Date:  June 16, 2009

For Immediate Release
Crime victims have new option for reporting some crimes

Rather than calling 911 and having a police officer or deputy respond to their location, victims can enter a report on the web using a new service from CENCOM (911). 

According to Port Orchard Police Chief Al Townsend, “When CENCOM Director Richard Kirton asked how CENCOM could improve their services; I immediately suggested an online reporting option.  I’d looked at doing this just for the Port Orchard Police Department, but the cost was prohibitive.  By all agencies participating and with CENCOM’s willingness to fund and implement the program, every agency and every community benefits.” 

The other police chiefs, the Sheriff, and CENCOM’s Policy Board agreed.  CENCOM Policy Board Chair, County Commissioner Josh Brown said, “This project is the perfect example of how government can use technology to improve our services, accessibility, and responsiveness to the public.  By deploying a simple web page we’ve given people the ability to quickly enter their information when it’s convenient for them and have the completed police report emailed to them.”   Poulsbo Mayor Katheryn Quade added, “This program also allows us to keep officers out on the street available to respond to emergency events and to proactively patrol the community.”

The web page (www.kitsap911.org/report.htm) can be used instead of calling 911 to report crimes that are not in progress and when there is no suspect information.  People wanting to use the service can access it from either the CENCOM or law enforcement agency website.  The service is available to report crimes in the city limits of Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, Port Orchard, Poulsbo; the Suquamish reservation, and the unincorporated areas of Kitsap County.  Each police agency has its own cover page and criteria for using the service.  The system uses a pooled database, so should a call be entered from the wrong agency’s site, it will still be routed to the proper responding department.

The reports submitted through the online service are reviewed by a police supervisor, just as if they had been written by an officer.  The supervisor then determines if additional information is needed or if a detective or patrol officer needs to follow up.  Once the supervisor accepts the report it’s electronically transferred to the records management system and forwarded to the records unit where additional analysis of the information is conducted.  The information submitted by the citizen through this service gets the same analysis and review that any police officer’s report does.

The speed and accuracy of this type of technology will result in quicker law enforcement response and better community protection.
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