Howto:Report a crime

How can we make our city a safer place to live? There are many ways to achieve this goal but one of the easiest ways is to report crimes you witness immediately. The prompt reporting of any criminal or suspicious activity is crucial to the apprehension of criminals who pose a threat to our public safety. The New York City Police Department is working tirelessly to stop serious crimes, but it is difficult to fulfill their mission without our cooperation. It is our civic duty to remain vigilant, in order to protect our city. The following are the steps you can follow to report a crime:

Instructions
When you observe a crime,
 * 1) Write down what you witnessed if possible.
 * 2) Record the crime scene if you have a cell phone or video camera.
 * 3) Do not attempt to stop the criminal. Stay out of sight and report.

Steps
To report the crime by phone, call 9-1-1.


 * 1) Wait patiently until your call is answered. It often takes a few moments due to the large volume of calls.
 * 2) Give the location of where you witnessed the crime taking place. Please be sure to inform the operator exactly where the crime occurred in detail. In large buildings with multiple phone lines, the correct address might not be available to the 9-1-1 operator.  Do not assume that the operator knows your location.
 * 3) Explain briefly what you witnessed at the crime scene and what kind of crime took place. (e.g. assaults, burglaries, kidnapping, domestic disputes, terroristic threats, violation of protection orders, bias crimes, etc.)
 * 4) It is essential to give a clear and detailed description of the suspect(s) and/or vehicle.
 * 5) If the situation changes before police arrive, redial 9-1-1 and update the operator.

In the event you do not have access to a phone, you can visit a nearby precinct and notify personnel. Please click on the following link for the numbers and address of local precincts: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/home/contact_information.shtml