911 is for only for emergencies, like incidents in which health, property, and safety are in immediate danger. In FY24, the Office of Unified Communications (OUC) handled 1.2 million 911 calls for service and almost 1/4 of those calls were non-emergencies. Knowing what an emergency is helps OUC to ensure that residents and visitors of the District receive the appropriate care and response. By using 311 for non-emergencies, we can keep our 911 personnel focused on critical situations where immediate help is needed.
Don't let non-emergencies compete with real ones.
When Do I Call 911?
When health, safety, and property are in immediate danger.
For example:
- Any crime in progress and/or when the offender is still on the scene
- Fire, smoke, or smell of gas
- Serious or life-threatening medical emergencies
- Home and business intruders
- Vehicle crashes involving personal injury, major property damage, or traffic tie-ups
- Sighting of a criminal whom you know is wanted by the police
When Do I Call 311 and Press Option 1 for the Police Non-Emergency Line?
To report incidents that may require police enforcement but do not constitute an emergency.
For example:
- Noise complaints
- Lost, found, or stolen property
- Fraud or forgery
- Crimes or incidents that happened in the past, no injury, and the suspect is no longer on the scene
- Unoccupied vehicle-related incidents
- Traffic complaints
- Vandalism or graffiti
- Property damage or destruction of property
- Loitering
When Do I Call 311?
To request information or schedule city services.
For example:
- Bulk trash collection
- Illegal dumping
- Parking enforcement
- Missed scheduled service, such as trash or recycling
- City agency phone numbers and hours of operation
- Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) related calls
- Other customer service-related items