Reported a crime to us? Bet you want to know #WhatHappensNext...

Dear Resident,

We understand that reporting a crime or sharing intelligence online can feel like a big step - and you might be wondering what happens next.

To help answer that, we’ve created a dedicated webpage and a handy graphic that clearly explain the process that follows after you submit a report through our website.

Whether you're reporting something you've witnessed or sharing information that could help an investigation, we want you to feel informed and reassured about what to expect.

So here’s #WhatHappensNext…

Step 1:

Once you’ve submitted your report, you will receive a receipt code via email, which is your proof of submission – keep this reference number safe. 

We will then conduct an initial check to make sure your incident doesn’t require an emergency response, and that we’re the right agency to deal with the report. If we're not, we will redirect your report to the right agency (the local council, police force, BTP etc). 

Step 2: 

If the report is for us, one of our trained call handlers will then conduct a more in depth review to ensure all the necessary information is there. If they need more details, they will contact you. 

After they have processed your report, you will be issued with a crime reference number. Please check your junk folders for your crime reference number and always make a note of it.

How quickly we can do this step depends on the complexity of the incident and the number of other authorities involved. 

If at this stage it is deemed that it is not a crime, we will contact you to advise you what you can do about the situation and provide you with information about the relevant agencies or organisations you can contact to help you.

Step 3:

If the report requires further investigation, it will be passed to the Investigations Management Unit (IMU). 

At this point, the IMU may decide to close the case due to a number of the following reasons;

If the IMU feel that the crime needs to be investigated further, then an investigation will begin and another reference number will be given to you.

If we can investigate further, we'll take some initial steps. These could include:

Step 4:

At this point, the report will be allocated to an officer or team in a particular business area around the force. For example, if a report of sexual assault was received, this may get passed on to our rape investigation team (RIT) to investigate.

Next, an officer will conduct an initial investigation. This could involve:

We want everyone to know what to expect after reporting non-urgent crime online. You can learn more by visiting the What Happens Next page on our website, or downloading the attached graphic. 

Rest assured every report we receive, whether that’s made online, over the phone or in person, will be followed up and processed by a highly trained member of our demand hub team.

Thank you for playing a vital role in keeping Cambridgeshire safe.

Kind regards,
Cambridgeshire Constabulary