Crime reporting goes virtual with Monterey PD’s new online service.

With the same convenience of shopping or ordering dinner online, residents can now report some crimes committed in Monterey in a few clicks, without the hassle of going to the police station or waiting for an officer to arrive on the scene.

The Monterey Police Department launched the Coplogic software program on June 12. Crimes eligible for online reporting include custody order violations, graffiti and vandalism, harassing phone calls, identity theft, property theft and lost property.

Most of those are crimes where there are no leads for investigators, but a report is still needed for things like filing insurance claims, Lt. Marty Hart says. People can still request to speak to an officer in person; using the online service is voluntary.

“It’s really more beneficial to the public, giving them another resource to use,” he says. “It allows you to do it over the internet, so you can do it from the comfort of home or a coffee shop.”

It also benefits police, since it means not having to divert officers from patrol or other duties to take reports, Hart says. The reports get reviewed by staff in the Records Division. If it appears the crime in question is more serious, or includes leads that officers can investigate, the online report is rejected and the victim is invited to make an in-person report.

Monterey PD opted to use the program after seeing the success the Marina Police Department has had using the same program for the past two years. Marina Police get about 15 reports a month on Coplogic – which costs them $5,000 a year – compared to 250 in person.