How To Report Anonymously To Police

How To Call Police Without Revealing Your Number

If you witness a crime, you might be reluctant to come forward because of fear that the criminals will find out who reported them. If you are in this situation, you can call an anonymous tip line to report crimes without revealing your contact information or identity to police.

Order per-line blocking from your phone company. Per-line blocking automatically blocks your number when calling most numbers. You can call crime tip lines anonymously with this service.

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Look on the website for your citys police department to find the number for the anonymous crime tip line. Some police departments also allow you to text crime tips using your cell phone. Texted tips go to an automated mailbox police do not see your number.

Warning

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Should You Report A Crime Anonymously

If you are a victim of a crime or witness a crime, you may have second thoughts about reporting it. You may think reporting the crime is more trouble than its worth, as happened with the infamous murder of Kitty Genovese in the 1960s. But instead of ignoring the crime, you may want to consider reporting it anonymously.

Some of the benefits of reporting a crime anonymously are that it may encourage you to report it in the first place. Other benefits can include leaving you out of it.

However, there are some drawbacks to anonymous reporting as well.

For example, police may not be able to use you as a witness and could have a harder time finding the perpetrator.

Whether you want to anonymously report a crime is an individual decision you have to weigh. If you do choose to go this route, you should know there are typically several options to make an anonymous report:

In this day and age of surveillance cameras and Internet snoops, it may be nearly impossible to do anything, much less report a crime, anonymously. However, you should remember that reporting a crime is usually better than not reporting a crime at all.

Related Resources:

If you have experienced police misconduct:

• Contact the law enforcement agency involved.
• Submit your complaint in writing to the chief of police or the head of the law enforcement agency involved.
• Send a copy of your complaint to the Internal Affairs Division of the law enforcement agency. Be sure to keep a copy for yourself.

How To Report Someone To The Police Online

The police assistance line cannot assist with urgent matters, including family violence, assaults or a crime that is happening at the time of reporting all calls to the police assistance line are recorded and retained by victoria police this is both for training and, if required, for policing purposes online reporting you can report online to:.

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Why Would You Want To Stay Anonymous

Needless to say, . However, if you do end up having to get them involved, why wouldnt you want to have your name attached to the report? Well, there are a few reasons for it:

• You may not want to cause a problem for whoever is behind the noise. Attaching a name to the complaint would make you the focus, not the noise. Suddenly, youd be the witness, or worse, the victim of the public disturbance case.
• You dont want to anger the people who are causing the noise. Whether your relationship is already fraught or not, nothing good can come of them finding out that youre the one who tattled.
• Lastly, if you give your name to the police when you report the noise, you may be leaving yourself open to further inquiry. If you dont feel like answering extra questions or being the focus of a police investigation, you may want to keep your name out of it.

However, weve yet to answer the question we started out with so lets fix that.

Speak Up: How To Safely And Anonymously Report Drug Activity

Davids new neighbor, Jeff, is selling drugs and hes worried about what it will do to the neighborhood. David fears for the safety of not only his kids but all the children on the block. He wants to do somethinghe wants to put a stop to the drug activity before it gets any worse. But hes scared to call the police and report his neighbor. What if Jeff finds out who reported him? Will his life be in danger? Would his wife be in danger? What about his young children?

In fear of what might happen, David remains silent.

Lisa has watched the park near her house turn into a meeting place for drug dealers and buyers. Shes pretty sure they are selling heroin there are plenty of used syringes littering the park. She would call the police, but shes afraid of what might happen. After all, she isnt completely innocentshe occasionally smokes marijuana. And working two jobs means she occasionally has to leave her 11-year-old home alone for a while. If she reaches out to the police, will they believe her? Will they dig into her past and investigate her?

Lisa decides its better not to get involved she just cant risk it.

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Why Should I Leave An Anonymous Tip

The Fullerton Police Department established an Anonymous Tip line for people who wish to report crimes or suspicious behavior, but who do not wish to provide their personal identifying information. Although the Fullerton Police Department strives to provide the highest level of service to our community, we can not do it alone. We rely on the eyes and ears of the community to partner with us to reduce crime. The Anonymous Tip line is one more way that we can further that partnership.

When Sharing Information With Police

When reporting to police, provide as much detail as you can. In order to better understand the situation, the police may ask further questions. Keep in mind that the police officer is hearing your story for the first time and wants to help you the best way they can. If what you are reporting does not appear to be a criminal matter, but there are other concerns, they may be able to direct or link you to the appropriate community or health resources in your area.

