It actually came in handy....

[rhu]

A while back I decided it would be prudent to load my cell phone with the non-emergency phone numbers of the police departments of each town and city in which I usually find myself. So I have entries for PD-Boston, PD-Brookline, PD-Cambridge, etc. It took about 5 minutes to find and enter them all. (The impetus for this was that too often I found myself seeing something like a car parked at a fire hydrant where I wanted to call it in but didn't have the number, and it wasn't a 911-worthy emergency.)

The other day I was driving on Rte. 9 and there was debris blocking one lane of the road. Once I got past it, I pulled off to the side and called the Newton PD to report it. Just as I'd planned!

So I've decided to suggest this to my friends. In fact, to make it easy for you, here are the numbers in my phone:

PD Boston    617-343-4200
PD Brookline 617-730-2222
PD Cambridge 617-349-3300
PD Newton    617-796-2100
PD Watertown 617-972-6500

Comments

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Have you ever tried calling Boston PD to report a non-emergency situation? From what I've heard, they tell you to hang up and call 911, as they now route everything, emergency or not, through the 911 system.

[violetcheetah.livejournal.com]

that was the case when i lived in brighton in '93-'98. it seemed less than bright, but it did mean i didn't have to decide for myself at what point my loud, drunk, college neighbors became an emergency.

boy i don't miss those days.

[rikchik.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing I'm not the only one of your friends in Somerville.

PD Somerville 617-625-1600

[elainetyger.livejournal.com]

If I need the police or ambulance where I live, I call the local police dispatcher directly, since 911 calls go to the county seat. By the time the local dispatcher gets the information, it's like the Telephone game. Sometimes they just give up. When I'm on EMS duty and hear "Go to [address] for a sick party," I know it can be anything from a bellyache to a stroke to a corpse.