Non-emergency or an emergency?

To report a crime in progress, or for immediate police assistance:

Call 9-1-1 or contact your local RCMP detachment or the police force in your area.

Non-emergencies

Non-emergencies:

  • Do not pose an immediate or potential threat to life or public safety
  • Include crimes that have already taken place prior to being discovered
  • Often do not require police attendance, but do require police response

Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Minor motor vehicle collisions; no injuries, alcohol, drugs, or impairment, and drivers' information exchanged
  • Break and enters that already took place
  • Scams in which money or personal information was not transferred or provided
  • Lost property
  • Property damage under $5,000
  • Theft under $5,000

While these types of reports are important, they are not an emergency.

Ways to report

What happens next?

RCMP Police Dispatchers determine when a call should be dispatched to a detachment directly or to the Alberta RCMP's Call Back Unit (CBU). The CBU is a unit made up of police officers whose primary duty is to respond to and investigate files that do not require scene attendance by police officers. CBU officers will contact complainants and investigate the occurrence. If, during the investigation, there is need for further investigation they will contact detachments or specialized units.

Emergencies

Emergencies:

  • Pose an immediate or potential threat to life or public safety
  • Include serious crimes in progress
  • Require immediate police attendance

Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Abduction or kidnapping
  • Active assailant or threat
  • Armed robbery
  • Armed and barricaded situation
  • Assault in-progress or just occurred
  • Break and enter in-progress
  • Domestic violence; in-progress, if suspect is still in area, or if it resulted serious injury
  • Explosions
  • Gunshots
  • Motor vehicle collisions; if serious or generating a traffic hazard
  • Sexual offence in-progress or just occurred
  • Suicidal person
  • Any weapon or fighting complaints; in-progress, or if suspect location is known
  • Possible impaired driver; in-progress, with details such as license plate, location, etc.

Ways to report:

  • Call 911

What happens next?

911 calls go to a primary Public Safety Answering Point to determine what resources are required. Once you have confirmed your location and emergency details, you will be transferred to the appropriate emergency service provider dispatch centre.

Please be advised, there is no way to report a crime anonymously or confidentially when calling 911. All calls are recorded and subject to disclosure in court. If you wish to report a crime confidentially, please speak with a police officer directly by attending your local detachment or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Question and inquiries

For non-emergency inquiries, to speak with an officer, or to follow up on an existing file, please call your local RCMP detachment's administration line, or phone the police service of jurisdiction in your area. You can also contact the Alberta RCMP via rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ab/contact.

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