Got an emergency? Dial 911. If not, call 311 or go online to report it.
The City of Chicago eventually will shift non-emergency crimes to the other avenues to alleviate the strain on Chicago Police officers, the Sun-Times reports.
Dispatchers will suggest crime victims who are calling about thefts of property under $500 to file their reports online.
If callers prefer to speak to someone, they can call 311 to file their reports.
If they press for police to come out, officers will arrive after handling higher-priority calls.
The city is dealing with a severe manpower shortage. Chicago Police officers check out 70 percent of calls compared to around 30 percent like other major cities, police officials said.
