Crimes Not In Progress
Depending on where the crime occurred, you may report the crime to agencies such as the MTA police, NY State Police, or Port Authority Police, if the location of the crime falls within their respective jurisdictions. Otherwise, for certain report types, you can file an online police report or you can visit your local precinct.
How To Report Threats To The Police
This article was co-authored by Saul Jaeger, MS. Saul Jaeger is a Police Officer and Captain of the Mountain View, California Police Department . Saul has over 17 years of experience as a patrol officer, field training officer, traffic officer, detective, hostage negotiator, and as the traffic units sergeant and Public Information Officer for the MVPD. At the MVPD, in addition to commanding the Field Operations Division, Saul has also led the Communications Center and the Crisis Negotiation Team. He earned an MS in Emergency Services Management from the California State University, Long Beach in 2008 and a BS in Administration of Justice from the University of Phoenix in 2006. He also earned a Corporate Innovation LEAD Certificate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2018.There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 9,971 times.
Damage/ Mischief To Property
Has someone damaged, defaced or vandalized public or private property? This may include:
- Breaking windows, mailboxes, throwing eggs, spray painting, writing or drawing on property.
- Accepted only if there are no known suspects.Please Note: If you were a victim of graffiti vandalism, paint vouchers and graffiti wipes are available for pick up at Police Headquarters.
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How To Report Harassing Phone Calls Or Text Messages To The Police In 2021
1. Save the Harassment Data
If you are making use of a phone that has the ability of taking screenshots, then you should screenshot the data. If the device you are using does not come with this feature, you should take of picture of the screen with another camera. You will also want to Lock or Protect each harassing message. But you still must be sure to have backup copies in the event that something happens to your phone so your data is not lost.
2. Get Your Cell Phone Records
When you want to report a case of phone harassment to the police, you should get your cell phone records. You can do this by logging in to your account and downloading your cell phone records. Be sure to save and also print the records that coincide with the harassment you are experiencing.
3. Compile All Evidence
Next, you should gather and arrange all the information you have collected on the harasser in a fashion that will be easy for the police to navigate through.
You can make use of a file folder to help you with this. For instance, one folder can contain your photo evidence, the other can contain the print-outs of your cell phone records, another folder can consist of the proof of all the efforts you have made to stop the harassment such as evidence via screenshot of you telling the offender to stop harassing me as well as any other efforts you have taken.
4. Have your own copy
5. Include Your Contact Information
6. Go to the Police
Bomb Threats By Telephone
If you receive a bomb threat over the telephone, Ready.gov provides the following information on what to do:
- Get as much information from the caller as possible. Try to ask the following questions:
- When is the bomb going to explode?
- Where is it right now?
- What does it look like?
- What kind of bomb is it?
- What will cause it to explode?
- Did you place the bomb?
The Department of Homeland Security also provides a helpful telephone bomb threat checklist.
Get more information on what to do if you receive a bomb threat or find a suspicious item.
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When Should I Call Police Instead
- If you have a known suspect. If you know the name or address of the suspect, or if you know the license plate of the vehicle associated to the suspect, please contact Peel Regional Police at 905-453-3311
- If the value of theft, loss or property damage is more than $10,000.00
- If your vehicle has been stolen
- If the incident occurred outside of Brampton or Mississauga. Please contact the police service responsible for the area in which the incident occurred
- If someone broke into, or attempted to break into your home, garage or business
- If this is the theft or loss of a firearm
- If this is related to any form of personal violence, including domestic violence.
- If this is related to any kind of vandalism or graffiti that could be hate motivated
- If this is related to a traffic complaint that is in progress
File A Restraining Order
If you’re in an emergency situation, call 911.
If you’ve been a victim of domestic abuse and want to take legal action, you may be able to file for a protective order. Protective orders are also known as restraining orders or injunctions.
The process for obtaining a protective order differs from state to state. Your local police and court can help you get the process started. Contact your state, county, or municipal court for more information.
Generally, you have to fill out paperwork and submit it to the county courthouse. If you need protection right away, a judge may issue a temporary restraining order. To get a longer-term order, your judge may want either or both a full court hearing and your abuser’s presence.
The police can enforce a protective order. If necessary, the order can include special provisions like:
-
Custody of children
-
Forcing the abuser to leave a home
In some states, a protective order requires the abuser to surrender all firearms.
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How To Report A Crime Without Calling 911
If you are witnessing a crime in progress, particularly a crime that threatens life or property, the appropriate way to report the crime is to call 911. However, if you are the witness to a crime that does not constitute an emergency, such as embezzlement or fraud, reporting the crime via 911 may not be appropriate. Additionally, 911 calls are recorded and are accessible by members of the public. If you wish to report a crime by means other than a 911 call, you can contact your local police station directly.
Crimes In Progress Or Just Witnessed
If a crime is in progress, or you have just witnessed or experienced a crime, try to get to safety first.
- immediately and try to stay calm.
- Be alert of your surroundings and try to make mental notes.
- When talking to the 911 dispatcher, keep in mind the following:
- The first question you will be asked is, “Where is your emergency?”
- Give the dispatcher as specific an address as possible.
