Police Pursue Online Reporting System

See someone littering?

Want to report a vandalism?

Soon, residents will have the option of filing police reports online.

At the Board of Selectmen meeting Wednesday, the board approved a license and a support/maintenance agreement between the Town of Westport and CopLogic, Inc., for the purchase and installation of a "Desk Officer Online Reporting System," for the Westport Police Department.

Board members in attendance voted unanimously for the project. Third Selectman Gavin Anderson was absent.

The system would increase efficiency and save time and money, according to police.

Instead of waiting for an officer to come to your home to file a report, residents can file their reports immediately. Some reports would allow people to file anonymously, which could be useful for crime tips, according to police officials.

The new system would also allow the department more time to send officers on targeted patrols. The system would not be used to avoid house calls because many reports would still require collecting statements, police said.

Once instituted, Westport would be the first town in Connecticut to  use the system, according to police.

The program would primarily be funded through a federal grant and police hope to launch the system in about three months.

The new system would be part of a larger effort by the police department to enhance their presence online. The department is considering a Twitter account and plans to create its own Web site, separate from the town's site.

CopLogic, based in San Ramon, Calif., was created by an active duty police officer who teamed up with a software architect. Their first product was the DeskOfficer Online Reporting System, which is best used to handle low-priority incidents, according to CopLogic's Web site. In 5 years, Coplogic's citizen online police reporting system has launched at over 100 agencies across North America, according to its site.

In other action, the board approved:

• Naming the 38-acre town-owned parcel — located on the northwest corner of Coleytown Road, Easton Road and Bayberry Lane — the Newman/Poses Nature Preserve, in honor of Paul Newman. The re-naming now moves to the Representative Town Meeting for approval.
• Partnering with other municipalities to participate in the Connecticut Community Energy Savings Project through a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The project is an initiative to advance clean energy and energy efficiency and conservation in households within town and was recommended by the Green Task Force.