Surrey RCMP has become the first detachment to launch an online tool for residents to report non-emergency crimes, with three other B.C. communities expected to roll out similar programs later this summer.
To report a crime, residents can now go online and answer a series of questions about the incident. A valid email address is required to begin the questionnaire.
To start, the online tool explains that only crimes that don’t have a witness or suspect and don’t include lost or stolen items involving personal identity, firearms, license plates or decals may be reported.
From there, residents are asked to describe the incident, selecting a pre-written description from a drop-down menu. Next, everyone involved in the incident and any possessions have to be listed.
Images can also be uploaded and any other details including a full explanation of lost items or damaged property can be included.
"Crime reports from the public are an essential part of determining how our policing resources are deployed in the city," said Supt. Ed Boettcher, Surrey RCMP operations officer in a news release.
"This additional reporting tool will enhance our service delivery to residents of Surrey by making it more convenient to report less serious crimes, while allowing police to focus on emergency calls for service."
The RCMP says the pilot project will allow people to report some non-emergency crimes online, freeing up time for frontline personnel to respond to higher priority calls.
After Surrey, Ridge Meadows, Kelowna and Richmond will get access to the online tool. If it’s successful, it will eventually be rolled out to other communities in B.C. that are policed by the RCMP.
With files from Canadian Press
