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OKINAWA, Japan - The Criminal Investigations Division, Provost Marshal’s Office, recently created a new tool to help solve crimes within the community.
“The Anonymous Crime Tip Report is designed to allow citizens the opportunity to anonymously provide police with information about criminal activities,” said Gunnery Sgt. Carlos Ortega, CID detective, PMO, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler.
Crime tip hotlines are a common tool in the U.S. and have proven to be effective, said Ortega. Witnesses will be able to report a crime from the comfort of their home by logging onto www.marine.mil/unit/MCBButler, clicking on the COPPS icon and filling in the form.
According to PMO, the main goals of the program are to collect information about criminal activities, provide an alternate outlet for citizens to provide police officials with criminal information and increase chances that a crime will not go unreported.
The CID requests the forms be as detailed as possible, increasing the chances of putting a stop to the crime, added Ortega.
“The minimum requirements on the form are who the suspect is, what crime was committed, where it happened, when it was witnessed and how you as the witness know about this crime. If there is not enough substantial information, [law enforcement] will not be able to act upon the report,” said Ortega. “That is why it’s critical to complete the form with as much detail as possible.
The program was established due to feedback requesting an alternate way to help stop crimes, particularly Spice use, said Chief Warrant Officer Jeffery Rodriguez, officer-in-charge of CID.
“The primary avenue to report crimes is your chain of command or by notifying law enforcement personally,” said Rodriguez. “An identifiable eye-witness with a signed and sworn statement is the best evidence, but the ACT report was designed as an avenue to capture the information about crimes we would not have obtained otherwise.”
The reporting system works for crimes witnessed both on and off base. As of now, the program is being used by the Marine Corps, but the other branches are intended to integrate the system soon, according to Rodriguez.
The department is in the process of creating a 24-hour hotline for crime reporting. In the meantime, witnesses without internet or computer access are encouraged to contact their local law enforcement office.
For more information contact the PMO at 645-3978.
| Date Taken: | 03.10.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.09.2011 22:31 |
| Story ID: | 66748 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 184 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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