by Becky Range on Tue, 07/16/2019 - 2:23pm
Should I call 911 or the King County Sheriff's Office Non-Emergency Number?
You may know this already, but police services in Kenmore are handled by a contract with the King County Sheriff's Office (KCSO). We have 12 officers assigned to the Kenmore Police Department and they know our community well. When you need something from Kenmore Police, your requests go to the King County Dispatch Center.
Calling 911
Most know to call 911 for police, fire and medical emergencies. But don't hesitate to call 911 for things you might not consider an “emergency,” but still may require a police officer or other agency to take some type of action soon. If something is happening in real-time, call 911. This could be suspicious activity near you, downed tree over a roadway, noise complaint, erratic driver, road rage incident, etc. For example, if you are having an issue with illegal parking and it is something that may need attention soon (the vehicle will be moved the next day), call 911.
When you do call 911, be prepared to give the address of the situation you are calling about.
Non-Emergency (206-296-3311)
If you have an issue or question for something that happened in the past, or something that does not require an immediate response, call the non-emergency line.
Keep in mind, the same dispatchers answer both lines! So, in general, calling either number often has similar results, which is getting your request for police service into their dispatch system.
When Should I NOT CALL King County Sheriff’s Office or 911?
Some common reasons people call 9-1-1 that can and should be handled by other agencies include:
Power outage: Call PSE 1-888-225-5773 if you need to report a power outage
Traffic information: 5-1-1 is the number for traffic information in Washington State
Social services: 2-1-1 is available in Washington State to help with health and human service needs
Online Reporting
If you need to report a minor incident, you may be able to do it quickly and easily via KCSO Online Reporting. This tool is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can give a resident the same information an officer would give on scene. Often, this is information or a case number you may need for your insurance company or bank. Examples could include mail theft, vandalism, a hit and run, etc. Online Reporting can be used when:
It is not an emergency and not an in-progress crime
This incident occurred within Kenmore city limits
There are no known suspects and there was no evidence left behind
This did not occur on a state freeway, on Sound Transit or a Metro bus, or at a Park & Ride You are the victim of the crime and you have a valid e-mail address
In-Person Requests
We don't always have officers stationed and available to talk with you in person at City Hall, in fact, we rarely do because it's better for them to be out patrolling our streets! So, if you come to City Hall and ask to speak with police, our front desk will almost always refer you to a direct-line phone in our lobby. You can then immediately connect with a KCSO dispatcher to discuss next steps.
General questions? Call us at 425-398-8900!
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