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Vancouver Police Department does away with online reporting

Work increased for staff who had to review, OK online reports, police said

By Emily Gillespie, Columbian Breaking News Reporter
Published: May 13, 2017, 6:08am

The Vancouver Police Department on Friday eliminated its online reporting system, saying that it was increasing workloads for police staff instead of lessening it.

The online reporting system, which the agency described as a convenient online format, was intended to allow people to enter lower-priority crimes into the same electronic reporting system used by department personnel.

Reports were reviewed by staff prior to final approval, and that’s where the extra work came into play.

The department assessed the system, which was in place for nearly seven months, and found a significant increase in workload for department staff responsible for reviewing and approving the online reports, the Vancouver Police Department reported.

Department personnel were often correcting miscategorized crimes, following up on missing narrative information and directing follow-up for crimes that should not be reported using the online system.

The department recently hired additional police service technicians in an effort to be more effective and efficient, increase customer service, and increase police officer services.

Police service technicians are able to take the same reports as those made online via telephone and in-person, as some of the technicians will be assigned to the patrol division to respond to lower-priority crimes seven days a week.

Those crimes include harassment phone calls, identity theft or fraud, lost property and vehicle prowl. They also include graffiti, malicious mischief and theft that amounts to damage or loss of less than $750.

To report lower-priority crimes, people can call 311 or the Vancouver Police Department at 360-487-7500 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, excluding holidays.

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Columbian Breaking News Reporter