University Police Dispatch Transitioned to What-Comm 911
To enhance campus safety, promote collaboration, and ensure faster response times, the University Police Department has transitioned to the countywide dispatch service, What-Comm 911. As of January 1, 2025, all emergency services for Whatcom County are now managed by a single service provider.
What-Comm 911 now handles both emergency and non-emergency dispatch, making it easier than ever to reach campus police. The non-emergency number is (360) 676-6911, and for emergencies, call 911 or 360-650-3911. This streamlined system ensures a quicker, more coordinated response when you need it most.
In addition, the newly launched Western Safe app provides another easy way to communicate with University Police. You can submit tips about suspicious activity or safety concerns directly through the app or by emailing university.police@wwu.edu. It's important to note that submitting a tip through these methods does not automatically initiate a police report—this is just a way to share helpful information. We encourage you to use these channels to keep campus safe.
Download the Western Safe App
The Western Safe app is designed to enhance campus safety for students, staff, and faculty by providing quick access to emergency resources, mental health support, safety escorts, and motorist assistance. With features like direct contact to University Police, reporting suspicious activity, and accessing emergency procedures, it helps ensure a safe and supportive environment. Download Western Safe today to stay connected and prepared.
Frequently Asked Questions
The transition to What-Comm 911 enhances campus safety by promoting collaboration between the University Police Department and countywide emergency services. This move helps ensure faster response times and a more coordinated approach to handling emergencies. The consolidation of dispatch streamlines communication between our university police officers and other responding agencies, allowing for greater awareness of incidents throughout the county and faster coordination and response times, ultimately leading to faster assistance for the members of our community.
The transition to What-Comm 911 is a strategic decision to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our emergency response services. This change will allow us to provide improved support and better serve our campus community.
The transition to What-Comm 911 will not change our current emergency response protocols. We aim to make the transition as smooth as possible, ensuring that our community continues to receive prompt and reliable emergency services.
You will still dial 911 or 360-650-3911 for emergencies and 360-650-3555 for non-emergencies. These numbers remain the same, ensuring that you can reach us quickly and conveniently during critical situations.
If you are ever in doubt, do not hesitate to dial 911. Our trained dispatchers will assess the situation and provide appropriate guidance or assistance.
The transition to What-Comm 911 will not impact emergency response times. However, since officers will not have on-campus dispatch support, some non-emergency duties may experience slightly longer wait times. We are committed to maintaining our high standards of service, and our dedicated team will continue to respond to emergencies promptly.
The transition to What-Comm 911 will not affect our existing safety measures on campus. We will continue to maintain a safe and secure environment for our students, staff, and faculty.
The transition to What-Comm 911 ensures that all emergency services are handled by the same dispatch center, creating a more unified system. This means quicker, more efficient responses to emergencies both on campus and in the surrounding community.
During regular business hours, Customer Service continues to handle facilities-related issues that were previously managed by UPD dispatch. However, the calls will now originate from either What-Comm 911 or the Guardian Securities Monitoring Service. The types of issues they will be handling include Supervisory & Trouble Fire alarms as well as FDO (Facilities Dispatch Operations) General Call Outs, ensuring a smooth transition of responsibilities.
Alarm “test” calls, which were previously handled by UPD dispatch, are now directed to the Guardian Alarm Center. These calls are carefully tracked by specific building locations and categorized into different zones, such as Fire alarms, PCtab (personal computer tablet alarms), and Burglar alarms, which include both general access points and tunnels.
After-hours calls are now directed to a newly established call queue managed by the Director of Facilities Maintenance & Operations. This individual is responsible for routing the calls to the relevant shops or departments as needed.
Elevator emergencies are routed to 911 and an officer is dispatched. Depending on the level of emergency, either they call the Auxiliary Maintenance Supervisor or the Bellingham Fire Department.
We will provide regular updates on the University Police website and through email newsletters. If you have any specific questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us directly at university.police@wwu.edu.