streetwise

Call types, explained

Toronto Police publish no public dictionary for their dispatch call types, so Streetwise maintains one. Descriptions are editorial — our reading of dispatch conventions and observed behavior, not official definitions. Counts cover the full archive. Call status shown across the site is inferred from feed presence, and history before mid-May 2026 comes from an archived public feed.

Themes

Cross-cutting groupings that span categories; usable on the API as ?theme=.

  • Guns

    Firearm-involved calls, including robbery/holdup alarms where a weapon is presumed.

    PERGU · SOUGU · SHO · HOL · HOLAL

  • Knives

    Edged-weapon calls: a person with a knife, or a stabbing.

    PERKN · STA

  • Break-ins

    Break and enter in all phases, attempts, and prowlers casing a location.

    BREEN · BREPR · BREJU · ATTBR · PRO

  • Alarms

    Automated or panic alarms: holdup, taxi, mobile, and fire alarms.

    HOLAL · TAXAL · MOBAL · FIRAL

  • Missing people

    Missing, located, and found people, and vulnerable people being held safe.

    MISCH · MISEL · MISVU · JUVLO · ELDLO · PERLO · FOUCH · LOSEL

  • Collisions

    Motor vehicle collisions, including fail-to-remain in both severities.

    PIACC · PDACC · FTRPI · FTRPD

  • Fire

    Fire calls and fire-service assistance.

    FIR · FIRAL · SEEFI · ASSFI

  • Marine

    Waterfront rescues and vessel assistance.

    MARRE · MARVA

Disorder15,395 calls

  • Disorderlies

    DIS · 8,589 calls

    Disorderly people — disturbances, intoxication, causing a scene.

    View on map →

  • Dispute

    DISPU · 3,596 calls

    A dispute between people — neighbours, customers, roommates.

    View on map →

  • Trespass

    TRE · 938 calls

    Trespassing — someone refusing to leave.

    View on map →

  • Noisy Party

    NOIPA · 692 calls

    Noisy party complaint.

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  • Indecent Exposure Just Occurred

    EXPJU · 686 calls

    Indecent exposure that just happened.

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  • Demonstration

    DEMO · 532 calls

    A demonstration or protest with a police presence.

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  • Indecent Exposure

    INDEX · 158 calls

    Indecent exposure, reported after the fact.

    View on map →

  • Strike Trouble

    STR · 80 calls

    Trouble at a labour dispute or picket line.

    View on map →

  • Noise Complaint

    NOICO · 64 calls

    Noise complaint.

    View on map →

  • Crowd Control

    CROCO · 60 calls

    Crowd management at an event or gathering.

    View on map →

Traffic12,611 calls

  • Personal Injury Collision

    PIACC · 5,793 calls

    Collision with injuries.

    CollisionsView on map →

  • Impaired Driver

    IMPDR · 2,819 calls

    Suspected impaired driver.

    View on map →

  • Property Damage Collision

    PDACC · 2,411 calls

    Collision with property damage only.

    CollisionsView on map →

  • Fail To Remain Property Damage Collision

    FTRPD · 738 calls

    Driver left the scene of a property-damage collision.

    CollisionsView on map →

  • Fail To Remain Personal Injury Collision

    FTRPI · 534 calls

    Driver left the scene of an injury collision.

    CollisionsView on map →

  • Traffic Obstruct

    TRAOB · 165 calls

    Something obstructing traffic.

    View on map →

  • Check Traffic Signals

    CHETS · 91 calls

    Traffic signals out or malfunctioning; police check requested.

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  • Traffic Point

    TRAPO · 32 calls

    An officer directing traffic.

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  • Wrong Way Vehicle

    WRWAY · 28 calls

    A vehicle driving the wrong way.

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Property11,663 calls

  • Theft Just Occurred

    THEJU · 2,048 calls

    Theft that just happened.

