APD launches new non-emergency online reporting system

APD says this system allows the report to be accepted into the official offense report database within hours or a similar time frame as if an officer wrote the report.

AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Police Department has launched a new non-emergency online reporting system that uses AI to communicate with the community.

APD says it has partnered with Versaterm Public Safety’s Case Service to launch the system via ireportaustin.com.

Case Service is an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant that instantly communicates with community members through voice, mobile, web, and text. The AI assistant conducts a full interview with the person filing a report and provides key information to the police department.

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APD says this system allows the report to be accepted into the official offense report database within hours or a similar time frame as if an officer wrote the report. This platform reduces wait times for community members and speeds up the investigation process.

"We are confident this technology will streamline the reporting process, alleviate the current backlog for APD non-emergency requests submitted via 3-1-1, and provide community members personalized attention to their incidents," APD said in a release. "Upon successful deployment of this first phase, APD plans to expand the use of Case Service further."

PRESS CONFERENCE: APD launches new non-emergency online reporting system

Austin police hosted a news conference to provide information and answer questions about the new reporting system.

To file a report online, the following guidelines must be met:

No immediate danger to people or property
The suspect is no longer on-scene
The reporting party must be 17 years old or older and have a valid email address

The online system accepts the following report types:

Assault (minor or no injury, excluding domestic violence)
Threats (excluding domestic violence)
Burglary that does not involve fire/arson
Theft (excluding prescriptions, firearms, explosives, vehicle license plates, and motor vehicles of any kind)
Lost or missing property (excluding narcotic prescription medication, vehicle license plates, and firearms)
Damaged property or Graffiti
Fraud
Harassment
Counterfeiting or Forgery
Identity theft
Illegal use of a credit or debit card
Minor, non-criminal child custody issues for documentation only
Trespassing (suspect no longer on scene)
Shoplifting reports

Once a report is submitted, the submitter will receive confirmation via email with the assigned case number. If a supplement needs to be added later, community members can create a new report and provide the original case number when prompted.

MORE: Almost 1 in 4 APD non-emergency service requests from Oct. 2021-2022 closed due to missed callbacks

The new reporting system supports multiple languages including English, Arabic, French, Hindi, Korean, Simplified, and Traditional Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese, among other languages.