When you report a crime or suspicious activity, seconds seem like hours. Your first police contact will most likely be the dispatcher. The dispatcher’s function is to notify the officer of complaints or calls via the police radio. The dispatcher must obtain vital information about the reported incident and relay it to the officer. This includes emergency calls and non-emergency calls such as; jump starts, lockouts, and opening classrooms. Remember, things that seem obvious about the incident are not obvious to the responding officer because he/she did not see it happen. You can expect to be asked the following:
- What Happened
- Vehicle Description
- Vehicle License Number
- Description of Person(s) — including clothing
- Phone number and location where you can be reached
These questions must be answered if the officer is to effectively handle the situation. When reporting, please do not hang up the telephone until the dispatcher tells you to do so because the responding officer may need additional information.
The police need to be alerted to the presence of any suspicious persons or activity on campus because the patrol officers simply cannot be everywhere at once. Any activity, which you feel is unusual, may be a sign of a criminal act. Become familiar with your surroundings and report any activity, which is not normal. The incident you report could be innocent, but give the police the opportunity to check the situation. Use the following guide for reporting crimes or suspicious activity. Remember, your report could prevent a crime against a friend or yourself.