Reporting a Crime: Online vs By Phone
Reporting a crime can be a scary prospect. Especially if you’ve not experienced it before, the best way to report a crime isn’t always obvious. The different reporting methods suit different circumstances, and it’s important to know the difference.
In an emergency
In an emergency, you should call the police using 911 and seek immediate support. The emergency phone line ensures that the police can help you as soon as possible.
This is best for situations where:
- A crime is currently in progress, or you suspect that one might be
- A serious road traffic collision has taken place
- Violence is in progress or being threatened
- You or someone else is in danger or injured
Non-urgent reporting
Non-urgent reporting is the best way to report a crime when you don’t need immediate help and if you are not in immediate danger. You can also use this contact method if you want to speak to your Parish Constable, or if you would like to provide information about an existing case.
There are multiple ways to report a crime if the situation is not an emergency.
Telephone reporting
The non-urgent crime hotline in Bermuda is 211. You can still report directly to the police using this line, but using this hotline in non-urgent cases makes sure that the emergency line is free for those who really need it.
Telephone reporting is ideal for people who are not confident with online forms, but still want to report from the comfort of your own home.
Online reporting
Reporting a crime online is becoming more and more common with modern technology. Online reporting forms ask for details of the crime and submit them to a secure platform for police attention. Sometimes, police will follow-up with you afterwards, and may give you a specific reference number that you can use to check the status of the report.
You can report a crime directly to the police using the community reporting portal in Bermuda. Most other countries have their own official reporting platforms, which feed the details to the appropriate police force.
Deciding how to report
It can be difficult to know which way is best to report your crime. Crimes that can be reported in non-urgent ways include vandalism, theft, burglary, harassment and stalking, drug crime, fraud, cyber-crime and anti-social behaviour. However, there are exceptions to this, so if you believe you are in danger, use the emergency line.
Telephone reports and online reports are treated the same, so it’s up to you which is the most convenient.
Anonymous reporting
There are many reasons why you may not want the police to know your identity when reporting a crime. Platforms like Crime Stoppers allow you to pass on the details of a crime without giving the police access to your identity.
Report a crime anonymously
Crime Stoppers Bermuda allows you to report a non-urgent crime either online or by phone. Our systems do not store your number or IP address, leaving you completely untraceable. Use our online form or call 800-8477 to anonymously report.
