What 911 Data Says About Community Needs in New York City Research Note
Overview
Across the country, 911 calls for service provide direct insights into the safety and emergency needs of the community. They provide valuable information on the types of requests community members make and the types of service providers assigned to respond to them. Understanding calls for service is essential for designing effective first response strategies. In many places, police are the default responder, meaning they are oftentimes asked to respond to situations outside of their areas of training and expertise. To address this issue, local governments are increasingly investing in alternative first response services, which serve as another branch of emergency response alongside police, fire, and emergency medical services.
Vera researchers analyzed publicly available New York Police Department (NYPD) 911 call data for 2025. The analysis reveals the types of calls officers are assigned to respond to in New York City and how many of these calls may be appropriate for alternative responses.
Key Takeaway
During 2025, more than one million calls assigned to NYPD involved a range of social and health-related issues that may be appropriate for alternative response. Vera’s findings illustrate the opportunity to expand alternative first response in New York City in ways that build on existing infrastructure and align with evidence on effective crisis response.
Publication Highlights
NYPD is assigned to respond to a wide range of calls, many of which are not identified as being related to crime.
Trained civilian teams can effectively and safely serve as first responders to many 911 calls, freeing up police to focus on the public safety concerns that require law enforcement.
In New York City, more than one million 911 calls annually may be appropriate for alternative response.