Over
the past few years, the St. Joseph Police Department has received
calls from members of the community of St. Joseph with questions regarding
what can be done about certain types of crime in their neighborhood,
or general questions regarding the department and law enforcement
procedures. This section is intended to answer those questions.
When
should I call 911?
You should call 911 in any emergency situation. Do not call
the station in an emergency situation, call 911 so that the communications
center can dispatch officers promptly to your location. The rule of
thumb is “if you need an officer to respond…then call
911.” If possible, try to remain calm and give as much information
as is safely possible to the 9-1-1 operator.
What happens after I file a written report about an incident?
The department reviews each report written to ascertain whether
there is sufficient information to conduct a follow-up investigation.
If there is information that is available for a case solution, the
case is transferred to the Detective Division for further development.
During this process, a Detective will contact you to see if you have
any additional information. If you have a question reference your
case please call (816) 271-5336. This process may take 3 to 5 business
days, so please be patient.
I was the victim of a hit and run accident, how do I get follow-up
information?
The police Traffic Unit handles hit and run accidents. If you
have a question in regards to your case please call (816) 271-5359.
This process may take 5 to 7 business days, so please be patient.
The police department does not follow up on private property hit and
run accidents.
I received a ticket, where do I go to pay it?
If you received a Municipal Court ticket, you will need to
go to the Buchanan County Courthouse, 411 Jules, Municipal Division
located in the basement of the courthouse (816) 271-4686. If you received
a Circuit Court ticket you will need to go to the Buchanan County
Courthouse, Circuit Division, located on the 3rd floor of the Buchanan
County Courthouse-411 Jules (816) 271-1462. If you received a parking
ticket, you will to go to City Hall-1100 Frederick to the Financial
Services Division (816) 271-4760.
Where can I get a copy of a police report taken in St. Joseph,
Missouri?
You can obtain police reports at the Law Enforcement Center,
501 Faraon Street in St. Joseph, Missouri. Persons are charged a fee
of $1.00 for the first page and .25 cents for each additional page.
Police records is open Monday through Friday, 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. (816)
271-4704.
What information should I exchange with the other driver if I am
in an accident?
Missouri State Statute requires you to give your name, address,
and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) at the scene of an accident.
It is also a good idea to write down a description of the other driver’s
vehicle (year, color, model, license plate, etc.), as well as exchanging
your insurance information and possible a phone number.
If I am getting harassing phone calls, what should I do?
You should report the calls by contacting the local Phone Company
1-800-861-5167, and having a call trace put on your phone line. Information
from this trace can be used as evidence of harassment at a later date.
If an incident occurred in another city, can I still report it
in St. Joseph?
No. Any report you make regarding an incident, must be made
in the city in which the incident occurred, with the exception of
Identity theft and Internet crimes.
Where can I get an restraining order…or an order of protection?
You can file for an order of protection against the person
who is abusing you at the Buchanan County Courthouse-411 Jules Street,
St. Joseph, Missouri (816) 271-1462.
Where do I report an animal bite?
If the animal bite occurred in St. Joseph, Missouri then you
should contact the Animal Control at 816-271-4876 to report the bite
and for an animal control officer to respond if needed. If an animal
seriously injures someone, then you need to call 911.
How can I get a police ride along?
The St. Joseph Police Department has a ride along program to
which it is easy to apply. Contact the Support Services Division 816-271-4881
to obtain an application, or click here to open and print. Your application will be reviewed and a
criminal history run. If you are approved (you must be over 18, and
not have a criminal record or warrants), they will schedule you a
time and date for you to ride-along. Your ride-along will consist
of actually riding in a working police car with a patrol officer.
You will see the officer working during his/her shift…answering
calls, stopping vehicles, and everything else that makes up a typical
tour-of-duty. Riding along with an officer can be an eye-opening experience.
How do I get my property returned?
All property that is taken into custody by the Department is
inventoried into the property section of the Department. It is held
until the Prosecuting Attorney determines whether a criminal case
will be filed. If a case is filed, the property is held until released
by the Prosecutor’s Office. If a case is not filed, the property
can be returned to its rightful owner. If you have property to be
returned, please call (816) 271-4784 and make arrangements. Property
can be returned Mon-Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
How do I make a complaint or compliment an officer?
Many people believe their complaints will be addressed more
rapidly if they contact City Hall, the Mayor, City Manager, or Chief
of Police. The Professional Standards Office conducts investigations
of citizen complaints. A Professional Standards Officer may be reached
at (816) 271-4780. By contacting an on-duty supervisor or the Professional
Standards Office, the complaint procedure is started in a more timely
manner. The on-duty supervisor resolves many minor complaints and
questions regarding our procedures as soon as they are received. To
contact an on-duty supervisor, call (816) 271-4786 or the Communication
Center at (816) 271-4777.
How do I become a St. Joseph Police Officer?
To be a police officer, applicants must be at least 21 years
of age with no felony convictions. In addition, they should not have
any significant traffic convictions that would limit their ability
to be insured by the City of St. Joseph. You may pick up applications
at City Hall-1100 Frederick, 4th floor in the Human Resources office. You may also visit the Missouri POST site.
How do I get a uniform shoulder patch?
At this time we currently do not honor these requests due to
the high cost of patches. We are sorry that we can not honor your
requests.
Who can I call about phone solicitors to see if they are credible?
You can call Police Administration (816) 271-4701 Mon-Friday
6:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. to see whether or not person(s) are authorized
to solicit within the city limits of St. Joseph or are a legitimate
organization.
