When you see something, you should say something ... Right? The National Emergency Number Association estimates that 240 million calls are made to 9-1-1 in the U.S. each year, for all kinds of reasons, but calling the police isn't a guarantee of a quick or effective response. And when police are dispatched, a situation can unexpectedly escalate. | Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station at donate.npr.org/1A and subscribe to our podcast. Have questions? Email the show at 1a@wamu.org and find us on Twitter @1a.