Officers will respond to all in-progress incidents, all crimes where there is evidence to be collected, and any incident where the crime just occurred and there is a likelihood the suspect may still be in the area.

In addition, the department provides two options for members of the public to make a police report remotely:

  1. Online reporting, or
  2. by phone to an officer, also referred to as teleserve.

Online reporting can be accessed by clicking on the “file a police report” link on stpaul.gov/police, or by going directly to stpaul.gov/PoliceReport.

A teleserve officer may be contacted during normal business hours by calling the Ramsey County Emergency Communications Center (RCECC) at 651-291-1111.

To qualify for either option, the report must meet certain requirements, as listed below.

Reporting Requirements:

The following criteria must be met in order to submit a report online or by phone:

  • The incident must not be an emergency (non-emergency reports only)

  • The incident must have occurred within the Saint Paul city limits

  • The incident must not have occurred on a state freeway or highway

  • The complainant filing the report must be an adult (age 18 or over)

  • The incident must not be a bias motivated crime

  • Lost, damaged, or stolen items must not include firearms or other materials that threaten public safety (ex. explosives or toxic substances)

The following types of criminal reports may be referred to the online reporting system or teleserve:

  • Criminal damage to property

  • Illegal dumping

  • Harassing phone calls

  • Lost property

  • Theft from auto (exception of stolen license plates)

  • Fraud and forgery

  • Detached garage burglary

  • Informational reports

  • Theft

Personnel Responsibilities:

Upon receiving a request to make a police report about an incident, the RCECC operator or desk officer will determine if the incident meets the referral requirements.  If so, the following steps should be taken:

  • Determine if the complainant has internet access.If they do not, provide the complainant with information about the locations of online reporting kiosks in police headquarters, East District, West District, or any St. Paul Library.

  • Explain the online reporting system. The link can be located at stpaul.gov/police  or stpaul.gov/PoliceReport.

  • If there is an Americans with Disability Act (ADA) related concern or other barrier that prevents the complainant from being able to complete an online report, provide information on how to contact a teleserve officer or other reasonable accommodations that would allow the complainant to complete their report.

  • When accessible, online reporting or teleserve are the preferred methods of reporting these types of incidents.Based on the totality of the situation, it may be necessary to dispatch an officer to these types of incidents.

    Operations personnel working one of the department’s desk officer positions are responsible for completing teleserve reports as well as reviewing and approving online reports.  Desk officers must check the online reporting queue for reports pending approval no fewer than two times during their shift.  Reviewing and approving the reports in a timely fashion is part of delivering trusted service with respect and good customer service.  Instructions are available on the SPPD Technology Intranet page or by contacting the Technology Unit.

    When reviewing each report, the desk officer will do the following:

  • Confirm that all online reporting criteria have been met.

  • Ensure that all submitted reports are as complete and accurate as possible.

  • Confirm that the elements of the crime being reported are reflected in the narrative.

If additional information is needed, the desk officer will send a follow-up email to the complainant outlining what information is needed.  The desk officer should not make grammatical corrections to the complainant’s report.

For any crime that took place outside of the Saint Paul Police Department’s jurisdiction, the desk officer must reject the report and initiate an e-mail to the complainant with directions as to how to report the incident to the proper agency.

Once the online report is approved by the desk officer, it is routed to the records unit review queue. Records unit staff will review the report and assign it to online reporting.  Because the department accepts online reports that may contain suspect information or need investigative follow-up, all incoming cases will be reviewed by a sergeant investigator.

Revised August 30, 2019

Last Edited: August 30, 2019