Every dispatched call carries a type — the dispatcher's initial classification of what was reported. Agencies label similar incidents differently: Dispatchr groups them into consistent categories where it can, and otherwise shows the label as the agency publishes it. This page documents both, across all 13 covered cities.
Two things to keep in mind while reading them. First, a call type is an initial classification: it describes the report, not the verified outcome. An "unknown trouble" can turn out to be nothing; a "fire" can be burnt toast. Second, most dispatched calls are not crimes — medical responses, alarms, hazards, and wellbeing checks make up a large share of every city's volume. For the fuller picture, read dispatch data vs. crime statistics.
Every category with at least 20 calls across covered cities in September 2026 is listed — the most common get full explanations, the rest appear in the reference list at the end. Closely related labels from different cities (say, "Accident" and "Major Accident") can describe the same kind of incident filed under each agency's own system.
Other Call
The agency's catch-all for calls that don't fit any of its named categories. In feeds that use it heavily, it is often the single largest label. September 2026, all covered cities: 6,370 calls.
Medical
Calls dispatched for medical emergencies — collapses, breathing difficulty, injuries, and similar. Fire crews are often dispatched alongside paramedics, which is why medical calls appear in fire-service feeds. This is typically the single largest category in any city. September 2026, all covered cities: 5,158 calls.
Major Disturbance (Violence)
A disturbance reported as involving violence or the immediate threat of it — one of the higher-priority disturbance labels. September 2026, all covered cities: 5,019 calls.
Suspicious Person
A report of a person the caller found suspicious. Highly subjective by nature; most are resolved without incident. September 2026, all covered cities: 1,732 calls.
Unknown Trouble
The caller could not say what was happening, or the call was cut off — police are dispatched to verify. The final outcome is frequently minor, but the initial uncertainty makes these calls hard to triage. September 2026, all covered cities: 1,615 calls.
Traffic Injury
A traffic collision reported with injuries, from the police feed. The same physical collision can also appear in the fire feed (see Vehicle Injury) because both services attend. September 2026, all covered cities: 1,614 calls.
Burglary Alarm
A burglar/intrusion alarm activation. Like fire alarms, the large majority are false activations, but each gets a response. September 2026, all covered cities: 1,585 calls.
Assault
A reported assault, in progress or recently occurred. September 2026, all covered cities: 1,238 calls.
Building Alarm
An automatic fire or building alarm activated and a crew was dispatched to check it. The large majority of alarm activations turn out to be false or minor, but each one still generates a response. September 2026, all covered cities: 1,164 calls.
Major Accident
A traffic collision reported with injuries or major blockage. September 2026, all covered cities: 1,074 calls.
Disorderlies
Disturbance complaints — noise, unruly groups, disorderly behaviour in public or at an address. Concentrated where nightlife and foot traffic concentrate. September 2026, all covered cities: 1,053 calls.
Accident
A reported traffic collision, severity as initially unknown or unstated. September 2026, all covered cities: 1,007 calls.
Traffic Stop
An officer-initiated vehicle stop logged through dispatch — proactive policing activity, not a public call. September 2026, all covered cities: 870 calls.
Theft
A reported theft without force — shoplifting, theft from vehicles, stolen property reports. September 2026, all covered cities: 771 calls.
Business Alarm
An intrusion alarm at a commercial premises. September 2026, all covered cities: 746 calls.
Crisis Intervention
A call involving a person in apparent mental-health crisis, dispatched for a crisis response. September 2026, all covered cities: 707 calls.
Major Accident (Freeway)
A major collision on a freeway or highway. September 2026, all covered cities: 659 calls.
Freeway Blockage
A blocked freeway lane — debris, stalls, or collision aftermath. September 2026, all covered cities: 633 calls.
Loud Music Disturbance
A noise complaint about loud music, routed through police dispatch. September 2026, all covered cities: 628 calls.
Disturbance
A general disturbance call — conflict, commotion, or unwanted behaviour reported at a location. September 2026, all covered cities: 612 calls.
