TORONTO – Toronto Police announced a bold new initiative aimed at streamlining emergency response and reducing delays due to 911 hold times. The public is now encouraged to call 911 several days in advance to reserve a police response.
Like many cities, Toronto has been plagued by long 911 hold times that are preventing police from being able to arrive at a crime scene in a timely manner. The ‘Pre-Crime’ notification system will operate similar to Open Table with users able to find an available reservation time provided by location, the number of victims, and include any special requests like bring gauze for stab wounds. Before reporting any crimes, victims will need to create an account and set-up 2-factor and enter in their credit card information as there is a no-show fee of $200 per victim.
“Emergencies were chaotic and unpredictable and made it impossible for us to plan resources,” explained Police Chief Demkiw at a press conference. “By giving us a simple heads-up before any crimes, we can make sure Toronto Police deliver an efficient public service. If your crime involves your cell phone and you lose access to your 2-factor, you’ll be unable to access emergency services until you get your phone back.”
City officials were excited about this change. “There is no scenario where this isn’t a win for the public. This will optimize patrol routes, cutting down on the time police spend driving aimlessly around the city,” said Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board, Councillor Shelley Carroll. “We’ll also be able to streamline overtime so that all police will be part of the Sunshine List regardless of seniority.”
Reactions from residents have been mixed. Marjorie Frank was surprised by this new police reservation system. “What if that time slot is all booked? I don’t want to have to go to some resale site where they jack up the price of the popular crime times,” expressed Ms Frank. “Does that mean people can get away with spontaneous crimes?”
Toronto Police clarified that calling 911 about unscheduled crime aka after-crime reporting will result in an automated message informing the caller that by not adhering to the new pre-reporting procedure, victims are to blame for any crimes they experience and no police will respond.
