Instead of complaining, the couch potatoes who whine about the online option need to stop being lazy and actually be involved in keeping their community safe

Eureka Police Brian Stephens just issued this press release at 2:36 p.m. about online reporting; another option for our community.

This is my opinion. There are people in Eureka and Humboldt who just like to complain and are ungrateful no matter what. The online option is easy to use and it is an option for certain crimes and complaints explained clearly which are not emergencies. I have used it, it works and there is a paper trail. Eureka Police Department is excellent and very busy. The same whiners need to take their grievances to Eureka City Council and hold them accountable for their non action on lawlessness and all the out of county and out of state miscreants who appear here daily. And, these same people can get off their couches and be involved in keeping their community safe. That requires action and work and the whiners are lazy.

I am not interested in anyone's two cents who has voted for the current City Council. The only exception is Councilmember Renee Contreras-DeLoach who listens. Unfortunately, she  is not running for re-election. 

EPD press release:

"Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to comment and provide feedback. I understand the frustration some of you have expressed regarding online reporting, and I want to take a moment to clarify why we have it and, just as importantly, what it is, and what it is not. Our online reporting system is not intended to replace a police response when you need one. It is designed to give our community another convenient option for reporting certain non-emergency incidents, while allowing our members to remain available for calls that require an immediate response.

Over the years, I have repeatedly heard from community members who tell me they sometimes don't report a crime because they know we're busy. They don't want to "bother" us with something they consider minor, such as a petty theft. We also know that when our call volume is high, the wait for a cold-report call can sometimes be extended. I don't want anyone deciding not to report a crime because they don't want to bother the police. That's one of the reasons we offer online reporting. Instead of waiting for someone to become available to take a report, online reporting gives you an option to make that report when it is convenient for you. It allows us to receive the information, document the incident, and determine what additional action may be necessary.

But I want to be very clear about this: If you want an officer or employee to respond, we will send someone to you.

If you choose to use the online reporting system, simply begin the report and select the option requesting officer contact. Your request will be reviewed and routed appropriately. Depending on the circumstances and the calls we are handling at the time, it may be the next business day before someone contacts you, but someone will get back to you.

Online reports are received by the department and reviewed and processed based on the type and circumstances of the incident. Some reports may require additional follow-up by an officer or investigator. In other cases, the primary purpose may be to document the incident, provide information for an ongoing investigation, or provide documentation needed for insurance or other purposes.

And, of course, there are situations where online reporting is not appropriate. If you are experiencing a crime in progress, there is an immediate threat to someone's safety, or you need an emergency police response, call 911. 

For incidents that cannot be submitted online but are not emergencies, our non-emergency dispatch line remains available and will get you the assistance you need.

I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to raise concerns, ask questions, and provide feedback. Your feedback 

matters. It helps us understand how our services are being experienced by the people we serve, and it helps us identify where we can do a better job. Our goal isn't simply to create more ways for people to contact the police. Our goal is to make sure people have a reasonable way to get the help they need while making the best use of the resources we have available. We will continue looking for ways to improve how we communicate with our community and how we deliver police services. And when you tell us something isn't working the way you expect it to, we will listen.

Thank you for the feedback, and most importantly, thank you for continuing to work with us to make Eureka a safer community. ~ Chief Brian Stephens