Vera Institute study finds 58% of NYC 911 calls are not crime-related

A new study of 3.6 million NYC 911 calls finds only 42% are crime-related. Learn about the debate over civilian responders and NYPD dispatches.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 13, 2026, 10:54 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Patch and the Vera Institute of Justice

Emergency Dispatch Trends in 2025

The Vera Institute of Justice released a report Wednesday detailing a significant trend in New York City’s emergency response system. After reviewing over 3.6 million calls that prompted a police response last year, researchers discovered that only 42% were labeled by dispatchers as "crime-related." The majority of the workload consisted of handling non-criminal complaints, including traffic conditions, vehicle accidents, and utility malfunctions.

Breakdown of Call Classifications

The study provided a granular look at the nature of dispatches throughout the city:

Crime in Progress: 28% of total calls, with assault, larceny, and harassment being the most frequent reports.

Violent Crime: 9% of total calls.