It is the role of police to respond to crime, emergencies and other calls for assistance by land, sea and air.
When a crime is reported to be occurring or has just occurred, uniformed police will generally be the first to attend the scene. As first responders, police have a duty of care to ensure the safety of the victim/s and this may include arranging for an ambulance.
The uniformed police will speak to the victim to get their personal details, ask what happened, ask the victim if they can identify the offender, ask for a description of the offender and any other information that could assist the police in finding the offender. Police may also ask for details from witnesses to the crime. Once the incident or crime has been reported to police face-to-face, you will be given a Victims Card to keep for future reference.
On the front of the card are the contact details for the officer in charge of your matter. This includes their name, phone number and COPS Event Number. If the officer is not available please ask for the supervising Sergeant.
On the reverse of the card are important contact details and QR codes to directly access information on the NSW Police Force role in responding to victims of crime and information for Domestic & Family Violence victims. It also contains information on support options for victims:
- Victims Services
- Safer Pathway
- State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA)
We will:
- Explain how we will deal with your matter and whether any further action will be taken
- Provide you with a COPS reference number and contact telephone number of the investigating officer
- If police proceed with an investigation, where possible, they will keep you informed throughout the investigation at least every 28 days until the matter is closed or suspended. Police will inform you of the status of the investigation right to the very end. This includes where an investigation cannot progress any further without further information or evidence
- Encourage you to contact police if you change your contact details and need or have any further information.
Customer service is a priority of the NSW Police Force and is what the community expects. Our customers have reasonable expectations of NSW Police, that is for NSW Police:
- to be easy to engage
- to act with empathy
- to communicate; and
- to be efficient