Why does it take officers longer to respond to some calls than others?
Police response times are affected by several variables such as:
• The time of day the call is received
• The number of calls for service at any given moment
• The number of officers needed at a given call for service
• The urgency of the call


All requests for law enforcement service are assigned a priority based on the seriousness of the incident and the potential for injury or damage to property. At times, calls of less urgent natures must be delayed so that officers can respond immediately to emergencies.

At times, people may wonder why it seemed to take a long time for officers to arrive on the scene of a crime such as a robbery that just occurred where the perpetrator is making a getaway. The reason for this delay is that officers are:
• Working to cut off escape routes
• Securing perimeters of the area in case a K-9 track is required
• Stopping suspicious vehicles leaving the area
• Checking neighboring streets and structures in an attempt to catch the actor


The urgency of this type of call is not in responding to the scene as much as it is to trap and catch the fleeing suspect.

Summit PD makes every effort to arrive at your request for service as soon as possible and has an excellent time response in most incidents. As our officers are assigned a geographic area of the town to patrol, an officer is usually in the area of any dispatched call and can be on the scene almost immediately.

We thank you for your patience and understanding if you happen to call during one of those situations where the responding officer is delayed in responding to your call.

Show All Answers

1. How do I obtain a copy of a police report?
2. Do I have to come to the police station to make a report?
3. Can I make a police report over the telephone?
4. Can the police help me with a dispute with my landlord?
5. What should I do if I'm pulled over by the police?
6. If I want to report something that is not an emergency, do I call 911 or another number?
7. Why does it take officers longer to respond to some calls than others?
8. Why don't I see more officers patrolling my neighborhood?
9. Why do the 911 operators ask so many questions when I call?
10. Can I call the police department to report a problem and still remain anonymous?
11. Is there a waiting period before I can report somebody as missing?
12. Can I use 911 on my cellphone to report an emergency or drunk driver on the road?
13. Can the Summit Police help me if I lock my keys in my car?
14. Does the police department ever contact citizens asking for donations over the phone?