Member for Barron River Steve Wettenhall has advised local residents needing to report non-urgent policing matters to access a new and dedicated service, Policelink on 131 444.

Mr Wettenhall said the new service would allow for a better direction of police resources in the local community.

"The Bligh Government has invested $54 million to establish Policelink to focus on those incidents which are not threatening or immediately occurring," Mr Wettenhall said.

"Currently the Queensland Police Service receives approximately 450,000 Triple Zero calls a year, but only around 4% of these relate to a time critical or life threatening incident."

"Policelink is not about replacing the current methods of contacting Queensland Police, and I still encourage people to call 000 in an emergency."

"It is another way to contact police when non-urgent assistance is required."

"If the crime is not happening now or is not life threatening, I urge the community to call Policelink on 131 444."

Mr Wettenhall said it was estimated the Policelink contact centre would handle more than two million calls per year and free up 260,000 police hours – equivalent to over 130 full time officers.

"The state network of Triple Zero call centres needs to be able to focus on critical and life threatening incidents – and the Policelink service will allow this, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

Mr Wettenhall provided some examples of when calling Policelink would be a better option than calling Triple Zero.
"For instance if there is a party next door which is getting out of hand and people are getting hurt, call 000.  However if it is past 11pm and the noise from a party next door is keeping you awake, call Policelink on 131 444."