Legal Advice - Contacting The Police

IN AN EMERGENCY

Members of the public should always phone 999 in an emergency. What do police regard as an emergency?

An emergency is an incident which requires an IMMEDIATE police response e.g.

Where there is danger to life
Where there is a risk of serious injury
Where a crime is in progress or about to happen
Where an offender is still at the scene or has just left

CONTACTING INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS

How can you contact an officer or leave a message for him/her?

Call the central switchboard.

If an alternative person is on duty who may be able to help, we may transfer your call to them.

If you have the officer’s collar number and his or her full name please tell the switchboard staff. If the officer has access to voicemail or an answerphone we may put you through to this and you can leave a message. (Please note you should not use voicemail for reporting emergencies.)

REMEMBER – IT IS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY – IF IN DOUBT, RING 999

IF YOU WITNESS A CRIME

What should I do if I witness a crime?
If you see a crime or offence being committed report it - or ask someone else to report it while you continue to watch what happens.

If the incident is very serious or someone is badly injured and an immediate police response is required, call 999.

If you are a witness to an incident then you may need to describe those involved or explain in detail what actually happened. Pay attention to people's height, build, hair colour and length and in particular their clothes. Write down what you saw or describe the people involved.

What will the police want to know?

The police will normally want to know the following information:

Your name and address
The telephone number you are calling from
A main contact number (mobile or home number)
The exact location of the incident you are reporting
The nature of the incident
Descriptions of the people involved
Whether you are a witness to the incident or reporting it on behalf of someone else
If you are still watching the incident, you may be asked to stay on the line.
If you are reporting a road accident you may also be asked:

The number and type of any vehicles involved
The number and extent of injuries
Whether the road is blocked
Whether there is debris in the roadway