Police remind the public: Asking for a refund is not a 9-1-1 emergency

Coquitlam, Public Alert

2024-01-12 06:50 PST

Coquitlam RCMP and its Operational Communication Centre (OCC) want to remind the public when it’s appropriate to call 911 for emergencies and when to contact non-emergency.

Coquitlam RCMP’s emergency and non-emergency calls are answered and dispatched in-house through the OCC. In 2023, Coquitlam RCMP’s OCC dispatched over 35,000 calls for service which included both 911 calls and non-emergency.

We must treat every 911 call as an emergency until we can determine otherwise, said Jill Van Os, Telecommunications Supervisor for Coquitlam RCMP OCC. Every second we spend answering frivolous questions about cold food or how to issue refunds, is time taken away from helping someone in potentially life-threatening situation.

Coquitlam OCC receives more than 68,000 calls a year through both 911 and non-emergency lines but only half require police attendance.

For example, it isn’t appropriate to call 911 when:

• A fast food burger was cold and the restaurant wouldn’t issue a refund. The caller wanted police to force a refund.
• A caller became frightened after watching a scary movie and was advised to turn off the movie and watch something else.
• A caller wanted assistance being put through to their pharmacy after they were put on hold six times.

Every call is important to use, though these real-life examples from 2023 highlight the importance of calling the appropriate line when you need police assistance.

Non-emergency Services

Non-emergency reports involve situations where a crime has already been committed and there is no immediate risk to the public. These reports can be made by telephone or on-line and may include a follow-up by a police officer. Reports should be directed to the jurisdiction that the crime occurred to ensure proper follow up by the appropriate agency.

To learn more, visit BC RCMP: Report a Crime

A non-emergency situation may include:

• When a crime has already been committed and no suspects are present
• Suspicious activity or circumstance or less serious nuisance behaviour
• When you want a follow-up on an already reported crime

To make a non-emergency report, the public can:

• Contact their local police detachment in the city where the crime occurred or report online with the online crime reporting tool
• Coquitlam RCMP residents, which include Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, Village of Belcarra, Village of Anmore and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation, can call 604-945-1550
• Report anonymous tips through 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online
• Frauds and scams can be reported directly to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

Emergency Services

Emergency Services, or 9-1-1, provide an immediate response when required. A 9-1-1 emergency includes:

• When someone’s life is in danger and every second counts
• When a crime is in progress: a fight, a break and enter or violent occurrence involving a weapon
• When there has been a motor vehicle accident with significant injuries
• When you are witnessing an erratic or possibly impaired driver

For more tips, visit BC RCMP: Tips for Calling Emergency Services

If you accidentally dial 9-1-1, please stay on the line to speak with an operator. All 9-1-1 calls require attention, and if the call is accidental, police will still follow up with the caller. This is to ensure the safety and well-being of the caller.

Coquitlam RCMP would also like to remind the public that reports can not be made via e-mail, text message or social media.

Released by

Cpl. Alexa Hodgins

Email: coquitlam_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: coquitlam.rcmp-grc.gc.ca (English only)

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