Dayton unveils reporting crime online

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - It now takes just a computer and a keyboard for Dayton residents to report crimes.

Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl gave a demonstration of the city's new online crime reporting system to city commissioners Wednesday morning.

"A lot of reports could be completed by this method," Biehl said. "Depends on the people's knowledge that it's out there and their willingness to try."

All you have to do is fill out forms with basic information about what happened and where. Biehl said it will save time because officers are often responding to higher priority calls while the minor ones wait.

"Minor theft from vehicle or non-vehicle vandalism, fraud, telephone harassment, things that need to be reported but don't necessarily need an officer at the scene to complete that report," explained Biehl.

The chief said any of those crimes where there's a description of who did it need to be reported the old fashioned way. Just in case, police will keep an eye on the online reports.

"Every report is reviewed by a detective," said Biehl. "If there's some reason it should be assigned for follow-up investigation it will be assigned to follow-up investigation."

Biehl said he's not sure how many people will use the online crime reporting tool. He said in places where it's been tried, people seem to like being keystroke cops.

"They said many of their citizens see it as a service improvement because they don't have to wait, they can get immediate verification that reports been accepted and report number," said Biehl. "For us it's an ability to conserve our personnel and allow them to devote time to more important incidents."

The plan is to make online reporting of those minor crimes mandatory once Dayton joins the regional dispatch system.

Until then, residents who don't have access to the internet can still call a report in by phone.