Policy Text
Policy
348Fremont Police Department
Telephone and On-Line Reports
348.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines and procedures regarding the telephone
reporting system and the on-line reporting system to better service members of the community.
It is the policy of the Fremont Police Department to provide timely and efficient telephone reporting
services and on-line reporting services to the community.
348.2 PROCEDURES FOR TELEPHONE REPORTS
The telephone reporting system has been implemented in order to reduce the amount of time patrol
officers spend on "cold," or "no suspect known" reports, and thereby, enhance the Department's
ability to deal with the increasing demand for police response to in-progress, known suspect
related crime, and to perform problem solving efforts.It is more convenient for some members of
the community to report crime in this manner.
(a)The Fremont Police Department will respond to incidents in-progress and all crimes
with evidence or information leading to the suspect and his/her apprehension, or if the
incident just occurred and there is a likelihood the suspect may still be in the area.
However, the following crimes and reports may be referred to the Desk Officer for a
phone report under the following guidelines:
1.All petty/grand thefts with no suspect information when the property value is
under $25,000, excluding firearms and materials threatening to public safety,
i.e., explosives or highly toxic substances.
2.Auto burglaries with no suspect information (only in the situation when the victim
is unable to receive a phone call or meet with an officer)
3.Garage burglaries with no forced entry or suspect information.
4.Stolen vehicles attempts with no suspect information.
5.Vandalism that is not a Hate Crime (per policy 338) with no suspect information
and under the felony limit of $400.00. Graffiti reports will still be handled by the
graffiti officer or patrol.
6.Annoying telephone calls with no suspect information.
7.Lost property reports.
(b)Communications Personnel Responsibilities when a telephone report is warranted:
1.When Communications personnel receive a call from a citizen wishing to report
an incident, the Communications Dispatcher shall screen the call according
to current practice. When it is determined the call falls within the scope of a
telephone report, the Communications Dispatcher shall:
(a)Complete the incident information, including: Name of the reporting party
and the location of occurrence.
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(b)Inform the caller this will be a callback telephone report and the hours of
the telephone report desk.
2.Record telephone callback numbers including home, work, and cellular or pager
(if available), and note the best location and best hours to call.
3.Route the call to a telephone report list in the computer system.
4.The Communications Dispatcher will take the time to assure the report is, in fact,
a cold report and not in progress, that the case did not just occur and the victims
do not have a suspect description, and there is no visible evidence at the scene
(screwdriver, hammer, blood). If there is visible evidence at the scene but no
known suspects, a C.S.O. may be sent.
5.The Communications Dispatcher has the option of sending an officer/C.S.O.
to the scene if it is determined to be in the best interest of the citizen and/or
Department.
6.When a Desk Officer is busy at the front desk taking another report,
Communications personnel should not attempt to break the Desk Officer from
that assignment until it is complete.
(c)Desk Officer responsibilities when accepting a telephone report:
(a)Upon contact with the victim, an inquiry should be made if there are multiple
incidents in the area during the same time period or if there is evidence to
indicate a possible crime pattern.
(b)The Desk Officer shall complete the report in a timely manner and assign
the report to the court liaison folder. The Desk Officer may also refer theft
victims to the Community Engagement Unit for assistance with crime prevention
information.
(c)When a telephone report is entered and held for later reporting, and the reporting
person could not be contacted within two days (with a minimum of two no
answers on call back or two messages left on a recorder), the officer may change
the incident status to "Adj." Each attempted contact shall be put into the Incident
History of the detail, including the date and the officer's badge number.
(d)Communications will enter the best time for victim contact into the Incident
History.
(d)Field Officer/C.S.O. responsibilities concerning telephone reporting:
(a)When an officer/C.S.O. is flagged down by a citizen in order to make a report, if
the officer/C.S.O. is not en route to another detail, he/she shall take the report
from the citizen.
(b)When field officers or C.S.O.'s are responsible for the telephone reports, they
will attempt to complete their duty as quickly as possible and return to the street
if that is their regular assignment.
(e)Auto Theft, Missing Persons, Incorrigibles, and Incorrigible Closeouts:
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(a)When any one of the above details is entered into the waiting details by Dispatch,
the Desk Officer may take these calls if requested to by Communications
personnel, or on his/her own initiative.
(a)To avoid these details holding without having the appropriate S.V.S