(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Community safety

Police encouraging residents to ‘click’ on crime

Feb 12, 2020 | 2:00 PM

Statistics provided by the Prince Albert Police Service estimate over $30,000 was saved last year as more people report crimes online.

This is the third year for the service which offers residents a fast and easy way to report various crimes. The initiative allows police officers to focus more of their time on more urgent matters. Police Chief Jon Bergen said the online service is a really good option.

“If it’s not reported to police, we don’t know about it and we can’t do anything with it,” he said.

When an online report is received, it’s transferred into the Prince Albert Police Service Records Management System and receives the same investigation as if a police officer visited the complainant in person to hear the report.

According to PAPS, an in-person report costs roughly $55. With the new online system, it’s saved officers 820 hours. Of a total 12,270 incident reports last year, 551 of them were reported online.

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“The numbers are fairly consistent from 2018 to 2019 so we haven’t seen much of a change but we really want to promote this option to the public,” Bergen said.

According to statistics provided at this week’s Board of Police Commissioners meeting, the most common complaints to police were for 179 files involving either mischief or willful damage to vehicles. That was followed by files involving 140 thefts under $5,000 from vehicles, and 70 reports of theft under $5,000.

Effective last October, the online service was enhanced to include “secure report writing” which allows loss prevention officers working in stores and businesses access to a secure login.

“When they can report online, it frees them up too. They don’t have to wait for a police response to a non-urgent priority call and they can report the information at their convenience and it’s seen by a police supervisor to determine whether it goes out for follow-up or not,” Bergen said.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell