Bay County Non-Emergency Numbers and When to Call

The main Bay County non-emergency number is (850) 747-4700, which reaches the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center. That line covers unincorporated Bay County and the municipalities that contract with the Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement, including Callaway and Mexico Beach.¹ If you’re inside a city that runs its own police department, use that city’s number instead. Calling the wrong agency means a transfer and a delay.

Non-Emergency Numbers by City

Find the agency that covers where the incident happened, then call its line directly.

Bay County Sheriff’s Office

(850) 747-4700. Use this for unincorporated Bay County, Callaway, and Mexico Beach.¹

Panama City Police Department

(850) 872-3112 for non-emergency matters that need an officer to respond. (850) 872-3100 for general information, records, and the business office.² A car broken into overnight is a 872-3112 call. A copy of an existing report is 872-3100.

Panama City Beach Police Department

(850) 233-5000 for non-emergency police matters in Panama City Beach.³

Lynn Haven Police Department

(850) 265-4111. Lynn Haven runs its own dispatch center.⁴

Springfield Police Department

(850) 872-7545 for Springfield.⁵

Bay County Animal Control

For stray animals, wildlife, or animal complaints anywhere in the county, call Animal Control dispatch at (850) 784-4005. The shelter is (850) 767-3333.⁶ Animal issues go through this dedicated line rather than the Sheriff’s Office or city police.

When to Call Non-Emergency Instead of 911

The test is simple: is anyone in danger right now? If the answer is no, it’s a non-emergency call. The line is for situations that need a police response or an official record but don’t involve an active threat.

Past property crimes: an overnight vehicle break-in, vandalism, a stolen porch package where the suspect is long gone.
Noise complaints like loud music or barking dogs.
Minor traffic crashes with no injuries and no vehicles blocking the road. Florida law requires a formal crash report when a wreck causes injury, involves a DUI, disables a vehicle badly enough to need a tow, or involves a commercial vehicle. Outside those situations, you may still want to call the non-emergency line for a short-form report or driver exchange form for insurance.⁷
Suspicious activity that isn’t an emergency in progress, like a car parked in your neighborhood for several days.
Records and administrative requests: a copy of a report, extra patrol while you’re on vacation, or a follow-up on an existing case.

Filing a Report Online

For many incidents in unincorporated Bay County, you don’t have to call. The Bay County Sheriff’s Office runs an online reporting system that lets you file right away.⁸ You can use it if the incident happened in unincorporated Bay County, no suspects are present, and you’re at least 18.

The system takes reports for vehicle break-ins, theft, vandalism, shoplifting that’s no longer in progress, identity theft, credit card fraud, harassment through phone calls or texts, and scams. It will not accept reports involving firearms, motor vehicle theft, forced entry into a home, domestic violence order violations, or situations involving serious injury.⁸ For those, call (850) 747-4700 and have a deputy respond. If you have a suspect to identify, you also can’t file online.

Submitting a report online generates a case number that works the same as one from a phone or in-person report for insurance claims and follow-ups.

What to Have Ready Before You Call

A few details ready up front save time and help the dispatcher route your call.

Location: the exact address or nearest intersection, plus a business name if that’s where it happened.
What happened: a brief, clear description. Lead with the type of incident, not the backstory.
When: the date and approximate time, or when you discovered it.
People: approximate height, build, clothing, and any distinguishing features. Partial descriptions still help.
Vehicles: make, model, color, plate if you caught it, and direction of travel if the car left.

You don’t need every detail to make the call. A clear location and description beats waiting to gather perfect information and never calling.

Situations Police Won’t Handle

Not every problem that feels like a police matter actually is one. Landlord-tenant disputes are the common example. If a landlord changed the locks, shut off utilities, or removed your belongings, those are civil matters that require a court action, not a police report. Officers who do respond typically advise both sides to use the courts. The same goes for most contract disputes, child custody disagreements where no court order is being violated, and neighbor conflicts over property lines or fences.

One exception is a civil standby, where an officer keeps the peace during a volatile situation like picking up belongings from an ex-partner’s home. Policies vary by agency, and many departments require a court order or evidence of a safety risk before approving one. Call the non-emergency line and explain the situation; the dispatcher will tell you whether it’s something they’ll send a unit for.

Penalties for Calling 911 by Mistake or on Purpose

Using 911 for something that isn’t an emergency has real legal consequences in Florida. Knowingly using 911 for anything other than obtaining public safety assistance is a first-degree misdemeanor.⁹¹⁰¹¹

Penalties escalate if a false 911 call triggers a response that causes harm. If someone is seriously injured, the charge becomes a third-degree felony. If someone dies, it becomes a second-degree felony.⁹ A court will also order restitution covering the full cost of the emergency response, plus prosecution and investigation costs. After two or more convictions for unauthorized use, any further violation is a third-degree felony regardless of harm. When in doubt about which line to use, call the non-emergency number for your area and let the dispatcher decide whether to escalate.

1
Bay County Sheriff’s Office. Contact
2
Panama City Police Department. Contact – Get in Touch Today
3
Panama City Beach. Contact Us
4
City of Lynn Haven. Communications (Dispatch)
5
City of Springfield. Police
6
City of Callaway. Animal Control
7
Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.066 – Written Reports of Crashes
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Bay County Sheriff’s Office. Bay County Sheriff’s Office Online Reporting
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Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 365.172 – Emergency Communications
10
The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 775.082 – Sentences of Imprisonment for Misdemeanors
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The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 775.083 – Fines