The City of Burnaby has launched a non-emergency call centre to improve wait times when calling the local RCMP’s non-emergency line.
The line at 604-646-9999 will be for residents who require police assistance in non-urgent situations such as reporting theft or vandalism.
City staff at the call centre will answer the line from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., when most non-emergency calls in Burnaby are made, according to a press release.
Non-emergency calls previously went through E-Comm along with emergency calls, leading to "excessive wait times." E-Comm is the 911 service and dispatch agency used by many communities around the province.
Last year, almost 22,000 non-emergency line calls were abandoned, more than half of all non-emergency calls received, said the release.
E-Comm will handle Burnaby’s non-emergency calls outside of peak hours and on weekends.
The city plans to expand the service hours of the new non-emergency call centre by adding more staff when possible.
"Burnaby residents shouldn’t have to spend their time waiting on hold when trying to report crime through the non-emergency line," said Mayor Mike Hurley in the release.
"By bringing this service to the Burnaby RCMP Detachment, residents can be assured their calls will be answered promptly and professionally."
The release notes people should call 911 for emergencies where immediate action is required.
In 2022, more than 21,000 calls to E-Comm’s non-emergency line were abandoned. Burnaby residents deserve a service they can rely on. On October 16, we launched our own Non-Emergency Call Centre to serve our residents better during peak hours.
— City of Burnaby (@CityofBurnaby) October 19, 2023
Learn more: https://t.co/vwoaz5NQwR pic.twitter.com/FIbZTh3aZ1