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  • Break & Enter

    BREEN · 1,915 calls

    Break and enter, discovered after the fact.

    Break-insView on map →

  • Robbery

    ROB · 979 calls

    Robbery — theft using force or threat.

    View on map →

  • Theft

    THE · 858 calls

    Theft, discovered after the fact.

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  • Break & Enter In Progress

    BREPR · 840 calls

    Break-in happening right now.

    Break-insView on map →

  • Theft Of Vehicle

    THEVE · 776 calls

    Vehicle stolen.

    View on map →

  • Theft In Progress

    THEPR · 733 calls

    Theft in progress.

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  • Fraud

    FRA · 726 calls

    Reported fraud, discovered after the fact.

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  • Damage Just Occurred

    DAMJU · 559 calls

    Property damage that just happened.

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  • Found Property

    FOUPR · 415 calls

    Found property turned in or awaiting pickup.

    View on map →

  • Attempt Break & Enter

    ATTBR · 351 calls

    Attempted break-in that did not succeed.

    Break-insView on map →

  • Break & Enter Just Occurred

    BREJU · 340 calls

    Break and enter that just happened.

    Break-insView on map →

  • Damage In Progress

    DAMPR · 239 calls

    Property damage in progress — often reported vandalism.

    View on map →

  • Damage

    DAM · 200 calls

    Property damage, discovered after the fact.

    View on map →

  • Holdup Alarm

    HOLAL · 168 calls

    A holdup/panic alarm, usually from a business.

    GunsAlarmsView on map →

  • Damage To Auto

    DAMAU · 161 calls

    Damage to a vehicle.

    View on map →

  • Theft From Auto

    THEAU · 119 calls

    Theft from a vehicle.

    View on map →

  • Prowler On Location

    PRO · 113 calls

    A prowler seen around a property.

    Break-insView on map →

  • Fraud In Progress

    FRAPR · 65 calls

    Fraud in progress — e.g. a scam being attempted right now.

    View on map →

  • Arson

    ARS · 40 calls

    Suspected deliberately set fire.

    View on map →

  • Holdup

    HOL · 12 calls

    A holdup — robbery of a business or person, typically armed.

    GunsView on map →

  • Property Recovered

    PRORE · 6 calls

    Stolen property recovered.

    View on map →

Violence11,257 calls

  • Assault Just Occurred

    ASSJU · 4,565 calls

    Assault that just happened; suspect may still be nearby.

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  • Assault

    ASS · 2,053 calls

    Reported assault, timing unspecified.

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  • Person With A Knife

    PERKN · 1,837 calls

    A person reportedly with a knife.

    KnivesView on map →

  • Fight

    FIG · 729 calls

    A physical fight, typically in public.

    View on map →

  • Person With A Gun

    PERGU · 698 calls

    A person reportedly with a gun.

    GunsView on map →

  • Assault In Progress

    ASSPR · 582 calls

    Assault happening right now.

    View on map →

  • Sound Of Gunshots

    SOUGU · 413 calls

    Sound of gunshots reported; not yet confirmed.

    GunsView on map →

  • Stabbing

    STA · 191 calls

    Reported stabbing.

    KnivesView on map →

  • Shooting

    SHO · 158 calls

    Reported shooting.

    GunsView on map →

  • Wounding

    WOU · 31 calls

    A person found wounded, cause unclear.

    View on map →

Unknown7,375 calls

  • Unknown Trouble

    UNKTR · 7,375 calls

    The caller could not or would not say what was wrong.

    View on map →

Hazard6,251 calls

  • Hazard

    HAZ · 3,733 calls

    A general hazard on or near a road — debris, ice, wires, spills.

    View on map →

  • Fire

    FIR · 1,380 calls

    Fire call with police attending.

    FireView on map →

  • See Fire Dept

    SEEFI · 500 calls

    Police asked to attend a fire-service scene.

    FireView on map →

  • Wires Down

    WIRDO · 324 calls

    Power or utility wires down.

