At last night's work session, Chief Mitch Bates presented several tools the Police Dept has been working to add to it's crime-fighting arsenal. He gave details of the online reporting system covered in the press release below but he also told of an online crime reports/mapping tool, getting accident reports online, and obtaining license plate readers and a tactical observation tower, all of which should be available relatively soon. All the acquisitions will be paid from grants, narcotic seizure funds, or existing internal funding. His presentation is available here by streaming video.   The online reporting tool should make it especially easy to report thefts and car burglaries.   I occasionally learn that someone has suffered a reportable incident but it doesn't appear in the monthly reports (such as this one for May). The victim chooses to not take the time and effort to report it. That allows a criminal to operate longer, harming more people, before being caught and makes it harder to see the affected areas and trends that would help our officers find the criminals operating in our community. With online reporting, letting the police know about the incident can be done quickly—while the details are still fresh—without ever picking up the phone or driving to the station.

Police Chief Mitch Bates

Garland Police Dept New Release:

Police Department Announces New Online Reporting System

The Garland Police Department has launched a new online reporting option for its citizens. Now the public will be able to file several types of offense reports via the internet without waiting for an officer to respond. The speed and accuracy of this web-based reporting option will result in more efficient reporting of crime and allow officers more time to address other community needs.
 
Offenses currently available for online reporting include:

1. Criminal mischief
2. Harassing phone calls
3. Identity theft
4. Lost property
5. Theft
6. Vehicle burglary

Once the report has been submitted the reporting person may print a temporary report. Submitted online reports will be reviewed by police personnel and receive the same investigation and statistical analysis as a report filed by a police officer. When the report has been approved, the submitting party will receive an email with a copy of the report attached along with the official report number.
 
The reporting system may be accessed directly by the following address:
 

www.garlandtx.gov/coplogic/start-report.html

 
or by accessing the Garland Police web site, www.garlandpolice.com, and clicking "Reports/Links," then "Citizen Online Reporting."