Alachua County Sheriff's Office

Crime Reporting Procedures

Procedures For Reporting Incidents

• Give your name, address, phone number. If you are a crime watcher, give the name of your neighborhood or apartment complex.
• Give the type of incident: suspicious person, vehicle or activity, burglary, assault, disturbance, theft, etc.
• Advise if the crime or incident is in progress or when it occurred.
• Give the location where the incident is, or was taking place.
• Give an accurate description of any person. This description should include:
  • age
  • race
  • sex
  • height
  • weight
  • hair color and style
  • clothing, facial hair
  • scars or marks
  • any other distinctive characteristic

Vehicle Description Reporting

When reporting the description of a suspicious vehicle in your neighborhood try to supply the following information:

• Color - Give top color first (black over white, etc.)
• Vinyl top, convertible
• Size: large, medium, or small
• Identifying marks
• Tag number - entire number or first three digits is helpful,
• Any dents, broken glass, broken lights, missing parts, decals, etc.
• Direction of travel. Which way were they leaving? North, south , east, or west.

Stay on the line with the operator until told to hang up.

If someone comes to the door asking to use the phone for an emergency, offer to make the call for them. Don't let them into your house.

Terminology When Reporting a Crime

Burglary

breaking and entering a house or other structure.

Robbery

the taking of money or other property by the use of force, violence, assault, or putting in fear.

Larceny

theft of property without force.

Assault

an intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to a person, coupled with an apparent ability to do so.

Battery

physical touching of a person without their permission.

Aggravated Assault

is an assault, but is now enhanced because a deadly weapon is being used.

Aggravated Battery

is a battery, intentionally or knowingly causing great bodily harm, disability, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement; or uses a deadly weapon.