The Willow Glen Resident

Council Watch

City officials launch 311 number for non-urgent calls for aid

In another U.S. city, plan reduced 911 calls by one-third

By Cecily Barnes

San Jose launched the nation's second nonemergency police number last Wednesday, thus allowing city residents to dial 311 for help with incidents such as abandoned vehicles, noise disturbances, parking violations and flat tires. Police hope residents will use the easy-to-remember number and shift the load from 911 operators who are busy with true emergencies.

In Baltimore, where the nonemergency number has been in place since last year, so many people stopped calling 911 that 50,000 man-hours were switched from the phones to emergency responses, said U.S. Department of Justice official Teri Black. San Jose officials hope for similar results here.

"[In Baltimore], 311 is handling over a third of the calls," Black said. "Response time has been improved dramatically."

The Federal Communications Commission developed the number after President Clinton visited Sacramento last July and called upon public-safety professionals to develop an easy-to-remember three-digit number. His statement followed several 1996 media reports that stated residents in emergency situations had to wait too long before speaking to a dispatcher because 911 phone lines were bombarded by nonemergency calls.

Vice Mayor Margie Fernandes pitched the idea for 311 in December 1996, and the City Council approved the project May 23.

"Thirty percent of [911] calls are nonemergency," said SJPD tele-communications supervisor Jackie Nostaja. "A lot of times when citizens want to call the police department, they know it's not an emergency; they just don't remember the seven-digit number."

Now, they don't have to.

The state will fund 311 in San Jose for one year. After this, the City Council will determine whether the phone line is worth continuing at $91,000 a year. Soon, a not-yet-determined city will test promoting a seven-digit nonemergency number, which would provide the same service as 311 but more cheaply.

For the time being, San Jose citizens with car trouble, cats in trees and loud neighbors are asked to call 311.

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