Can I call the police department to report a problem and still remain anonymous?
Yes you can. There is no requirement to give your name or address when making a call to the police department. However, it is extremely helpful if the responding officer has someone to contact either in person or by telephone to get more specific information to effectively address the problem. Many times officers respond to an anonymous call about an incident and either cannot find the origin of the problem with the information given or the situation changes prior to their arrival but they have no way of knowing that. This can result in frustrated officers and the citizen feeling that the police department didn’t do anything about their call. We realize that in some circumstances, a person may not want neighbors to know that they have called the police and they don’t want an officer to come to their door. However, something as simple as a telephone number by which to reach the complainant can make a significant difference in whether or not a situation is corrected or goes undiscovered
