What Do I Say? How to Best Report a Crime in Southern Utah

Imagine this, you’re going about your usual daily routine when you suddenly see an armed individual enter a small business. What should you do? What do you tell the police? 

I spoke with Public Information Officer Tiffany Mitchell of the St. George Police Department to find answers to these question from the perspective of a police officer. 

First, let’s start with who to call depending on the situation. Officer Mitchell said there are many ways to get in contact with the authorities besides 911. 

Officer Mitchell said, “So, if it’s in progress, maybe someone’s in danger or it’s happening in front of you, 911 is always the best option. You can text 911 just like you could text anyone else, but there is a little bit of a delay with that. If it’s not so much in progress, or it’s suspicious, or you’re just not quite sure, then our non-emergency number would be appropriate, which is 435-627-4300.” 

You can also notify the police of a crime by using the SGPD’s website. Along with the website, the SGPD has an anonymous tip line for anyone wishing to remain on the down low when reporting a crime. That number 435-627-4290. 

Now that you know which number to call, you need to know what to tell the police. Officer Mitchell said the more information you can gather, the better. 

Officer Mitchell said, “We always ask people to be a good witness. So, that means the description of the person, the description of a vehicle if that’s appropriate, a driver or license plate if you can get it, just be a really good witness to us. That means jotting down everything you see, or what direction they headed, or characteristics that would stick out about the person is always helpful.” 

Despite what you may feel in the moment, Officer Mitchell said the most important thing to know is to prioritize your own safety. 

Officer Mitchell said, “Never put yourself in a position of danger, but if you can get that kind of detail, that’s always going to be helpful to us.”