The Vancouver Police Department has reopened its online crime reporting system, which will allow people to report some non-emergency crimes through the department’s website.
Only crimes within the city limits can be reported, and the system is limited to the following reports:
• Graffiti, tagging, vandalism or other malicious mischief — or the willful destruction of another person’s belonging — resulting in less than $750 in property damage.
• Harassing phone calls.
• Identity theft or fraud.
• Lost property.
• Theft of less than $750 worth of property.
• Vehicle prowling or motor home break-ins.
A report for another type of crime will be rejected, which could delay the reporting process, the agency stressed.
The system is accessible through the department’s website, www.vanpolice.org. Reports made online go into the same record system used by Vancouver Police Department personnel, and they are reviewed by staff prior to final approval.
For active crimes or emergencies — fires, crashes, injuries or other in-progress threats to someone’s safety or property — dial 911.
Department spokeswoman Kim Kapp said the agency had online reporting until several years ago, when it took it down after problems with mismatched crime reports skewing crime trends.
The department is in the process of putting together its own records department, so it rolled the new online reporting system into its crime-logging system.
The department had contracted record keeping to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, but will have its own records unit starting next year.
Kapp said the department hopes the tool will better serve people trying to report crimes at odd hours, or those who’d rather not call the police dispatch center’s non-emergency line.
For non-emergencies such as thefts, nuisance complaints or abandoned vehicles, people can call the county’s non-emergency number at 311, or 360-397-3111.
Residents still will be able to report crimes to the department over the phone, 360-487-7355, during regular business hours.
