Auburn, Algona and Pacific residents will have a new number to call for non-emergency situations beginning Sept. 16. Citizens are now urged to call 253-288-2121 for circumstances that are non-emergent and do not require immediate assistance from police, fire or medics.

Examples of a non-emergency call may be – but not limited to – reporting a nuisance, such as a noise or parking complaint; reporting a non-emergency crime to report lost or stolen property; or vandalism (after the fact).

Using the non-emergency number will help reduce the number of non-emergency calls to 911 operators and ensure that calls are being handled in the most efficient manner possible.

Both 911 and the 253-288-2121 numbers will ring into the Valley Communications System, if an emergency is detected from a non-emergency call it will be routed to the correct operator for immediate response.

Examples of when to call 911 include: serious medical emergencies; any type of fire; any crime in progress; dangerous and/or life threatening situations; any suspicious activity; and any time a person fears for their safety or the safety of others.

Any person that is unsure if a situation is an emergency, is encouraged to call 911.

Other nearby cities are also deploying non-emergency numbers this fall. Numbers for surrounding cities that use the Valley Communications system are:

• Renton 425-235-2121

• Tukwila 206-241-2121

• Federal Way 253-835-2121

• Des Moines 206-878-2121

• Black Diamond 360-886-0022

Residents are encouraged to use 911 responsibly. Auburn citizens also have the option of filing many types of police reports on the City’s website at www.auburnwa.gov/services.