Report Violence To Police

In an emergency call 000.

For non-urgent matters call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.

What can I report to the police?

You can report any crime that involves:

physical violence
threats of violence
ongoing intimidation or harassment
sexual assault
discrimination
property damage

If you are unsure if what happened is a crime or not the police will be able to tell you.

Sexual Preference Prejudice

If you believe you have been the victim of homophobic crime, it's important to ask the officer to record it as a ‘sexual preference prejudice’ crime. This is how the police track the number and types of homophobic incidents that occur.

Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers (GLLOs)

Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers are police officers located throughout the state who are specially trained to address GLBTIQ issues and to work in their local areas to address issues affecting GLBTIQ communities. You can find out if there is a GLLO near you by calling the Police Switchboard on 02 9281 0000.

You don’t have to speak to a GLLO; all police officers should be able to offer assistance or take your report. GLLOs are not available at all police stations at all times and reporting crime as soon as possible is important.

Giving a statement

It's your choice whether or not you make a statement to the police and police policy states that police officers must respect your wishes if you decide not to report a crime. If you decide to make a complaint to the police, you'll be asked to give a statement. A statement is necessary for police investigation or to apply for victim’s compensation.

The statement itself is a typed record of events before, during and after the incident. It will include your description of the offender and any conversation that took place. The police will ask you to explain what happened in your own words, and ask you questions so that important details are not left out. Afterwards you'll be asked to sign each page of the statement. It's important to read it carefully and correct any errors before you sign the statement. If you wish to add to or change your statement later, you should contact the police.

Your rights

You have the right to leave the police station at any time
You are entitled to have a support person present
If you need one, police will arrange for a properly qualified interpreter
You should never sign anything that is untrue, or that isn't written down the way you intended it to be
You have a right to a copy of your statement

If you are unhappy with your experience with police, information about making a complaint can be found here.