How do I report a crime?
Crimes should be reported to the police as reporting can benefit the health and wellbeing of you and your community.
Contact the police
There are different ways to contact the NSW Police Force to report a crime:
- In an emergency, if you or someone else is in danger call Triple Zero 000 and ask for 'Police'.
- If you are not in danger and an urgent police response is not needed, phone the NSW Police Assistance Line (PAL) on 131 444.
- You may prefer to telephone or attend your local police station and speak to a police officer there. You can find the phone number and location of your local police station using the NSW Police Force website homepage: www.police.nsw.gov.au
Information to report
When a crime is reported to the police they may ask:
- for details of the crime
- for contact details of the person making the report
- whether you wish to make a detailed statement about what happened, either when you report the crime or at a later date.
Information provided by the police
Once the crime is reported, the police will:
- tell you what they are going to do
- give you a reference number (also known as COPS Event number) and the telephone number of the investigating officer
- keep you informed throughout the investigation and, if possible, tell you about the outcome
- encourage you to contact the police if you need or have any further information.
Police / Victim card
When you report a crime to a police officer you will be given a Police/Victim Card to keep for future reference.
On the front of the card are the contact details for the police officer in charge of the investigation - the name of the police officer, police station, phone number and the reference number or COPS Event number for your matter.
On the back of the card you will find some of the important rights for victims of crime and contact details for the Victims Access Line if you need support or referrals.
These cards are pre-printed for each police Local Area Command - see sample card (pdf 135Kb) for Parramatta Local Area Command.
Having a support person
You can choose to have a relative, friend, or other support person with you when you report to the police or make a statement. A support person cannot however participate in the statement interview.
If you wish you can also phone the Victims Access Line on 1800 633 063 (24 hours, seven days a week) to discuss your support needs or any concerns you may have about reporting a crime.
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