Minor Accident
A collision without reported injuries — property damage and information exchange. September 2026, all covered cities: 577 calls.
Fire
A reported fire — structure, vehicle, or outdoor. Initial reports range from confirmed working fires to smoke that turns out to be cooking or steam. September 2026, all covered cities: 567 calls.
911 Silent Or Unknown Call
A 911 line opened with no one speaking — dispatched to verify, as policy requires treating silence as potential distress. September 2026, all covered cities: 562 calls.
Advised Incident
An informational report logged for awareness, generally without an emergency response. September 2026, all covered cities: 532 calls.
Traffic Problem
A reported road problem — stalled vehicles, signal issues, obstructions. September 2026, all covered cities: 524 calls.
Arrest
A custody or arrest-related event logged through dispatch — often officer-initiated rather than a public call. September 2026, all covered cities: 497 calls.
Directed Patrol
Officer-initiated patrol of a specific area, logged through dispatch — proactive activity, not a public call. September 2026, all covered cities: 445 calls.
Hazard
A safety hazard needing attention: wires down, debris on a road, spills, unstable structures. Often weather-driven. September 2026, all covered cities: 443 calls.
Vehicle Injury
A vehicle collision with reported injuries, dispatched to fire crews for extrication, hazard control, and first response. Overlaps with the police-side Traffic Injury category for the same incidents. September 2026, all covered cities: 431 calls.
Random Gun Fire
A report of gunshots heard without a specific target or victim identified. Initial reports are frequently unconfirmed (fireworks, backfires). September 2026, all covered cities: 413 calls.
Dispute
An argument or conflict — between neighbours, in a household, at a business — where someone asked for police presence. Most are resolved without further action. September 2026, all covered cities: 412 calls.
Fight
A reported physical fight in progress. September 2026, all covered cities: 405 calls.
Burglary
A reported break-in, in progress or discovered after the fact. September 2026, all covered cities: 366 calls.
Fight Or Dispute (No Weapons)
A fight or heated dispute reported without weapons involved. September 2026, all covered cities: 358 calls.
Robbery
A reported theft involving force or the threat of force. Rarer than theft, and dispatched at higher priority. September 2026, all covered cities: 352 calls.
Major Disturbance (Ambulance)
A disturbance where medical response was requested alongside police. September 2026, all covered cities: 327 calls.
Abandoned Property
Reported abandoned vehicles or property requiring follow-up. September 2026, all covered cities: 323 calls.
Impaired Driver
A report of suspected impaired driving, usually called in by other road users. September 2026, all covered cities: 305 calls.
Shooting
A reported shooting or sound of gunshots. Rare relative to overall volume and dispatched at the highest priority; initial reports are sometimes unfounded (fireworks, vehicle backfire). September 2026, all covered cities: 303 calls.
Street Blockage
A blocked street — debris, stalls, or obstructions. September 2026, all covered cities: 295 calls.
Traffic Accident
A reported traffic collision, severity as initially unknown or unstated. September 2026, all covered cities: 289 calls.
Break & Enter
A reported break-in at a residence or business, in progress or discovered after the fact. September 2026, all covered cities: 286 calls.
Bylaw
A municipal bylaw complaint routed through police dispatch — noise, parking, property standards. September 2026, all covered cities: 274 calls.
Disturbance (Emergency)
A disturbance dispatched at emergency priority based on what the caller described. September 2026, all covered cities: 259 calls.
Police Requested By Fire Department
Fire crews on scene requested police attendance — scene control, traffic, or safety. September 2026, all covered cities: 258 calls.
Unknown Problem
The caller could not say what was happening — dispatched to verify. Counterpart to "Unknown Trouble" in other feeds. September 2026, all covered cities: 258 calls.
Hit And Run
A collision where a driver left the scene. September 2026, all covered cities: 257 calls.
Wires Down
Downed power or utility lines — attended as a hazard, often alongside the utility. September 2026, all covered cities: 248 calls.
Residential Alarm
An intrusion alarm at a residence. September 2026, all covered cities: 242 calls.
