In a world of, there is an app for everything, RCMP are reminding Albertans to report criminal activity directly to law enforcement.

Police recognize that third-party public crime reporting apps including Facebook groups are helpful in fighting crime, but reports must be submitted directly to the police for them to investigate.

For law enforcement to investigate a crime it must be reported directly through conventional avenues such as 911, in person at detachments, or via a police non-emergency phone line.  

RCMP Corporal Deanna Fontaine says police understand that “People may feel that they are kind of indirectly reporting crime, but the only way we can actually investigate legitimately is through calling 911 or direct police lines.”

While third-party public crime reporting apps may notify people of crime sightings, they are not linked to the RCMP dispatch centres and reports are not forwarded to police.

Fontaine explains, “We’re kind of made aware at times, indirectly by being tagged on social media and we will as best as we can push that information back to our detachments, but it is very indirect, and it may be time delayed and it’s not as effective at calling the police directly.”

Police also encourage the practice of reporting criminal or suspicious activity to police before posting anything online including on Facebook and Twitter.

To keep up with the trends, Alberta RCMP is looking forward to launching its own app which will be linked to its online crime reporting site and the Crimestoppers tip page. Further details on the RCMP app will be released soon.

It bears repeating, if you see a crime in progress, call 911.

If it is non-urgent, report it online at https://ocre-sielc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/alberta/en or contact your nearest RCMP detachment. As always, if you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).