Immediate Actions When You Witness a Crime – Dos and Don’ts
Do’s
Witnessing a crime can be distressing and may even place you in danger. Remember to protect yourself first by running, hiding or calling for help.
As soon as possible, call the police at 999 to report the crime, especially if there is a medical emergency or a life-threatening situation.
Where possible, be clear with the information you provide
for the police to respond accordingly. The operator on the line will
instruct you on what to do next, be it to stay on the line or offer help
to the victim.
Wait for the police to arrive and direct them to the scene. While waiting, try to pay attention to your surroundings for information that may be useful to the police.
Once the police have arrived, recount what you have witnessed to the police and answer their questions truthfully. It is important that you only provide details that you saw and heard, instead of your assumptions on what may have happened.
Don’ts
At a crime scene, almost every detail counts. Do not touch or move anything as it may compromise or contaminate critical evidence.
For your own safety, do not attempt to detain or challenge the alleged perpetrator of the crime.
As mentioned earlier, do not assume, guess or predict missing details or information when speaking to the police.