Ultimately the most important thing to consider is,

• If you do nothing what could happen if the person’s plans move forward?
• Could they end up in jail or hurting other people?
• What if you are the only one who has the information that could prevent a tragedy?

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Report Gang And Drug Activity Online

If you wish, you can complete an online form and press submit to send the form to the police department. You can send this form anonymously however, if you choose, you may include your contact information. Tips that lead to significant felony arrests or the prevention of a serious crime may result in a cash award up to $1,000.

Complaints About Police Officers

If you have experienced police misconduct:

• Contact the law enforcement agency involved.
• Submit your complaint in writing to the chief of police or the head of the law enforcement agency involved.
• Send a copy of your complaint to the Internal Affairs Division of the law enforcement agency. Be sure to keep a copy for yourself.

If the problem remains unresolved, learn how to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.

Finally, as with any potential legal dispute, you may want to contact a licensed attorney.

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What To Include In Your Tip

Any information you can provide to the authorities that will prevent further drug activity is absolutely helpful. The following are a few details that will ensure your anonymous tip is as effective as possible. If you have the information, try to include:

• The address where you suspect drug activity.
• Full names of the people you suspect.
• Related vehiclesmake, model, license plate.
• When people come and go, how long they stay, how often they appear.
• Information about any packages being exchanged.
• If the location is a house, provide the name of people living there.
• Are there children? Dogs?

What Can You Report

Information reported to ACT Region Crime Stoppers from the public can be vital to an investigation, arrest and prosecution. Every piece of information is important.

Working in partnership with police and the media, Crime Stoppers encourages the public to share information about:

• People wanted by police
• Unsolved crimes and future crime that is being planned
• People who have committed criminal offences
• Suspicious or unusual activity.

Police cant solve every crime on their own. They rely on members of the community to report suspicious or unusual activity.

Not everyone is comfortable contacting or reporting information directly to the police and thats where ACT Region Crime Stoppers comes in. We provide a confidential link between the community and police to ensure potentially vital information is not left unreported.

Anyone can call or report information online to Crime Stoppers and you can remain anonymous.

What to include in your report:

Please try to include as many of the following details as possible in your report to ACT Region Crime Stoppers:

Please do not put yourself at risk to obtain information. Always ensure your safety first.

What happens to the information?

Information reports are generated using the details provided by members of the public and then added to ACT Policings intelligence database. The reports may be checked against other available information to assess accuracy.

Do I need to provide my details?

Whats in it for me?

Your community. Your call.

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Get Help After A Sexual Assault

• Contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline anytime at 1-800-656-HOPE . They will connect you anonymously with a counselor at your nearest rape treatment center.

• Find state domestic violence resources online.

• Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline anytime at 1-800-799-SAFE . You can talk confidentially with an advocate or find local resources.

• Contact the Loveisrespect hotline if you or someone you know is a victim of teen dating violence. Reach a peer advocate anytime by phone at , by texting loveis to 22522, or by chat online.

Now You Can Report Crime Municipal Issues & More Anonymously With This Mobile App

When it comes to reporting crime or complaining about municipal issues, many people are hesitant to do so because they are not sure who to approach and how. But that need not be the case anymore. An app, developed by an Indore-based engineer, is helping people across the country turn into citizen cops.

Have you ever been in a situation where someone broke a traffic rule while you stood watching? Or snatched a persons mobile phone and ran away while everyone stood still, unsure about the next step? Many of us choose to walk away when we come across such situations either because registering a complaint is a tedious process or because we are not sure who to approach and where exactly to find such a person. But what if you could become a citizen cop and complain about the issue at hand with just a few taps on your mobile phone?

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Can I File An Anonymous Police Report

Identify yourself to the dispatcher who answers the non-emergency number and let them know that you want to file a police report. They will ask for your name and address, as well as the address of your current location if it differs from your place of residence. You may be able to file a report anonymously over the phone.

How Do I Leave An Anonymous Tip

The Fullerton Police Department has also partnered with Orange County Crime Stoppers, which allows users to their website to leave tips anonymously. They then forward those tips to the Fullerton Police Department. Please be aware that if you choose to use Orange County Crime Stoppers, there will be a delay in that information being given to us, so it should not be used for situations where you need immediate Police assistance.

You can reach Orange County Crime Stoppers by calling 1-855-TIP-OCCS. You can submit a tip online by visiting: www.p3tips.com/913

You can also reach wetip.com at wetip.com

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Tell Us Something Anonymously

Crimestoppers is an independent charity helping to find criminals and solve crimes. It gives you the chance to give information anonymously either by phone or online.

