Which reporting channel should you use?

If a person may be in immediate danger, a crime is in progress, or urgent police, fire, or medical assistance is needed, call 911 or the appropriate local emergency number.

Do not wait for an app notification, a support reply, or a response to a tip.

Where the reporting capability is active, Lucas can direct information to a selected participating agency. Review its limitations and privacy notices. Agency monitoring and a response are not guaranteed.

Use the support contact for account, functionality, or privacy-request questions. The marketing website does not accept public safety reports. Do not send sensitive evidence or an emergency account to a business inquiry form.

A product support email is convenient for an account question. A department’s approved non-emergency process is appropriate for matters it accepts through that channel. An immediate need for police, fire or medical assistance calls for the emergency service. The fact that an app is open should not determine which of those needs you have.

Local reporting rules can also depend on the kind of incident and the evidence involved. Read the agency’s official instructions before beginning a self-service report. A website’s general description cannot establish that every incident or attachment is eligible for a local online process.

Once you have selected the appropriate non-emergency channel, explain what you personally observed, where it happened and when. Say which details are approximate. If responding to a public request, identify the issuing agency and relevant context so the recipient can understand the connection.

For a Lucas feature, confirm that the agency participates and that the reporting path is active. For a business inquiry to Detailr Corp, leave out case evidence and private third-party details. Keeping those conversations separate helps a product question reach support without creating the mistaken expectation of police monitoring.

A tip can add information to an existing request or communicate an observation. A formal incident report can require a different process, identity information and review. Do not assume that completing an app submission creates an approved police report or a final report number.

Read the receipt and the agency’s instructions carefully. If a service issues a temporary reference, follow its explanation of what that reference means. The status of one submission does not establish that an investigation has begun or that an officer will respond.

If the situation changes and urgent assistance becomes necessary, use the appropriate urgent channel. Do not rely on the time a message was sent as evidence that it has already been read.

If you need a formal report for an administrative purpose, ask the responsible agency how its reporting process works. Do not rely on an app confirmation as proof that this separate requirement has been met. The agency’s current instructions are the appropriate source for that distinction.

Give a clear place and approximate time, explain what you personally observed and distinguish it from information repeated by someone else. If you are responding to a public request, include the relevant case reference where the service allows it.

Keep originals of relevant media and follow the receiving agency’s instructions for providing a copy. Product support can explain an app question but is not the place to send evidence. A privacy question can usually begin without any case material attached.

For Lucas and Sentinel business or support inquiries, use the direct contact page. For a report or a request for assistance, return to the responsible agency’s official service. Choosing the recipient is part of making the account useful.

Source: FBI: providing useful information in a tip