and/or smoke, hazardous goods incidents, downed power lines, car accidents with injuries or any other medical emergency that is a threat to life or health.
• An in-progress crime such as theft, break and enter or vandalism (if there is a suspect on scene) or to report an impaired driver.
• A serious crime that has just occurred (sexual or other assault, robbery, child abduction).
• Suspicious activity in progress (example: a stranger trying to open car doors).

When should I call non-emergency?

If your incident meets any of the following criteria, please contact the non-emergency line at 604-525-5411.

• You are reporting a serious crime that is not in progress and has a lengthy delay.
• You are a victim or witness to an incident involving personal violence, including Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence or Sexual Assault.
• Non-emergency incident in progress (example: noisy party).
• You require police attendance or a lengthy on-scene investigation.
• If you have a known suspect but the suspect is not on scene (ie. fraud).
• If you know the name or address of the suspect, or if you know the license plate of the vehicle associated to the suspect.
• If the value of theft, fraud, loss or property damage is more than $5,000.
• If your vehicle has been stolen.
• If someone broke into, or attempted to break into your home, garage or business.
• If this is the theft or loss of a firearm.
• If this is related to any kind hate motivated crime, including vandalism or graffiti.
• If this is related to a traffic complaint that is in progress.
• If you are in possession of any evidence.
• On-going crime issues or crimes that are not in-progress (examples: graffiti or ongoing drug dealing with no suspect on scene).
• A suspicious circumstance that may indicate an ongoing criminal activity (example: suspected drug lab).

Tips for making your non-emergency call

• Try to report your non-emergency during the early morning or evening on a weekday to help limit your wait time.
• Be ready with all relevant information when you call about your situation such as your exact address, driver’s license number or vehicle license plate number.
• If you call 9-1-1 for a non-emergency matter, it will not result in a faster response as emergency operators will not take non-emergency reports on 9-1-1.
• 9-1-1 call takers cannot transfer your call to the non-emergency line. You will be asked to hang-up and dial the ten-digit non-emergency number directly.