File a Report

File a Police Report | Report a Tip or Crime | Report an Accident

File a Police Report

The South Bend Police Department now accepts reports online through the Citizens Online Police Reporting Tool! 

File an Online Police Report here!

The South Bend Police Department can take some reports via phone. Dial (574) 235-9201 to be connected to a Records Specialist. You will be given a police report number for your records.

Records Specialists will be available by phone and in-person during business hours. Open M-F, 7AM to 11PM.  Sat & Sun, 9AM to 5PM.  

Record Specialists can take the following incident reports by phone:

  • Larceny, including vehicles
  • Vandalism (Except gang graffiti)
  • Harassing phone calls
  • Found/lost property
  • Gas drive offs
  • Preliminary reports for Child Protective Services
  • Supplemental reports (Additional information for a report already taken)

The following types of reports can be done at the front desk in person:

  • Motor vehicle theft
  • Assault not inlvoving serious injuries
  • Threat reports
  • Fraud
  • Missing persons and escapees
  • Shoplifting reports
  • Report a runaway
  • Cancellation of missing person report

For some incident types, the Records Specialists will need to send an Officer to the scene. If the incident you call about cannot be reported by phone, the Records Sepcialist will advise you on the appropriate steps.

The following types of calls require that an Officer initiate the report:

  • Domestic violence
  • Assault resulting in serious injuries
  • Burglary (including garage break ins)
  • Robbery
  • Accidents and public accidents
  • Rape
  • Homicide
  • Arson
  • Cancellation of runaway. Must bring person to police department to identify

Report a Tip or Crime

If the incident you wish to report is an emergency or crime in progress, please call 911.

It is the mission of the South Bend Police Department to deliver professional, effective services, fairly and ethically, at all times, to all people, in order to prevent crime, control crime, and enhance the overall quality of life for residents and visitors.

Michiana Crime Stoppers was established to create a partnership between law enforcement and the community to prevent and control crime. If you are aware of a crime or wanted person in your community, you are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 342-STOP, or (574) 288-STOP. Hours are Monday through Friday between 7 am and 3 pm. 

When leaving information, you can remain anonymous or leave contact information for follow up opportunities.

You may ask yourself, "Why should I get involved?" The answer is simple. Calling 288-STOP helps stop crime and enhances the overall quality of life of everyone in your community by getting criminals, who target innocent people, off the streets. It also helps hold offenders accountable for their actions.

You can safely and anonymously submit your crime tips in several convenient ways:

  • Call (574) 288-STOP and talk on the TipLine
  • Long distance, call 1 (800) 342-STOP and talk on the TipLine
  • Enter a tip on Crime Stoppers website or P3 Tips

1 (800) 342-STOP and (574) 288-STOP are anonymous tiplines.

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Report an Accident

No officer needed:

Any person operating a vehicle on a South Bend roadway who is invovled in an accident resulting in any property damage exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000) in which an investigation is NOT conducted by law enforcement officer shall notify their insurance company as soon as possible. The insurance company will report to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) through their EIFS system proof of insurance. They will file a Certificate of Conformance to the BMV.

Officer needed:

In order to obtain a police report, those invovled in a vehicle accident must remain on scene and contact police at 911 for emergencies or 574-235-9201 for non emergencies. If driver leave the scene of the accident, a report cannot be filed and those involved must contact insurance company. SEE ABOVE INSTRUCTIONS.

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