New service allows Santa Rosa residents to report crimes online

SANTA ROSA, Calif. -- A new service will now allow Santa Rosa residents to conveniently report certain types of crimes online, the police department announced Thursday.

The Citizens Online Police Reporting System allows residents to file certain incident types, such as minor theft, vehicle burglary, lost property and graffiti through the internet and at the reporting party's convenience, according to the police department.

Without the service, residents would normally have to travel to the police department during normal business hours to report a crime, police said.

With the new service, the reporting party can print an unofficial copy of the report immediately after submitting it.

Police personnel will then review the report and, once approved, the reporting party will receive an email with a copy of the official report attached, at no cost to the reporting party.

The approved report will then be transferred into the Santa Rosa Police Department's records management system and be handled the same as if the report had been filed in person to the police.

Additionally, reporting parties can also attach photos or documents to the report, police said.

To web-based crime reporting service is available at www.santarosapd.com.