Mounties in Alberta are spending "OCCtober" recognizing the important work of their dispatchers.
Alberta Operational Communications Centres (OCCs) are a “vital part of the RCMP,” according to a news release.
“Day and night, 365 days a year, they are there to reassure the public when they call 911, direct officers during crisis situations, and help ensure the safety of Alberta's police by monitoring their movements while they are out in the field,” the release reads. “Ensuring officers respond to emergency calls rapidly is one of the Alberta RCMP's top priorities, and a quick response by the OCC is the first step in the process.”
New crime reporting programs have helped OCCs reduce their response times to all-time lows, according to the RCMP. “Currently, 97 per cent of all calls are answered in under two minutes, with 87 per cent of calls being answered in under one minute.”
The average response time of the Alberta RCMP is 21.20 minutes and 56.6 per cent of calls are responded to within 20 minutes. Further, 15.4 per cent of high priority calls are receiving service within five minutes.
“Reports of crime where there is an immediate threat to life and safety will be prioritized over crime that is discovered after it's been committed and does not pose an immediate threat to public safety.”
Police say to report all crime, whether it’s an emergency or not. The data helps the force allocate resources, which can help keep those response times down.
Always dial 911 in an emergency, but using the crime reporting tool on the RCMP website in some cases can also help OCCs in their work.
Use the OCR tool in the following circumstances:
- You have lost something that costs less than $5,000;
- Someone has stolen something from you that costs less than $5,000;
- Someone has vandalized your property or vehicle and it will cost less than $5,000 to repair it;
- The crime happened within the jurisdiction of the Alberta RCMP;
- Hate motivated incident *(Not a criminal offence) A hate incident, or non-criminal action committed against a person that is motivated by a person's hate, bias or prejudice towards someone's colour, race, religion, gender identity, etc. e.g. Racial slurs (Not in progress and nobody is in immediate danger);
- Thefts over $5,000 are accepted from oil, telecommunications and utility companies.
The online crime reporting tool can’t be used in the following circumstances:
- There is a witness or suspect;
- There are lost or stolen items involving personal identity, firearms, licence plates or decals.
