U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Building a 3-1-1 System for Non-Emergency Calls: A Case Study of the City of Austin Police Department

NCJ Number
203482
Author(s)
Shellie E. Solomon; Craig D. Uchida
Date Published
June 2004
Length
117 pages
Annotation
This report documents how the Austin Police Department (Texas) identified the need for a 3-1-1 system (phone number for non-emergency requests for public service and information), designed and procured the system, and marketed it to the citizens.
Abstract
In Austin, 9-1-1 call volumes were increasing faster than the city's population, and existing technology and staff levels could not support the increasing call load. The Austin Police Department (APD) concluded that 40-50 percent of the 9-1-1 calls were either for police non-emergencies or situations that were not appropriate for police, fire, or rescue operations. This was particularly true for citywide crisis situations, such as weather emergencies. The 3-1-1 calling system was developed to take such calls to relieve the 9-1-1 system. APD's implementation of 3-1-1 focused on developing highly trained and skilled call-takers, building critical partnerships, and changing public perceptions of 9-1-1. APD assured 3-1-1 callers that the staff were cross-trained as 9-1-1 call-takers who are capable of handling potential emergencies. Call-takers have been provided with advanced technological tools to enable the resolution of caller issues in an effective and efficient manner. Technology partners built the tools for call-takers, and civic and community leaders notified the public of the upcoming service and the need for the service. In marketing the new system, the APD explained the problems of overtaxing 9-1-1 and provided an alternative, as the APD encouraged citizens to continue to partner with the department to create safer neighborhoods by using 3-1-1 to report non-emergency public safety concerns. The 3-1-1 system began operating on September 17, 2001. Although calls to APD increased during the period following September 11th and the subsequent anthrax scare, calls to the 9-1-1 center decreased as non-emergency calls were taken by the 3-1-1 system, thus confirming the need for and the anticipated impact of such a system. 19 notes and a glossary of terms