Last year, Chatham County’s Non-Emergency Call Center was established in an effort to direct administrative and non-emergency calls away from the E-911 Center, freeing up 911 calltakers to take critical emergency calls more quickly.

After a year and four months, the statistics show that the initiative is working. The 911 center has seen a 74 percent reduction of administrative calls coming into 911 center and a 25 percent reduction in the abandoned call rate. Calls at the 911 center have seen a 6 percent improvement in call answer time since last year.

“That is the value of the NECC. They can take those [administrative] calls, while you’re taking more critical calls,” E-911 Director Diane Pinckney said.

The center began with a soft launch on March 11, 2024, allowing time for training and preparation, before officially launching operations on March 17, 2024. Since then, operations have expanded from two shifts to a 24/7 schedule, ensuring continuous assistance for non-emergency inquiries.

NECC Manager Angela Page encourages residents to reach out to them with non-emergency concerns by dialing 912-652-6500, and choosing Option 1.

“If it is a life or death situation or immediate medical concern, call 911," Page said. "If you need to make a theft report that happened a few days ago, or a burglary report where there's no suspect on scene, you can call the NECC, and we will ensure that you get help.”