Reporting crime

You may have information you think the police need to know but you may not want to get involved, particularly if you know that there are other witnesses who can report the crime. If this is the case, what you have witnessed may still help, as the police need as much information as possible.

Ways of reporting a crime

There are a number of ways of reporting a crime:

in an emergency dial 999
for non-urgent matters call into your local police station or ring the police on 0845 600 8000 (operators will transfer your call to your local police station)
if you do not want to give your name, dial the Crimestoppers helpline on 0800 555 111
report minor incidents of hate crime on the PSNI website
third-party reporting – if you really do not want to report the crime yourself, someone else can report it for you

PSNI website

What should I tell the police?

Wherever possible you should tell the police:

as much information as you can about the incident (location, time, descriptions of those involved)
if you know who the victim is or how they might be able to contact them
if you are worried about your own or your family's safety so that they can give you appropriate advice
if you think the offence was aggravated by sectarian or racial abuse or hatred or any other form of hostility such as homophobia or based on disability
details of any other witnesses
how the crime has affected you
if you have more information about the crime
your contact details in case the police need to speak to you again

And later:

tell the police if you change your address or telephone number as they or the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) my need to contact you again
if you notice any further changes since the incident as to how the crime has affected you

Reasons for reporting a crime

Don't worry if you decide not to report what you know about a crime to the police at the time it happened. You can tell them what you know at a later date.

If you do decide to report what you know to the police be assured that they will be sensitive to your concerns. The information you give them can:

help to bring the person who committed the crime to justice – this could help to prevent further crimes and protect others from becoming victims
help your community - all crimes and anti social behaviour have a negative effect and reporting them can help the problem be addressed
help you - you may find it helps to talk about what has happened and your feelings about it

Can I report a crime for someone else?

The police do prefer that the victim reports the incident directly, because they will know the full details of what happened, but they will be sympathetic to other people making the initial report of the crime. Particularly, in those cases where the victim feels unable to because of the distress it has caused them.

Who else can help?

You may know the victim and be aware that they are concerned about talking to the police. In such instances, they may find it helpful to talk to someone else for support. Victim Support NI, which is an independent local charity, offers emotional and practical support for victims and witnesses, whether or not they decide to report the crime.