Online crime reporting available from Sheriff’s Office

Non-emergency crime reporting has been made easier through a service made available by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO).

For some crimes that have occurred outside the Ferndale, or any, city limits, instead of calling 911 you can take advantage of the WCSO online reporting service.

According to the WCSO website, the service is intended to

provide citizens with a simple process for reporting incidents in which there are no known suspects, and where the reason for filing the report is for documentation only, or where a case number is needed for reporting to an insurance company or financial institution. Cases reported online are not normally investigated by the Sheriff’s Office.

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The service is not intended to be used

* If you are the victim of a crime that is in progress or just occurred.
* If you are witnessing a crime that is in progress or just occurred.
* If you are the victim of a crime and the suspect is still in the area.
* If you have a need to immediate police response to a crime.
* If you need to report a fire.
* If there is a medical emergency.

Crimes that can be reported online include

• Theft, except for burglaries (when items were taken while someone was in your home or business without permission), when there are no suspects
• Vehicle prowl when there is no suspect
• Fraud or internet theft (when your personal information was used without your permission to obtain goods or services over the internet)
• Lost property
• Telephone Harassment
• Littering/Illegal Dumping and abandoned vehicles
• Extra patrol requests when random patrols can deter ongoing traffic problems or suspicious activity
• Malicious mischief (e.g. graffiti, damage to a vehicle, damage to property)

WCSO advises the online reporting service does not provide information to 911 dispatchers and should not be used for situations which require an immediate response.