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  • Industrial Accident

    INDAC · 107 calls

    Industrial accident — a workplace injury scene.

    View on map →

  • Natural Gas Leak

    GASLE · 85 calls

    Natural gas leak.

    View on map →

  • Marine Rescue

    MARRE · 54 calls

    Marine rescue on the waterfront.

    MarineView on map →

  • Chemical Hazard

    CHEHA · 16 calls

    Chemical spill or hazardous-materials concern.

    View on map →

  • Marine Vessel Assist

    MARVA · 15 calls

    A vessel needing assistance on the water.

    MarineView on map →

  • Assist Fire

    ASSFI · 13 calls

    Police assisting the fire service at their scene.

    FireView on map →

  • Explosion

    EXP · 13 calls

    Reported explosion.

    View on map →

  • Fire Alarm

    FIRAL · 11 calls

    Automatic fire alarm.

    AlarmsFireView on map →

Medical5,911 calls

  • See Ambulance

    SEEAM · 5,728 calls

    Police asked to attend a scene with paramedics.

    View on map →

  • Emergency Run

    EMERU · 110 calls

    An urgent police escort or emergency transport run.

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  • Assist Ambulance

    ASSAM · 62 calls

    Police assisting paramedics on a medical call.

    View on map →

  • Blood And Organ Run

    RELAY · 11 calls

    Blood or organ transport relay.

    View on map →

Police5,041 calls

  • Arrest

    ARR · 4,365 calls

    An arrest being made; often follows another call at the same spot.

    View on map →

  • Holding One With Trouble

    HOLTR · 201 calls

    Someone held for police who is struggling or resisting.

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  • Escape Custody

    ESCCU · 113 calls

    Someone escaped from custody.

    View on map →

  • PC Holding One

    PCHOL · 106 calls

    An officer holding someone pending processing.

    View on map →

  • Taxi Alarm

    TAXAL · 95 calls

    Taxi distress alarm.

    AlarmsView on map →

  • Assist PC

    ASSPC · 71 calls

    Backup requested by an officer.

    View on map →

  • Holding One

    HOLON · 49 calls

    Someone being held for police — e.g. by security or a citizen.

    View on map →

  • Subject Pursuit

    SP · 26 calls

    Officers pursuing a suspect on foot.

    View on map →

  • Vehicle Pursuit

    VP · 8 calls

    Police pursuing a vehicle.

    View on map →

  • Emergency

    10-33 · 4 calls

    Radio code for an officer needing urgent assistance.

    View on map →

  • Mobile Alarm

    MOBAL · 3 calls

    Mobile/vehicle alarm.

    AlarmsView on map →

Missing2,610 calls

  • Missing Vulnerable Person

    MISVU · 785 calls

    Missing vulnerable person — heightened-risk search.

    Missing peopleView on map →

  • Missing Elderly

    MISEL · 588 calls

    Missing elderly person report.

    Missing peopleView on map →

  • Holding Lost Elderly

    LOSEL · 478 calls

    A lost elderly person being kept safe until family is found.

    Missing peopleView on map →

  • Missing Child

    MISCH · 409 calls

    Missing child report.

    Missing peopleView on map →

  • Found Child

    FOUCH · 213 calls

    A found child waiting to be reunited.

    Missing peopleView on map →

  • Missing Juvenile Located

    JUVLO · 71 calls

    Previously missing young person found.

    Missing peopleView on map →

  • Missing Person Located

    PERLO · 57 calls

    Previously missing person found.

    Missing peopleView on map →

  • Missing Elderly Located

    ELDLO · 9 calls

    Previously missing elderly person found.

    Missing peopleView on map →

Other195 calls

  • Animal Comp

    ANICO · 195 calls

    Animal complaint — a loose, dangerous, or distressed animal.

    View on map →

Spotted a better reading of a code? The live map is the best place to see these in context.