Police unveil online system for minor reports

BROWN COUNTY - There's a new way to report a crime to police. Instead of picking up the phone, you can now tell them online.

Brown County Sheriff's officials and others unveiled the web-based reporting system Thursday.

Officials say you should still call 911 for major crimes. The online reporting system is designed for people to get information to police about minor incidents.

Law enforcement agencies say this initiative will help save both them and the public time and money

"In this time of shrinking resources where our deputies have more and more calls to go to, this is a resource that hopefully we can keep the deputies heading to some of the higher priority calls," said Brown County Sheriff's Captain Keith Deneys.

Brown County sheriff's officials say examples of minor crimes include vandalism, identity theft, lost property and harassing phone calls.

The online reports will be monitored daily. Sheriff's officials say an investigation will be done, if it is warranted. But how long will that take?

"It would depend on the case, and it would depend on the volume of workload that's coming in through the records division. I would say probably a day or two," Deneys said.

Will this initiative create an influx of work because it's easier to report a crime? Captain Deneys says there will likely be a reduction.

"If we can take calls away from those officers, and put them on this website, it's going to reduce that cost," said Deneys.

Besides Brown County, other area law enforcement agencies will eventually roll out the online reporting tool.

That includes the Hobart-Lawrence and De Pere Police Departments along with Ashwaubenon Public Safety.

The Brown County Public Safety Communications Center handles calls for these agencies.  

"We get about 30 thousand calls a month. Only five thousand of those calls are 911 calls, so the other 25 thousand are administrative or non-emergency calls," said Cullen Peltier, the center's interim director.

Peltier says the online reporting system will greatly reduce the volume of those non-emergency calls which can burden busy staff.

"Now we can direct the citizens to the online reporting site, and then our job is done at that point, and it's over to the sheriff's department," Peltier said.

Captain Deneys says if someone wants an officer to respond, dispatchers will send one.

Also, if the crime involves a suspect, injury or weapon - you should call 911.

The Brown County Sheriff's Department online reporting site is active. You can access it by clicking here .