- If you don’t know the exact address, try to provide a street name or to identify landmarks around you. It is extremely important to provide as much detail about your location as possible.
All 911 calls can be connected to a translator if foreign language assistance is needed. Do not make prank calls to 911. Prank 911 calls, which take dispatchers away from callers whose lives might be in danger, are punishable by law.
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File A Police Report Online:
If you have an email address you can file an online police report for many types of crime by clicking below on the language of your choice.
Powered by CopLogic. Please turn off your pop-up blocking software before filing your report. Note that we cannot accept online reports involving known suspects, suspect descriptions or surveillance records.
Look For Signs Of A Crime
Obviously, there are times when calling the police is the best solution especially if there are weapons involved or if you witness a crime like a robbery, an assault, or another type of criminal behavior. Even seeing someone being threatened by another person is a reason to contact the police.
Trying to handle a situation like that on your own is never wise. Plus, for the safety of everyone involved, it’s best to allow the local police to handle it. You should never delay contacting the police when someone’s safety is at risk.
However, there are times when calling the police is not the best course of action. Not only does it tie up police with frivolous complaints, but it also can put people at risk when what they are doing is not harming other people, especially if they panic or don’t respond appropriately when the police arrive.
For instance, one womansometimes referred to at “Permit Patty”called the police on an 8-year-old Black girl selling water without a permit. Although it’s technically true that a permit was required to sell something on the street, this little girl was not harming anyone and involving the police tied up their time on something that wasn’t really putting anyone at risk.
If you find yourself in a situation where you see someone doing something that they probably shouldn’t be doing, you may want to brainstorm other ways to take action, especially if the person lives in your community.
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Reflect On What You Consider Suspicious
Stereotypes surrounding people of color are abundant in the United States and can influence even the most genuine people.
These stereotypes have infiltrated people’s thoughts through negative media portrayals, inaccurate social media posts, and even racist relatives. In fact, it’s not uncommon to buy into stereotypes and prejudices without even realizing it.
One prime example, of these inaccurate portrayals, is that of Black teenagers with their hoods up. Some people automatically assume that these young people are up to no good, but there can be many other explanations for wearing a hood up including cold weather or a sense of style.
Overall, the problem with stereotypes is that not everyone recognizes that they are being influenced. For this reason, it’s important to question the thoughts that filter into your mind and ask yourself why you are thinking along those lines. You can help combat racism when you begin with addressing and undoing your own biases.
How Donotpay Can Help
If you’re too busy to file a police report or don’t feel like going through the process yourself, DoNotPay can help take the burden from you. Our Police report product is designed to simplify the entire process. It will point you to the needed evidence and even contact the police on your behalf. And the best part is it’s easy and fast to use. All you have to do is:
And you’re good to do. DoNotPay will file a police report to the police station near where the incident happened. You’ll only need to wait for further communication and status updates, which often come within two weeks of filing.
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Submit A Crime Tip Anonymously
WeTip is committed to providing the most effective, anonymous citizens crime reporting hotline system in the nation. To report a crime anonymously online, all you need is to submit a crime tip. WeTip promises and ensures absolute anonymity, not just confidentiality. WeTip provides intelligence and information to local, state, federal and international law enforcement agencies relating to criminal activity obtained from an online and telephone crime reporting hotline.
Filing A Report In Person
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How To Report Harassing Phone Calls To Police In 7 Steps In 2021
Do you want to permanently stop calls from salesmen, telemarketer or debt collectors? If YES, here is exactly how to report harassing phone calls to the police . Phone harassment is something most people dont really give a lot of thought to until it happens to them.
It is not just annoying, it is also illegal. Furthermore, it is a serious threat to your privacy, sense of security, and personal information. Phone harassment is nearly impossible to prevent or avoid, making it difficult for those affected by phone harassment to stop unwanted or threatening phone calls.
Table of Content
What is Phone Harassment?
Phone harassment is defined as any form of unsolicited telephone communication that is threatening, obscene, or unwanted. Phone harassment can be said to occur when someone intends to annoy, harass, threaten, or even harm you by:
- Constantly making your phone to ring
- Making obscene comments, suggestions, or requests
- Refusing to identify oneself over the phone but is still calling over and over again
- Making repeated telephone calls where the conversation consists only of harassment, especially after you have requested not to be contacted again
- Attempting to steal your financial or personal information over the phone
- Pretending to be someone the caller is not
- Making a telephone call and using heavy breathing or silence with intent to intimidate
Gather As Much Info As You Can
Police are going to need somewhere to start, so it’s a good idea to get your basic facts down: what was lost, where and when did it happen. Where and when you think your item was lost/taken is important, because the police’s first step is probably to look at security footage. We spoke to someone who left their phone in a cab officers at their local police station were able to coordinate with the bao’ans in the lane they were dropped off at to check security footage, track a license plate, and get the phone back. If you are in a large public place like a mall or a sports complex, the facility’s bao’an are also a good stop for security footage. The simpler you make it for the police officers to follow, the better your experience will be.
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S To File A Police Report On Stolen Items On Your Own
There are various steps involved in filing a police report online. We’re going to walk you through the process step-by-step to help you successfully file your report online.