How to access OPP for urgent and non-urgent help

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Essex County Detachment continues to receive calls for police assistance with messages left on the office answering machine after hours, or often hears about an incident after the fact through a third party that was never reported to police.

The Essex County Detachment phones, including Leamington, Kingsville, Essex, Tecumseh and Lakeshore, are answered Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. by administrative staff. If a member of the public requires immediate police assistance, they should call 9-1-1.

If someone has a NON-URGENT need for police but would still like to speak with or see an officer, they should dial the toll-free number at 1-888-310-1122. This number will connect them to the OPP call-taking centre dispatcher, who in turn will direct the call to a detachment member who is on duty.

Every OPP detachment has a phone located at the front entrance of the detachment which will connect you with the OPP Communications Centre immediately.

Essex County residents are urged to contact 1-888-310-1122 if they would like to speak to a police officer or require police assistance for a non-urgent matter. The use of 9-1-1 should always be used for immediate police assistance for emergencies.