Force goes on line to let people report minor crime

The online feature on the website has been rolled out across the force's area following a successful pilot in the Kirklees division. West Yorkshire Police said the pilot scheme saw on-line recording increase by 100 per cent in the last month alone.

Chief Inspector Vicki White, of West Yorkshire Police's communications division, said online crime reporting offers people easy access to the force's services. "The system can be used for reporting crime that isn't an emergency or a road accident.

"The online crime reporting tool ensures all sections of the public have fair and easy access to our services, at a time that is reasonable and suitable to them.

"A further useful option gives people the chance to book a call back from the police to report non-emergency matters."

People can also use the website to report lost property and to tell the police what they think of the service they have received.

West Yorkshire Police web communications manager Patrick Brooke said the online crime reporting tool was a time-saving public feature added to the site. "We now have online satisfaction and dissatisfaction forms where people can give police a thumbs up, or thumbs down if they are not happy, as well as lost-property reporting.

"All these will save people time if they don't need to speak to someone on the phone, or call in at a police station.

"The website along with our social media sites is increasingly being used as a way of finding out about public feedback and concerns and recently we have introduced a simple feedback system on our news section where the public can comment on press releases. Any feedback is circulated to the police teams involved in the story to help them make improvements."

The online minor crime system can be used by social media users on the force's Facebook web page – www.facebook.

com/westyorkshirepolice

The site has about 5,000 subscribers, many of who leave "useful and regular" comments. Now users of the social networking site, Facebook, can click a "report a crime" tab at the top of the page and follow a direct link to take them through the crime reporting page on the West Yorkshire Police website.

People will receive a crime reference number within 24 hours and all information given on the form will be confidential.

West Yorkshire Police stress that if a crime is taking place people should call 999.