Beginning Monday, Renton and all emergency service providers who are dispatched through Valley Communications will have new numbers for reporting non-emergencies.

For many years, residents of Renton have been asked to call 911 for all police, fire, and animal control responses, regardless of whether an emergency existed. But as the population of the City has grown over the years, and the proliferation of cell phones has also contributed to the complexity of our 911 system.

“Diverting non-emergency calls from 911 to the ten-digit non-emergency number makes sense to our community. Many of us grew up with the understanding that 9-1-1 was for emergencies only, and were uncomfortable calling it for non-urgent reasons,” said Chief Kevin Milosevich.

Residents are encouraged to use 9-1-1 responsibly.  Examples of when to call 9-1-1 include serious medical emergencies, any type of fire, any crime in progress, any dangerous and/or life threatening emergency, any suspicious activity, and any time a person fears for their safety or the safety of others.  If you are not sure if your situation is an emergency, you are encouraged to call 9-1-1.

Renton’s new non-emergency number, 425-235-2121, is for non-emergency situations where police, fire department, or animal control is needed.  Some reports, such as lost property, abandoned vehicles, theft and vandalism under $1,500, and non-injury hit-and-run accidents that occurred in Renton, can be made online on the City of Renton website at www.rentonwa.gov.

Additional information on the transition to calling 425-235-2121 in Renton for non-emergencies can be found on the City’s website at www.rentonwa.gov.  A list of non-emergency numbers by zip code can be found on the King County website at www.kingcounty.gov/linksbyzip.