There’s a new way to file police reports with the New Boston Police Department.
With many police departments worried about taking in-person reports due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the NBPD has added a new feature to their Police Department website www.newbostonpolice.com.
Residents can now file a police report online. This online filing system isn’t meant for violent or serious crimes. You should still call 9-1-1 if a crime is in progress, someone is injured or in danger, or if you need any type of help right now.
The goal is to save time and conserve resources. An officer who might normally come out to your home to take down the minor report can be available for responding to emergency calls.
Crimes to Report Online
- Petty Theft, including Shoplifting Incidents under $1000 value.
- Theft of items from a Motor Vehicle where loss value is under $1000.
- Medication Theft.
- Identity Theft/Stolen Credit Card Use, Fraud.
- Phone, Computer, Text Harassment.
- Criminal Mischief (Tampering with your property, but no damage).
- Damage to Property Under $1000 value (i.e. vehicle, or other property).
- Burglary and Breaking and Entering into Unoccupied Structures (i.e. vacant houses, business structures, garages).
- Trespassing onto your property where the person has already left the area.
- A traffic accident (most generally on private property) where there was no injuries or claimed injuries and you have already exchanged information with the other driver or property owner.
DON’T Report These Crimes Online
- Emergencies or crimes in progress.
- Auto accidents where there are injuries or hit-skips.
- Stolen vehicles or firearm.
- Theft or property damage where the value of loss is over $1000.
- Hate crime or bias related crime.
- Crimes of violence (i.e. assaults, domestic violence/threats, stalking, robbery by force, burglary where home was occupied, breaking and entering into a occupied business structure, sex related crimes).
- Missing person or child.
- Injured person or persons
- Crimes with physical evidence connected to the incident that needs to be collected by an Officer (i.e. blood, tools or items left by the suspect, obvious fingerprints, security surveillance video footage where it could be lost if not secured or copied right away).
Here’s how to use it. Head over to their website. Look for the File a Report Online tab.
Open on your phone and scroll down to File a Report Online.
You’ll then see a whole lot of information about who should and shouldn’t file reports online and learn what types of information to include with your report. Just keep scrolling and you’ll get to the buttons for filing either a police or accident report.
Select your crime.
Add date and time information.
Then add the description followed by your name, address, and contact information.
You’ll have the option to print the report before submitting. An officer will get in touch with you, if necessary, after the report is filed.
According to the NBPD:
“The Online Crime & Incident Reporting System is designed to make it easier and more convenient to file a police report without leaving your home and by using this report system an Officer who usually responds to a call to make a minor report can now spend that time responding to more urgent emergency calls. Once a report is filed online and reviewed an Officer will be contacting you. This Online Report System is not for crimes in progress or emergencies in progress, for those you need to call 9-1-1 or Dispatch at (740)456-4109″