[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 121 (Tuesday, June 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34079-34080]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-16489]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[OJP(NIJ)-1136]
RIN 1121-ZA82


National Institute of Justice Solicitation for Reducing Non-
Emergency Calls to 911: An Assessment of Four Approaches to Handling 
Citizen Calls for Service

AGENCY: Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice, 
Justice.

ACTION: Notice of solicitation.

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SUMMARY: Announcement of the availability of the National Institute of 
Justice ``Reducing Non-Emergency Calls to 911: An Assessment of Four 
Approaches to Handling Citizen Calls for Service.''

DATES: The deadline for receipt of proposal is close of business July 
29, 1997.

ADDRESSES: National Institute of Justice, 633 Indiana Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20531.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the solicitation, please 
call NCJRS 1-800-851-3420. For general information about application 
procedures for solicitations, please call the U.S. Department of 
Justice Response Center 1-800-421-6770.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    This action is authorized under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
Streets Act of 1968, Secs. 201-03, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 3721-23 
(1994).

Background

    The National Institute of Justice, with support from the Office of 
Community Oriented Policing Services, is seeking proposals for 
assessment of four alternative approaches to 911 calls for service. 
These four new approaches are part of an effort to relieve the demand 
on the current 911 emergency number by reducing the number of non-
emergency calls. Proposals should outline an overall research strategy 
for assessment of each of the four participating sites: Baltimore, 
Maryland; Buffalo, New York; Dallas, Texas; and Phoenix, Arizona.
    In Baltimore a non-emergency number, 311, is being used as an 
alternative to dialing 911. Callers may dial the 311 number directly; 
or they may be transferred there by the 911 operator or other 
department telephone exchange. An anticipated effect of this 
restructuring is that it will free-up officers to be more pro-active in 
their services.
    Dallas officials are also using 311 as a non-emergency alternative, 
and in the process have consolidated city agency dispatches in order to 
provide community-oriented government. 911 is used for all police, EMS, 
and fire emergencies and 311 is used for all non-emergency requests for 
city services. The expected benefits are the relief of the 911 call 
load and new 24-hour access by citizens to city agencies offered by 
311.
    The Buffalo Police Department has made many attempts in the last 
two decades to improve their emergency response system. The latest has 
been to institute a seven-digit non-emergency number. 911 Operators 
will continue to receive the non-emergency calls but will have the 
option of transferring them to 22 city agencies.
    The Phoenix Police Department had established a seven digit service 
number before the 911 system was adopted some years ago. They currently 
use a combination of the two numbers in which all calls are directed to 
the 911 operators but calls placed using 911 are given higher priority 
while the seven digit requests may be placed on hold and taken in turn.
    Interested organizations should call the National Criminal Justice 
Reference Service (NCJRS) at 1-800-851-3420 to obtain a copy of 
``Reducing Non-Emergency Calls to 911: An Assessment of Four Approaches 
to Handling Citizens Calls for Service'' (refer to document no. 
SL000230). The solicitation is available electronically via the NCJRS 
Bulletin Board, which can be accessed via the Internet. Telnet to 
ncjrsbbs.ncjrs.org, or gopher to ncjrs.org:71. For World Wide Web 
access, connect to the NCJRS Justice Information Center at http://

[[Page 34080]]

 www.ncjrs.org/fedgrant.htm#nij. Those without Internet access can dial 
the NCJRS Bulletin Board via modem: dial 301-738-8895. Set the modem at 
9600 baud, 8-N-1.
Jeremy Travis,
Director, National Institute of Justice.
[FR Doc. 97-16489 Filed 6-23-97; 8:45 am]
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