Communications Section
The Communications Section is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year. Communications personnel have the responsibility of answering incoming calls for service and 9-1-1 Emergency calls. Communications personnel dispatch uniformed officers to calls and provide officers with the initial information regarding crimes in progress. The Communications Section provides the communications link between department personnel and the community. The Communications Section processes calls for police officers, detectives, police services officers, and animal control officers. Police Officers and Police Services Officers may contact citizens by telephone to more efficiently address certain situations.
To report a crime not currently in progress, click here.
2012 Statistics
| 911 Calls |
Non-Emergency |
Administrative |
Direct Contact to Fire Department |
All Calls Processed |
| 61,830 |
63,717 |
74,478 |
12,847 |
256,593 |
When to Call 9-1-1
| 9-1-1 Emergency |
623-773-8311 Non-Emergency |
• Life threatening
• Crimes in progress
• Medical or fire emergency |
• Non-life threatening
• Crimes NOT in progress
• In progress, but not a crime |
What we need to know when you call 9-1-1 or the Peoria Police
Address of the situation
Phone number
Your name
Type of situation you are calling about
We will ask more specific questions depending on the situation. The information gathered helps determine the priority of the calls, the number of officers to send and to provide information to the officers so they can approach the situation in the safest manner possible. Some other questions we may ask include:
Where - Location of the incident
What - Type of incident is occurring or has occurred
When - If not 'in progress,' when did incident occur?
Weapons - Displayed or known to possess
Who - Parties involved if known; name and callback number of caller
Why - Cause of incident if known
Medical and Fire Emergencies
Use 9-1-1 to report fire and medical emergencies. The Police Dispatcher will ask for the location of the incident and your phone number prior to forwarding your call to the Fire Department. The Fire Dispatcher will ask you for the following information:
The Fire Dispatcher will ask other pertinent questions to determine the response and prepare for self-help, including CPR if necessary.
Priorities of Calls
Priority 1 - Any life threatening call which involves the possibility of death or serious injury, any confrontation between two or more people that could threaten the life or safety of any person; or any call in which the delay in dispatch may compromise the immediate apprehension of a suspect.
Priority 2 - In progress or just occurred calls for service that do not pose an immediate threat to a person's life, safety, or property and where immediate apprehension of a suspect(s) is unlikely. Also includes non-injury traffic accidents or those accidents that create a traffic hazard.
Priority 3 - Calls in which there is little or no likelihood of apprehending a suspect, or where life or property is not subject to threat. A delay in response of an officer will not decrease the quality of police service but will provide time management of patrol operations.
Priority 4 - Non-emergency calls for service may be assigned to a call-back officer or police services officer. Generally, these calls will be handled by telephone; however, they may also include lobby walk-ins, online reports, or counter reports.
