How to File a Police Report in Los Angeles | Legal Beagle

How to File a Police Report in Los Angeles

Written By
Tom Ryan
Tom Ryan
May 27, 2011
1 minute read

Whether you are involved in a car accident or need to report another type of crime in Los Angeles, your first step is to call the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). If you are on the University of California-Los Angeles campus, you should call the UCLA police department. A police report is an official document that keeps track of any information related to a crime or other incident, including what happened and who was involved. By filing a police report, you involve the authorities and may help them identify and apprehend criminals.

Call 911 in an emergency. LAPD officers will go to the scene as quickly as possible (see References 2).

Read More: How to File a Police Report

Call 877-ASK-LAPD for non-emergency calls. An example of this is an incident in which you hit a street sign with your car but nobody is injured. A police officer will respond to the call, but it may not be a top priority (see References 1, 2).

 

Visit a nearby police station and ask to file a report. (see References 1).

 

Answer the police officer's questions as accurately and thoroughly as possible. Be prepared to give your contact information in case police have follow-up questions (see References 1).

 
Tom Ryan

Tom Ryan is a freelance writer, editor and English tutor. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in English writing, and has also worked as an arts and entertainment reporter with "The Pitt News" and a public…

Legal Beagle Logo

Legal Beagle is a keen, astute resource for legal explanations. Take control, understand your rights, and become a legal beagle.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.