Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by ryandrake 2405 days ago
> As an example: I called 311/911 to report a trio of homeless guys, operating a bike chop shop

First of all, I hope you called 311 and not 911 for this. It's obviously not a life-threatening emergency.

> I asked, incredulous, "isn't this a police matter that you should pursue right now? How will they still be here in 3 days?" She gave some unsatisfactory answer of course.

As (hopefully) established above, this is not an emergency, so I don't understand why you'd expect a squad of detectives to race out there right away. From your description, it doesn't sound like anyone was in danger. Sorry, but the police are not bellhops that you can just summon when you feel irritated about something that's happening outside.
1 comments
catalogia 2404 days ago
In most of the country, if you call any number other than 911 to report any crime you'll be told to call 911 next time. When I called in my smashed car window, they told me to use 911 next time. I've heard similar from others.

Anyway, reporting a crime that is in progress certainly warrants 911. There is no ambiguity there.

link
ryandrake 2404 days ago
Where on earth did they tell you to call 911 over a broken window?? Everywhere I’ve ever lived, 911 is for emergencies only. It is not a general “call the police” line. People treating it as such is why many PSAPs are overloaded and sometimes real emergencies get dropped. Please don’t call 911 unless it is a life threatening emergency!
link
catalogia 2403 days ago
> Where on earth did they tell you to call 911 over a broken window??

The obscure backwater of Seattle.

911 is not exclusively for life-threatening emergencies as you are suggesting. It's for emergencies more generally, and that generally includes crime reports. Particularly reports of crimes that are in progress. The crime I was reporting (the burglarizing of my car) was not in progress which is why I didn't call 911 (and consequently received a brief lecture about using 911 in the future.) But had I witnessed the crime in progress, I wouldn't have hesitated to call 911 and nor should anybody else.

Here is the advice of Mary Ellen Carroll, executive director of the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management: https://abc7news.com/when-to-call-911-vs-311/5300051/

    When to call 911:
    * Is there danger to life, property or the environment?
    * Is a crime in progress?
    * Is there a medical emergency / need for immediate help?
    * Is there a fire?
Note that the advice she gives is contrary to the advice I received from Seattle's 311, in that she says to use 311 to report crimes that aren't in progress. However she says that 911 should be used for crimes that are in progress without the requirement that those crimes be life threatening. (And also for injuries which require medical attention but aren't necessarily life threatening.)

So, to reiterate, when it comes to crimes that are in progress there is really no ambiguity.

link