Filing a Police Report: How to Do It and Why It Matters
“Did you file a police report?”
This is the first question asked of those who have suffered from a crime or witnessed one.
The official name of this document is a “Statement on a criminal offense or other event.”
And in response we hear:
“Why should I file a report? Isn’t calling the police enough?”
No, it is not enough.
An investigation begins not with a call to the police, but with the crime being entered into the register of pre-trial investigations. You have probably heard more than once: “the police didn’t register the crime,” “the police aren’t investigating the attack,” and so on. This is exactly why you need to file an official crime report with the police — to be sure the crime will be investigated.
And so that the police cannot groundlessly refuse to accept your report, today we will walk through the details of writing and filing one. Though I sincerely hope you will never have to, and that neither you nor your friends and loved ones will find yourselves in trouble.
“I was only a witness — can I file a crime report?”
Yes — be sure to file a police report stating all the circumstances of the crime.
Certain crimes are investigated only if the victim files a report (the full list is in Article 477 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine). But your report as a witness — about domestic violence, sexual harassment, and so on — may be exactly what helps the victims realize they have support!
Do not be alarmed if you hear police officers, lawyers, and attorneys use terms like “criminal offense” and “criminal misdemeanor” — these are two separate legal terms. There is a difference between them, but the ways to report a crime and the form of the statement are the same.
“Which police station can I go to?”
You can file a crime report at any police station, even in another city.
However, the investigation will still be conducted by the station closest to where the crime took place, so it makes sense to file your report there right away.
“How do I report a crime?”
The most common ways to report a crime:
- Call the 102 hotline, describe the situation, and follow the instructions you are given.
Note that you may have to wait quite a while for the police unit to arrive, but this is necessary, since the officers will need to interview you and/or draw up a special report recording your statement.
- Try calling the police through the My Pol mobile app and, as above, wait for the police to arrive.
- Go to a police station in person and report the crime verbally.
In this case, the information you provide is recorded by a police officer in the appropriate report.
Remember: you must be given a receipt slip confirming that your statement (notification) on a criminal offense or other event has been accepted and registered.
Make sure the police officer fills out this slip. It must show your details as the person filing the report, a brief description of the events you reported, the name of the police unit registering the statement, the statement number, a contact phone number you can call for updates on your statement, and the officer’s signature with their surname and initials. We will discuss why this matters in a separate section.
- File a written crime report with the police station’s records office.
It is worth preparing this statement in advance, ideally in two copies (one goes to the police, the other stays with you, stamped as received).
The statement must be titled “statement on a criminal offense or other event.” The text must include the name of the police station you are addressing, your surname, first name, and patronymic, your phone number, a brief account and description of the events and circumstances that may indicate a crime (with a detailed description of the situation), and any evidence you have (photos or video recordings).
If you know it, you can also include a preliminary legal classification of the crime with the relevant article of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, plus the date and your signature.
Be sure to state that you are aware of the criminal liability under Article 383 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for knowingly false reporting of a criminal offense.
- Send the crime report by mail.
To do this, send it as an insured letter and fill out a list of enclosures (you can get the form at the post office). In the list of enclosures, state that you are sending a crime report. This method lets you prove the letter was sent and track exactly when the police receive your statement. The requirements for the text are in the previous point.
You can choose any of these options, or others not listed here — for example, filing by email. But I recommend options 3, 4, and 5, as they give you tangible proof that the report was filed.
Author: Oksana Huz, attorney and expert at Insight NGO
Author: Oksana Huz