Crimestoppers are not the police:

• you wont have to give your name
• your call wont be traced or recorded
• you wont have to make a statement
• youll never have to go to court

Crimestoppers has never broken its guarantee of anonymity. No one will ever have to know you called. Yet, the simple piece of information you give could help police make an arrest.

The police cant always solve crime on their own they need to be pointed in the right direction by local people. Information you give Crimestoppers will be passed on to the police but at no time will your personal details be asked for.

Crimestoppers want to know what you know NOT who you are.

How do I contact Crimestoppers?You can share information with Crimestoppers in two ways: by calling 0800 555 111 any time of day or night, or by filling in a secure giving information form on the Crimestoppers website.

The form is completely secure. Its designed to ensure your anonymity and means you can pass on vital information from home by answering a few simple questions.

Though Crimestoppers works closely with the police and other law enforcement agencies, it is independent and not attached to any police stations.

Rewards

These rewards are funded by the Crimestoppers Trust, who are an independent registered charity.

So Can You Make An Anonymous Noise Complaint To The Police

So youve decided to report the noise to the police, but you want to keep your identity a secret. Well, as you can imagine, most calls to the police start with introductions. However, the caller can also request to remain anonymous, but Im not sure that would be the best thing to do in this case.

After all, the officers are going to need all the context they can get. Additionally, if the noise cuts off before the officers get there, you may need to provide proof that it was ever there. You wouldnt want them to think that you wasted police resources.

Ultimately, its best to introduce yourself to the police before stating your case. You can always request that they not mention your name to the people who are making the noise. However, you may need to jump in if the police decide to charge the person with disturbing the peace. If that happens, you may need to act as a witness.

Usually, the question of your identity is only important if you want to lodge a formal complaint. If you want to go through with your report, I have one last piece of advice: dont call 911. Instead, take the time to look up the number your local police department uses to take non-urgent complaints. Hopefully, youll be able to keep your name off the record.

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What To Do If Someone Is Driving Recklessly

If you see someone driving recklesslywhether it be from texting, drunk or drowsy driving, being overly aggressive, or otherwise careless drivingreport it by calling 911. But only call if you feel its a dangerous situation. Remember, the 911 system is intended to render urgent assistance in true emergencies.

• How do you report someone for selling drugs anonymously?

If you see a reckless driver, help keep the roads safe by reporting them. To report the car immediately, pull over to a safe location and call the police. You will need to provide the police with a basic description of the car. This is the best option when the situation is life-threatening.

The Anonymous Reporting Line

The anonymous reporting line, 794-5824, is provided as a resource for those wishing to report crimes anonymously.

If you choose to report anonymously, you must leave specific details in order for UCPD to investigate the crime. Provide details to the best of your ability to the following questions:

• What happened? What did you see? What appears suspicious to you?
• Where exactly did the incident occur? Include streets, building and room/area.
• Did the suspect have any weapons?
• What did the suspect say?
• Where and when was the suspect last seen?
• Which direction was the suspect headed?
• Was the suspect on foot or in a vehicle?
• What did the suspect look like? Describe each suspect one at a time.
• Gender
• Was the suspect carrying anything?
• Vehicle Description, Color, Make, Model, License Plate

After a message is retrieved from the anonymous reporting line, the information is forwarded to the appropriate person.

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Reporting Crime In Person

Head to your local station to talk to the person at the front counter and they will tell you what to do next. You may be able to speak to an officer straight away.

Appointments arent always necessary, but to ensure someone will be there to assist you it is best to phone ahead especially if your nearest station is a small or rural station. Call 105 to connect with your local station.

Can Police Stop A Car Based On An Anonymous Tip

Police must have probable cause or reasonable suspicion of criminal activity to stop a motor vehicle. Sometimes an anonymous tip can be sufficient.

The justification for the stop or detention by police must include:

• specific and articulable facts which support the intrusion,
• based upon the totality of the circumstances.

Courts will look at the of the information that police are relying on:

• is it confirmed or verified by the police?
• is it reliable?

For example:

An anonymous 911 caller told police that a truck had run her off the road. The caller provided the vehicle description and license plate number. Officers quickly located and stopped the truck. The officers smelled marijuana, searched the vehicle and found 30 pounds of the drug. The court ruled that based upon the totality of the circumstances, the officers had reasonable suspicion to think the driver might be intoxicated and could stop the vehicle to confirm. See Navarette v. California 572 U.S. 393.

An investigative detention is illegal if it is based on only one insufficient factor, such as:

• curiosity, rumor, or a hunch
• race or sex of the suspect
• suspects presence in a high-crime area or
• a persons nervous behavior.

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