Prowler
A report of someone lurking around a property. September 2026, all covered cities: 235 calls.
Weapon Threat
A threat involving a weapon reported — dispatched at high priority; frequently unconfirmed on arrival. September 2026, all covered cities: 226 calls.
Burglary Of Residence
A reported residential break-in. September 2026, all covered cities: 203 calls.
Check On Well-Being
A request to check on someone's welfare — a relative who cannot be reached, a person in apparent distress. September 2026, all covered cities: 195 calls.
Minor Disturbance
A lower-priority disturbance — arguments, unwanted persons, minor conflicts. September 2026, all covered cities: 185 calls.
Crisis Intervention (With Ambulance)
A mental-health crisis call with medical response dispatched alongside. September 2026, all covered cities: 185 calls.
Disturbance / Armed Encounter On Foot
A disturbance reported as possibly involving an armed person on foot — dispatched at high priority; frequently unconfirmed. September 2026, all covered cities: 180 calls.
Check Call
A routine check or follow-up logged through dispatch. September 2026, all covered cities: 175 calls.
911 Hang Up
A 911 call that disconnected before details were given — dispatched to verify. Most turn out to be accidental dials. September 2026, all covered cities: 165 calls.
Audible Burglar Alarm
A burglar alarm sounding audibly at the scene. September 2026, all covered cities: 157 calls.
Domestic Violence Assault & Battery (In Progress / Just Happened)
A reported domestic-violence assault, in progress or just occurred, as categorized by the publishing agency's feed. September 2026, all covered cities: 152 calls.
Hangup Call
A 911 call that disconnected before details were given — dispatched to verify. Most turn out to be accidental dials. September 2026, all covered cities: 150 calls.
Burg Res In Progress
A residential break-in reported as happening right now — dispatched at high priority. September 2026, all covered cities: 141 calls.
Rescue - Elevator
Persons stuck in an elevator, attended by fire crews. September 2026, all covered cities: 135 calls.
Assist
A general assistance call — one agency or member of the public assisting another. September 2026, all covered cities: 129 calls.
Person With A Gun
A report of a person seen with a firearm. Dispatched at the highest priority; initial reports are frequently unconfirmed. September 2026, all covered cities: 123 calls.
Investigate Person
A request to check on or investigate a person's behaviour or circumstances. September 2026, all covered cities: 120 calls.
Assault & Battery (In Progress / Just Happened)
A reported assault in progress or just occurred. September 2026, all covered cities: 99 calls.
Noise Complaint
A noise complaint routed through police dispatch. September 2026, all covered cities: 87 calls.
Burglary At Occupied Residence (In Progress)
A break-in reported at an occupied home, in progress — among the highest-priority property calls. September 2026, all covered cities: 87 calls.
Mischief
Reported property damage or vandalism. September 2026, all covered cities: 68 calls.
Felonious Assault (In Progress)
A reported serious (felony-level) assault in progress. September 2026, all covered cities: 68 calls.
Vehicle Fire
A reported vehicle fire. September 2026, all covered cities: 63 calls.
Missing Person
A missing or overdue person report. Volume varies with proximity to care facilities, campuses, and transit hubs. September 2026, all covered cities: 51 calls.
Person With A Knife
A report of a person seen with a knife or edged weapon. Dispatched at high priority; often resolved without injury. September 2026, all covered cities: 38 calls.
Rescue
A rescue call — persons trapped in elevators or vehicles, water and ice incidents, and similar technical responses. September 2026, all covered cities: 24 calls.
Stabbing
A reported stabbing or edged-weapon injury. Rare and dispatched at the highest priority. September 2026, all covered cities: 23 calls.
Other reported categories
Agencies also publish labels specific to their own dispatch systems. These appear below as reported, with their September 2026 counts across covered cities.
Rarer categories
Beyond all of the above, agencies report a long tail of rarer categories. On Explore pages, any category with fewer than a handful of calls in an area is rolled into a combined total rather than itemized — partly to keep pages readable, and partly because a category with one or two calls in a small area effectively points at a single incident, which is against our aggregates-only policy.