NCJ Number
175320
Date Published
1997
Length
14 pages
Annotation
The 311 non-emergency telephone number that was pilot-tested by the Baltimore Police Department starting in October 1996 was evaluated with respect to calls through September 1997 in comparison to calls received from October 1995 through September 1996.
Abstract
The need for a non-emergency number was revealed by data indicating that 60 percent of the calls received by the 911 emergency system during 1995 were not emergency calls. The new system was funded by a $349,787 grant from the COPS Office. A multimedia public service campaign used television, radio, and print media to heighten public awareness and educate the public on when to use the 311 system. The initial costs for public education and hardware and software upgrades were more than $3.1 million. The evaluation revealed that calls for service have increased by 8.8 percent since the inception of 311. The 911 calls for police service have decreased 24.7 percent, greatly enhancing the overall efficiency of the 911 call taker position. The number of calls dispatched declined by 6.6 percent following the inception of 311. The overall citizen satisfaction rate for request-for-service calls to the 311 center was 98.4 percent. After a year of operation, the 311 operators are handling about 1,636 calls daily; these amount to 35.2 percent of the calls to the communications division. The evaluation also indicated several ways to enhance the efficiency of the 311 system. Findings indicated that the 311 concept is a viable method for meeting the Baltimore Police Department's community policing goals. Appended tables and notes