Report something
Date published: 04 May 2023 07:48When to call 999
- When there is a threat to life; this includes road traffic accidents where people are injured, the road is blocked or a vehicle involved in the accident has failed to stop
- Violence to a person or damage to property is imminent
- A serious offence is actually in progress
- A suspected offender is still at the scene of a crime
- When any delay in reporting the incident may prevent the apprehension of an offender
- When serious disruption to the public is currently taking place or, is likely to take place
When to call 101 (non-emergency)
- To report a crime that is not currently taking place and the offender is no longer present
- Where your call is a routine enquiry
- To make an appointment to attend an enquiry desk
- Requests for advice or to provide information
- Lost and found property enquiries
Before calling, please visit our 'Should I Call 101 page' to check whether it is something we can help you with.
Report an incident online
The online portal
As an alternative to 101, you can report your non-emergency incident on our online portal.
Also on the portal, you will be able to track the status of your report, read a number of knowledge items relating to your incident, and live chat with members of the force.
Click here to access South Yorkshire Police’s online portal.
Please note that the online portal is not compatible with Internet Explorer.
To use the portal, customers must first register for an account. Registration is required to ensure contact details are available should an incident need to be investigated further.
Other online services
The following services are not available on the online portal, but can be accessed by clicking the links below:
- Submit a Freedom of Information request
- Compliment SYP
- Complain about SYP
- Complete a NHS referral
- Report domestic abuse
- Report fraud
Tell us
Some incidents may seem trivial, and too much trouble to bother reporting, but it's very important that you do. We target our resources according to analysis of crime reports, so if large numbers of incidents are not reported this analysis will be incorrect.
Not all reports of crime result in a visit by a police officer, but when looked at along with other reports from the same area a picture may emerge which enables the police to respond more effectively than to individual incidents.
Did you know that you can report anonymously?
If you want to report crime or suspicious activity, you can contact Crimestoppers with the information anonymously.
You can do this by calling them on 0800 555 111 or by completing their online form.
Antisocial behaviour
See our antisocial behaviour page to find out more about what can be reported and the right person to report to.
Civil dispute
Police should be called in relation to a civil dispute only if a crime has been committed or someone is in immediate danger.
Click here for more information on civil disputes.
Events and processions
Click here for information on when to contact the police about an event or procession.
Herbert Protocol
Click here for information about the Herbert Protocol.
Lost/found property
Click here to find out who to contact about lost or found property.
Report someone missing
Call 101 and make a report of a missing person to the call taker.
If there is an immediate risk to the person or the public dial 999.
Road Traffic Collision
Not all Road Traffic Collisions need to be reported to the police.
Click here for more information on when to contact the police following a collision.