Help fight crime - Be a good witness!
Observe. Record. Report.
Those three words are the key to how you can help the Calgary Police Service fight crime and keep Calgary a safe place to live and play. With Calgary’s growing population, we simply cannot be everywhere all of the time. Calgarians are the eyes and ears we rely on – and it is important that we all work together.
The Witness
In partnership with students from SAIT Polytechnic, we created a video series that follows a young man with a special power of always being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Take a look and see how he learns to use his power for good by being a good witness.
- Chapter 1: The Milk Run
- Chapter 2: The Date
- Chapter 3: The Rent Money
- Chapter 4: The Good Witness
Or you can also watch the entire series in one video.
Being a good witness
So what can you do if you see a crime? Here are a few steps to follow:
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If it is an emergency or a crime in progress, call 911 immediately.
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Move to a safe place until police arrive.
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Take note of the appearance of the people involved, including their:
- Age and gender
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Ethnicity and build
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Height and weight
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Hair colour and length
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Face shape and/or facial hair
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Eye colour and shape
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Clothing type and colour
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Anything else distinct about them
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Take note of the environment around the incident:
- Time
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Location
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Nearby vehicles, including:
- Year, make and model
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Colour
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License plate number
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Number of occupants
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Body damage, bumper stickers or decals.
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Direction of travel
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Which street it was parked/driving along when you last saw it
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Take note of what happened:
- How many people were involved
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What they did and to whom
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What was said (if you can safely hear)
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How they left the scene
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What direction were they traveling
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Report what you noted to police.
Never underestimate the power of the information you have. Something as simple as reporting a suspicious person running down the street, or part of the license plate and colour of a vehicle driving around in your neighbourhood could be the missing piece needed to solve a crime.
There is no time limit on when information is useful. If you have information about a crime that has already happened, you can always call our non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 or give your information anonymously to Crime Stoppers, either online or by calling 1-800-222-8477.