Alternate Response Unit

The purpose of Alternate Response Unit (ARU) is to decrease the number of calls for service that uniform patrol officers attend.

This is achieved by diverting certain non-priority calls for service to ARU, where assigned officers contact complainants by telephone. This diversion of calls for service from the front line provides patrol officers more time to become involved in proactive policing initiatives within the community.

Calls are assigned to ARU through procedure set out in the Niagara Regional Police Service General Order #097.0. The Communications personnel, complaint takers, obtain information from complainants and enter it into the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. This incident number generated by this entry is given to the complainant who is advised that a police officer will be contacting them by phone.

ARU officers reporting for duty will “log on” to the Niagara Regional Police Service’s computer system and access the Telephone Reporting Centre. ARU officers can then retrieve the information on ARU calls at computer workstations and begin calling complainants to take reports.

The officers obtain all of the information from the complainant and complete the required incident reports. When the ARU officer has submitted the report they will notify the ARU Supervisor who will have the call removed from the ARU queue and have the call closed.

The Alternate Response Unit is situated in a central location at 1 District in St. Catharines. The ARU officers handle all of the designated calls that are reported Region Wide. ARU officers may also cooperate with district staff in management of walk-in complainants at the front desk and with some daily operational needs such as front desk relief.