Officials Launch New 311 Call Center In Suffolk

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY - Officials announced the launch of the 311 system across Suffolk County starting on Wednesday.

Residents can now dial 3-1-1 for non-emergency inquiries or government service requests. The Suffolk 311 Call Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Suffolk Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart hosted a press conference in Hauppauge to make the announcement.

The program was created to improve public safety by reducing the burden on 911 county emergency call centers that receive tens of thousands of non-emergency calls each year and will allow the call centers to be better positioned to respond to true emergencies.

In addition to connecting residents to the government that serves them, the 311 system is a premier management tool, which will help officials to better allocate resources and taxpayer dollars by capturing critical details on each call, question, or request, allowing the county to gather valuable insight into the issues communities across the county are facing in real-time.

By dialing 311, or 631-853-6311 if outside the jurisdiction of the county, residents will be directed to a central call center that will help to track and complete common inquiries and concerns.

The 311 system will also include a website, mobile application, and social media platform for residents to choose from a variety of methods to initiate service requests.

"I am looking forward to this roll out and hope to be able to link Suffolk County 311 to our Town of Smithtown App, giving our residents every possible source for assistance and information," Smithtown Town Supervisor Ed Wehrheim said. "With so many residents young and old relying on their smartphones as the primary source for information, this vital tool will keep Suffolk County engaged, aware and up to date with pertinent news, facts and offer fast acting help while guiding county officials with accurate data on what residents are most concerned with on a daily basis."