The BC RCMP is promoting digital crime reporting.
Detachments across B.C. field over a million calls for service a year, which is nearly half the total received by the RCMP across the country.
With that in mind, the RCMP says the tool offers a way to submit reports of certain non-emergency crimes online, while receiving file numbers immediately for their records and submission for insurance claims.
It adds that the system helps officers and dispatchers dedicate their time to respond to more serious crimes or emergencies and complete required administrative tasks.
Deputy Criminal Operations Officer, Chief Superintendent Dave Attfield, says the system is not new to the BC RCMP.
“While several detachments had tested the tool a few years ago, we are confident that we have made improvements to the system to be able to implement it in several pilot communities,” he added.
“We are always looking for ways to modernize our policing operations and continue to improve our efforts in responding to calls for service. This project will help us with those goals so our front line personnel can focus on higher priority calls and also gives our residents an alternative and immediate way to report less serious offences. If successful, we will make the system available to other communities policed by the RCMP across British Columbia.”
People in these pilot communities, with a valid email address, will be able to use the online crime reporting tool to report a crime that meets the following criteria:
- your report will not require a follow up by a police officer;
- you have no witness or suspect, unless it is a driving complaint;
- you have lost something that costs less than $5000;
- Someone has stolen something from you that costs less than $5000;
- Someone has vandalized your property or car and it will cost less than $5000 to repair it; and
- There are no items involving personal identity, firearms, licence plates or decals
You can connect to the Campbell River detachment’s reporting tab here.
