Palatine police offer system for filing police reports online

The Palatine Police Department has launched an online reporting system allowing residents to file non-emergency reports without waiting for an officer to respond in person.

To file a report online, visit: https://palatine.nwcds.org/

Police Chief William Nord updated the village council last week on the system, which had a soft launch last month and has seen more than 40 reports submitted.

The system was developed by a programmer who worked with Northwest Central Dispatch and Schaumburg police, Nord said.

Up to 30% of reports eventually could be handled online, officials said.

The system interfaces with the department’s records management system and has no effect on the budget.

The system accepts the reports for a broad range of incidents, such as credit card fraud, criminal damage to vehicle, identity theft, lost property, online and telephone harassment, theft and vandalism.

All submitted reports are reviewed by supervisors in the investigations bureau. If reports are accepted, residents are automatically emailed a PDF copy.

“It allows our officers to focus on priority calls and proactive policing,” Nord said.

However, the system is not a substitute for calling 911 or meeting with an officer in person.

“If a resident wants to speak with an officer, they can have an officer come to their residence or come to the police department,” Nord said. “If they have video, if they have a suspect description, that’s the type of thing that’s going to require an officer to take the report.”

According to the village’s website, someone should call 911 immediately if a crime is in progress, to report a suspect’s identity or location, evidence needs collecting or they want an officer to respond.