Minneapolis Council clarifies when to call 311 versus 911
The Minneapolis City Council held a meeting focused on educating residents about the proper use of two critical phone numbers: 311 for non-emergency city services and 911 for life-threatening emergencies. The guidance aims to help residents get faster assistance while reducing unnecessary calls to emergency dispatchers.
Minneapolis residents often face confusion about which number to call when they need help from the city. The City Council addressed this issue by providing clear instructions on when to use each service.
911 should be called only for true emergencies—situations where someone's life or safety is in immediate danger. This includes crimes in progress, fires, and serious injuries. By reserving 911 for genuine emergencies, the city can ensure that police, fire, and ambulance services respond quickly to the most critical situations.
311 is the number for everything else. Residents should call 311 for non-emergency city services such as requesting information about city programs, reporting stray animals, locating towed vehicles, reporting graffiti, or asking about permits needed for home repairs. The 311 line also handles other service requests that don't require immediate emergency response.
The council's goal is twofold: to ensure Minneapolis residents receive the correct services efficiently and to reduce the volume of non-emergency calls that tie up 911 dispatchers. When people call 911 for issues like a stray dog or graffiti, it delays response times for actual emergencies. By directing non-urgent requests to 311, the city can better manage its resources and serve residents more effectively.
The guidance provides residents with a simple framework for making the right choice in any situation: if someone is in immediate danger, call 911. For everything else—city information, permits, animal control, or other non-urgent issues—call 311.
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[0:00] If you need help in Minneapolis, but it's not an
emergency, call 311. You'll get the help you need
[0:05] right away and it lessens the call volume for 911
dispatchers. If there's a crime in progress, or
[0:11] you see smoke from a building, or you or someone
else is hurt, call 911. They'll dispatch police,
[0:16] fire, and ambulance service immediately. If you
see a stray dog, or your car got towed, or there's
[0:22] graffiti on your garage, then call 311. You can
also call 311 for helpful City information like
[0:28] whether you need a permit for a home repair, or
where to find your polling place. Knowing who to
[0:33] call can help everyone get the right services at
the right time, and that makes us safer together.
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