When To Dial 911: Murrieta Police Department Explains

MURRIETA, CA — The Murrieta Police Department recently took to social media to discuss when residents should call 911 and when they should use the local non-emergency number. The decision between the two is often confusing, officers said in a recent Facebook post.

Murrieta Police urge you to call 911 "when a crime is occurring, or your life is in danger."

But what if you have an urgent need to speak with a police officer regarding a crime and there is no imminent danger? Also, what if you have a complaint about a holiday party going way too late or want to report a crime after the fact?

In those cases, Murrieta residents are urged to use the active "non-emergency" line: 951-696-3615.

Residents can help the police department prioritize between the most urgent crimes while routing other complaints to the best personnel possible by following a few simple rules, the post said.

Call 911 when:

• A crime is actively occurring.
• A life-or-death situation is occurring.
• Emergency services are needed NOW.

Call the non-emergency number 951-696-3615 for:

• Any crime not in progress, that has already occurred.
• Reporting nuisance calls.
• Reporting a crime with little to no suspect information.
• Reporting an offense with suspect information, but the suspect has fled elsewhere.
• Reporting a serious crime with suspect information, but there is an extreme delay from the time of the incident (for example, a serious crime that occurred yesterday).
• Sharing information that may indicate ongoing criminal activity.
• Reporting fraud or identity theft cases.
• Reporting loitering.
• Reporting oise complaints.
• Parking and traffic complaints.
• Reporting theft.
• Reporting vandalism.
• Reporting vehicle break-in.
• Reporting an assault that is not in progress or occurred in the past.

Why are there two different numbers?

The distinction between emergency and non-emergency is important for prioritization at the Murrieta Police Department's communications center, according to officials.

Police hope to prioritize and direct resources to criminal or medical incidents where immediate assistance is needed first.

"Gone are the days where a switchboard operator plugs and unplugs wires routing calls," they wrote.

All 911 calls are routed through the city's communications center, but too many emergency calls can clog the system, denying services to those in immediate need.

"We respectfully request that you help us to better serve you by reserving 911 for emergencies occurring at the time of the call," they wrote. "For all other services, please use our non-emergency number, 951-696-3615."

Using the numbers correctly gets residents the emergency police services they need and helps police prioritize preserving life.