For all emergencies and in-progress complaints that require an immediate response:

POLICE: CALL 911
FIRE/EMS: CALL 911

For all other complaints:

NON-EMERGENCY: 302-573-2800
POLICE DEPARTMENT: 302-322-9800

All calls for service are required to be routed through the dispatch center.   Callers have two options to have an officer dispatched; for emergencies or incidents requiring immediate response, 911 should be used.  For non-emergency complaints callers should use 302-573-2800. 

In both cases, professional dispatchers use mandatory protocol procedures to obtain as much information as possible to provide to responding officers.  Information for responding officers is paramount to our safety.   No incident is too minor to circumvent these procedures. 

All calls routed through the dispatch center create a permanent record in a data base that becomes an invaluable tool for crime analysis.