Cambridgeshire Constabulary are launching a new campaign to encourage the public to report non-urgent crime online in a bid to save the police and public’s time and reduce pressure on call takers. The constabulary’s Demand Hub receives an average of 35,175 incoming calls per month, and of those calls, around 59% are to the non-emergency line, 101.
It can take a call handler anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to deal with any given call on the non-emergency line, meaning that there can often be a queue of people waiting to speak with an operator. This campaign aims to encourage a shift towards reporting non-urgent crime online that is currently being phoned in on 101, hence the campaign name: save time, report online.
(Remember: always dial 999 in an emergency!)
Superintendent Neil Billany, head of demand, said “We are living in a fast-moving digital age so it is very important that we offer multiple methods of reporting to suit everyone’s preference, and to be as efficient and effective as we can. However, despite more ways than ever to contact the police, our phone lines remain under constant pressure, so we want to use this campaign as a way of showcasing the many benefits of reporting non-urgent crime online, rather than on the phone”..
“We are committed to elevating the public’s confidence in our online reporting system. It is a common misconception that reporting crime online will not amount to anything, but this is not true. Reports taken over the phone (on 101) are dealt with in the exact same way as online reports- the only difference is the technology the informant uses to tell us about it.”
Over the last six months, we have seen 51,000 crimes or incidents reported online and we hope to see this number grow over the next few months as the campaign progresses.
As part of the campaign, we aim to raise awareness about how to report online, what happens after you report online, and what the benefits are of reporting online, so please read on to learn more.
How do I report online?
Simple. Visit the force website https://www.cambs.police.uk/ and click ‘Report’ on the left hand side of the home screen. Find the report that suits your crime / incident, answer the initial questions and you will be directed to the appropriate form!
What to expect after reporting online
First of all, you will receive an automated email response which will include a receipt number (this is not your crime reference number). This is for your records as well as ours, to show that you have submitted the report. If you can’t find it, check your junk folders.
Secondly, we will review and assess your report using the information you have provided. If we need more detail, we will call you using the contact information you have given in the form. You will hear back from us within 48 hours, either with a crime reference number, or if we cannot progress the investigation, a reason as to why.
If we decide we can’t investigate your report, we’ll contact you to explain why. Our decision is based on four key factors:
• vulnerability of the victim (eg is the victim in danger?)
• seriousness of the crime
• likelihood of solving it
• best use of our resources
If we can investigate further, we’ll take some initial steps. These could include:
• talking to witnesses
• assessing the crime scene
• checking CCTV or video footage
• gathering other evidence such as forensic samples
• searching our intelligence database (to see if other crimes have happened in the area, or if we hold information related to the case)
After we’ve done an initial investigation, there are two possible outcomes:
We’ll close the investigation
• We’ll move forward with the investigation
When we’ve made a decision, we’ll contact you to let you know. If we close the investigation, it’s probably because we’ve completed our initial steps and there are no other leads we can follow at that time.
What are the benefits of reporting online?
As mentioned previously, our 999 and 101 phone lines are under constant pressure.
Reporting online is:
• a quick, convenient and efficient way of reporting non-urgent crime,
• a way of reporting crime for those who don’t feel comfortable speaking on the phone,
• a way of reporting crime for those who don’t have time to wait on hold for an operator,
• accessible for everyone with an internet connection and a phone, laptop, tablet or computer.
It also helps our call handlers tackle the pressure and constant demand on our phone lines.
We aim to respond to all online reports within 48 hours so reporting online allows you to submit the information and get on with your day.
Questions / feedback about online reporting..
If you want to learn more about reporting to us online, please reply to this message with your questions and we will reply via email.
If you have submitted an online report to us before and want to let us know how you found the experience, please also reply to this email with your feedback.
Learn more about the campaign on the force’s website. https://www.cambs.police.uk/police-forces/cambridgeshire-constabulary/areas/campaigns/campaigns/save-time-report-online/
Kind regards,
Message Sent By
Lauren Watchorn
(Police, Digital Marketing Officer, Corporate Communications