Crime Reporting
When Crime Occurs
If you see a crime in progress, call the police!
Only call 911 from a land line!
From a cell phone call 510-777-3211 which routes directly to Oakland Police Department dispatch.
To report a crime that has already happened:
Call the non-emergency number 510-777-3333, or fill in OPD's Online Crime Reporting form. You'll find the link on their Report a Crime page. We've been warned that the form is easier to fill out on a laptop or desktop than it is on a smartphone.
For MEDICAL OR FIRE EMERGENCIES ONLY,
Call the Fire Department directly at 510-444-1616. They may respond faster than OPD.
Send OPD an Anonymous Tip
Crime Stoppers of Oakland
(510) 777-8572
Firearm Tip Line
(510) 535-4867
Illegal Drugs
(510) 238-3784
OPD Sexual Assault Hotline
(510) 637-0298
Compliment a Cop
Did an officer, or a non-sworn police employee, serve you particularly well? Would you like to tell their boss you appreciate them?
Compliment an OPD Officer or Employee
Complain about a Cop
Community Police Review Agency
If you recently experienced or witnessed police conduct that you believe was inappropriate or unlawful, please contact CPRA, a City of Oakland agency:
Phone: 510,238.3159
Email cpra@oaklandca.gov
Address: 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, suite 6302 (floor 6), Oakland, CA 94612
Tips for Calling 911
Below are the official priority codes used by the Oakland 911 Dispatch Center to prioritize incoming calls. Anyone who calls 911 should be aware of these priority codes, and where possible use the EXACT language to assist the Dispatch Center in prioritizing the call appropriately.
Do not misuse this information (i.e., say code words that are not true).
The most important term to remember if you need to have immediate response to a situation that is happening as you call are the two words "In Progress." The use of these two words (in an appropriately true situation) will usually lead to a Priority Two classification, and a likely quick response.
Many 911 calls are for crimes that have ALREADY occurred, and there is the real possibility that the suspect is not in the immediate area to be apprehended. This is usually the case when a resident comes home, and finds the home broken into, or a car broken into, and the criminal is absent. Those callers should know that such calls usually are classified as a Priority Code 3, and that there will usually be a significant delay in OPD response (up to ten hours in some cases), and/or no response at all.
Be aware of these facts:
• Currently in Oakland, only Priority 0, 1, and 2 are addressed with speed, and the remaining priority calls are addressed as possible (usually a significant delay or no response at all).
• Most calls into 911 are classified as Priority Code 3, where it is highly likely that there will be a significant delay or even a non-response, depending upon available resources.
(December, 2008)
Priority Code 0 (Zero)
Zero (0) is the highest priority for assignment codes in the Printrak CAD program. Code Zero shall be reserved for limited incident types involving officer safety and natural or man-made catastrophes.
1. 940B – Officer needs help
2. Red Alerts at the airports and plane crashes.
3. Imminent or in-progress incidents involving Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
4. Imminent or in-progress Incidents involving domestic or international terrorism.
5. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, hill fires, floods, etc.
Priority Code 1:
1. When a situation involves imminent potential for serious injury to persons.
2. In order to prevent a crime of violence.
3. When there is a serious public hazard.
4. When an expedited response will enhance the likelihood of apprehending a felony suspect. This includes felonies in progress or situations where a felony suspect is still on the scene or has returned to the scene.
5. When an expedited response is necessary to protect other public safety, Fire or EMS responders.
6. Missing/runaway juveniles age 16 and under.
Priority Code 2:
1. Urgent, but not an immediate emergency. This includes, but is not limited to any call involving an in-progress dispute with violence potential; suspect(s) on the scene [whether in or out of custody]; hazard or serious inconvenience to an individual or the general public.
2. In-progress misdemeanors
3. Just-occurred felonies or misdemeanors when expedited response may enhance the likelihood of apprehending a suspect that is no longer on the scene.
4. Stolen vehicle reports [950].
5. When a request for a 914 or a 924 is made by supervisory or command personnel.
Priority Code 3:
No cover needed. Cold reports. Non-emergencies. No indication of danger to life and/or property.
Priority Code 4:
Non-emergency assignments which are to receive alternative processing such as:
1. Mail, and Phone and FAX reports.
2. Abandoned autos not requiring complainant contact.
3. Filed incidents or incidents created for documentation.
Downloadable Forms
You can print these forms out, fill them in, and mail them to OPD to report a crime. Do NOT use these forms for crimes in progress! Use these to report committed crimes where the criminal has left the area.