- 1). Remain calm. Many people who witness a crime or who are victims of crime have a tendency to panic. If you are in a state of panic you will be unable to accurately report a crime to the police. Take a few deep breaths if you need to before deciding what to do.
- 2). Monitor the situation to ensure that you are indeed witnessing a crime, or double-check facts to be sure that a crime has likely been committed. In major cities, police are flooded with crime reports, and misreporting a crime diverts police from more important matters. At the same time, however, do not be overly cautious. The sooner police respond to a legitimate crime scene, the more likely it is that the criminal will be caught.
- 3). Call the police. Across North America, dialing 911 will put you in touch with an emergency police dispatcher. Describe the situation to the operator and follow the operator's instructions. Do not hang up until the police arrive or the operator tells you that it is OK.
- 4). Visit your city's police department website for a number to call in non-emergency situations. Most cities and towns have a secondary number that is better to call if the situation is not urgent. Evidence of a crime that seems to have been committed some time ago may be reason to call a non-emergency number.
- 5). Use the FBI Tips and Public Leads website to report more serious criminal acts. Tips can often be reported anonymously through this service, if you are worried about being connected with the crime. Independent organizations like Crime Stoppers also often allow individuals to report a crime anonymously.
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