When you feel unsafe, are Raleigh or Durham Police stations open 24/7? What we learned.

“Are police stations in Raleigh open 24/7?”

That’s a question one local Reddit user asked last week. The user wanted to know if the local police stations are a reliable place to go “if in any case, you feel unsafe at any time of the day.” And, the user asked, are only certain stations open all of the time?

We set out to find answers to all of those questions — for both Raleigh and Durham — as part of The News & Observer’s Asked & Answered series, which answers questions we receive from readers, our newsroom and our community.

Here’s what we learned after contacting the Raleigh and Durham Police Departments.

Are any Raleigh police stations open 24/7?

Lt. Jason Borneo, RPD’s public information officer, told The N&O by email that two of the department’s six stations are open 24/7, 365 days of the year:

▪ The North District building at 6716 Six Forks Rd.

▪ The Downtown District building at 218 W. Cabarrus St.

These two stations, Borneo said, are staffed by officers at all hours of the day, and they “can assist a community member at any time.”

The department’s other four stations are staffed 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, Borneo said. Officers are available during those hours to assist community members.

Are any Durham police stations open 24/7?

The Durham Police Department told The N&O by email that the department’s headquarters, located at 602 E. Main St. in Durham, is open and staffed 24/7.

District substations are not open 24/7, the department said.

“Patrol officers assigned to district substations are typically out on patrol and answering calls and thus these stations are not staffed 24/7,” the department said.

What should I do if I feel unsafe in Raleigh?

If you’re not close to one of the Raleigh stations open 24/7, or you’re unable to get to a safe place for any reason, Borneo noted that Raleigh police officers can come to you.

“Our officers are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to speak or meet with a community member anywhere they may feel unsafe,” Borneo said. “We advise our community members to call 911 in those situations.”

Borneo also provided the following tips for anyone who may feel like they are in an unsafe situation, particularly as a pedestrian:

▪ Travel with a group at night.

▪ If you can’t travel with a group, have a plan in place. “Know your location at all times, and use familiar, well-lit sidewalks. Contact a friend or family member to let them know you are on the way home and inform them of your travel route,” Borneo said.

▪ If someone is threatening you or you feel that you are in danger, “attract attention vocally, move away from the person, quickly and safely run towards an area with people, and contact 911,” Borneo said.

What should I do if I feel unsafe in Durham?

If you feel that you’re being followed or are in an otherwise unsafe situation, the Durham Police Department recommended you “call 911, not stop or confront the follower, and go to a public well-lit place.”

Like in Raleigh, you can also request a Durham police officer to come to you if you feel you are in an unsafe situation, or could be entering one — such as an internet sale or purchase, or a child custody exchange. The department recommended calling the Durham Emergency Communications Center’s non-emergency number, 919-560-4600, to request an officer in those situations.