People should know best way to contact police

October 17, 2013 · 0 Comments

Caledon OPP reports they have been experiencing a number of incidents lately where policing issues have come to their attention through non-traditional ways.
Police encourage anyone who needs policing services to make use of the 9-1-1 system, a call to the non-emergency toll free telephone number, or to the detachment itself to report public-safety or policing matters as they occur. A call to the police in a timely way helps them serve the community with an effective response, and deal with the situations.
9-1-1
In the case of an emergency, the answering equipment will automatically display the name and location of the caller to 9-1-1.
Since wireless phones are mobile, they are not associated with one fixed location or address. While the location of the cellular site closest to the 9-1-1 caller may provide a general indication of the caller’s location, that information is not usually specific enough for rescue personnel to deliver assistance to the caller as quickly as they’d like.
Police have some tips on using 9-1-1 to ensure a faster response in case of an emergency when calling from a cellular phone:
• Tell the emergency operator the location of the emergency right away.
• Provide the emergency operator with the wireless phone number, so if the call gets disconnected, the emergency operator can call back.
• Refrain from programming a phone to automatically dial 9-1-1 with one button. Unintentional wireless 9-1-1 calls, which often occur when auto-dial keys are inadvertently pressed, cause problems for emergency call centers.
• All 911 calls are investigated. Responding to “pocket dialed” phone calls tie up police resources.
Non-emergency calls for service
Use the non-emergency number when requesting police services, but the call is not an emergency. The police will still respond to the call for service. The number, valid anywhere in Ontario, is 1-888-310-1122, and 1-888-310-1133 (TTY).
Caledon OPP
The Caledon OPP detachment is at 15924 Innis Lake Rd. The emergency phone is located outside the front door and is accessible to the public 24 hours a day.
The administrative staff answers the detachment phone Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and is available for walk-ins during those hours. They are available to assist the public from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The detachment phone number is 905-584-2241.
The Bolton office is on the main level of the Royal Courtyards at 18 King St. East in Unit L in Bolton. After hours, consider using the police emergency phone which is to the right of the unit on the far wall and is accessible 24 hours a day. The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, and is closed during lunch between 1 and 1:45 p.m. The Bolton telephone number remains the same, 905-857-3304.
Road Watch
The Road Watch sanctions community members to complete a Citizen Report Form when they observe a fellow motorist exercising unsafe driving behaviour.
These forms are available on-line at www.roadwatch.ca
Once the data is collected, it is reviewed and the offending vehicle’s registered owner is sent a letter detailing the alleged infraction(s) and also implores safer driving. The reporting citizen’s name or information is not released to the vehicle owner. A second letter for the same vehicle results in a phone call from a police officer. When a third complaint is registered against a vehicle, an aggressive driver can expect a personal visit by police. Laying charges is an option and an officer may monitor the vehicle’s future actions.
For those who don’t have a computer connection, they can call the OPP non-emergency number to report aggressive driving after the fact.