Safety and security are paramount concerns for those living and working in County Durham and Darlington. Unreported crime and anti-social behaviour can have a significant impact upon victims well-being and quality of life. That’s why I want to encourage residents not to suffer in silence and to report incidents to the Police. This local intelligence is vital if we are to prevent, deter and detect crime and pursue offenders, whilst protecting and supporting vulnerable victims.
Over the past couple of years, I have been working closely with the force to bring about much needed transformational change. We have invested in the latest technology and have introduced new ways of reporting crime, making it easier, more convenient and flexible to report crime and anti-social behaviour.
So now, as well as reporting crime on the phone, you have the option of using chat online or reporting directly online. These new communication methods are enabling more residents to report incidents and share valuable intelligence from the comfort of their own homes.
This information helps the force identify and respond to crime trends, hotspots, and patterns to prevent and deter criminal activities before they occur and relentlessly pursue those responsible.
By encouraging the public to share intelligence through phone calls, online chats, or other directly online, we can create a more connected and informed community that works together to reduce crime and support victims.
Ways to Report Crime
Emergency 999
Call 999 in emergency situations like these:
• there is an immediate danger to life
• someone is using violence or is threatening to
be violent
• a road traffic collision where life is at risk, or
the road is blocked
• a crime is happening right now, like a house
burglary or a theft
Silent 999 calls
• If you’re in danger, but you can’t talk on the phone, you should still call 999, then follow these instructions: If you accidentally dial 999, please stay on the line and tell the operator you’re safe and that no crime has occurred.
Non-emergency 101
Online reporting www.durham.police.uk
Your report will be dealt with by our control room in exactly the same way, whether you report it online or make a non-emergency call.
Report online or call 101 if you want to report a minor crime or incident, such as:
• a stolen item
• property damage
• a civil dispute
• if you suspect drug use or dealing in your
neighbourhood
• to share information about possible criminal
activity in your area
• antisocial behaviour
• non-urgent enquiries
Hearing or speech impairments
• If you have a hearing or speech impairment, and
you’ve pre-registered with the emergencySMS
service, you can use our textphone service
18000 or text us on 999.
• If you’re a British Sign Language (BSL) user,
you can call 999 BSL to use a remote BSL
interpreter.
Report crime anonymously to Crimestoppers
If you want to report a crime, but you don’t want to identify yourself, contact Crimestoppers
Online: crimestoppers-uk.org
By phone: 0800 555 111
0800 numbers are free from a landline and don’t show up on BT or cable phone bills.
Report fraud and cyber crime to Action Fraud
Online: actionfraud.police.uk
By phone: 0300 123 2040
If you’ve been the victim of a fraud, online fraud, cyber crime, or you suspect one is being attempted, report it to Action Fraud.