Most Americans were taught at a young age to call 911 if they witness a crime. In the UK, citizens have two separate lines for reporting crimes and problems; 999 for emergencies and 101 for emergencies. However, manning those lines take time and money.
In an attempt to cut back costs, UK Home Secretary Theresa May announced that she was working with the Surrey and Sussex police to develop an online method for reporting crimes at a press event on Thursday.
May noted that, while crime rates are on the decline in the UK, there is still some need for reform in the police department. One aspect that needs reform is the 101 line.
According to May, the 101 line receives over 2.5 million calls a month, which consumes many hours of police effort. That's why she hopes to develop a website that will allow users to report non-emergency crimes online.
Mays believes that such a website would save police 3.7 million pounds a year and 180,000 hours of work.
Conceptually, this legal idea sounds fantastic for some. But what would one be able to report? Ministers have not agreed on what laws would be included, according to the Daily Mail.
Some people are resistant to such a model since it would remove the personal element of reporting a crime and make them feel like they are just statistics in the system. It's also possible that such a system could be hacked and manipulated in a way to prank others. While a system like this wouldn't allow users to "swat" others, it could be used to put innocents into jail.
Others think the system may make it easier to contact the police, especially for people who are scared of using the phone. Mark Castle of the charity Victim Support said, "Giving victims more choice and control over their journey through the criminal justice system is something we would, of course, welcome."
