Jackson County Sheriff’s Office launches online reporting tool

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Law enforcement is going digital in Jackson County — the sheriff’s office just launched an online tool that lets you file reports without ever making a call.

Jackson County Captain Kevin Hiller says the online reporting tool covers nearly every kind of non-emergency call you can imagine.

“It goes from everything from abandoned vehicles, car deer crashes, identity theft, retail fraud, school bus passing, any suspicious situation and then theft reports,” Hiller said. 

Hiller says it’s not available everywhere, only in areas patrolled by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

“If you live in the city of Jackson, you call 911, you get the city of Jackson Police Department. If you live in Spring Arbor Township, you get the Spring Arbor Police Department, Napoleon, etc,” Hiller said. 

Jackson Strength Network Executive Director Justin Counts says the tool could save time but could also be misused if people report the wrong things.

“My only fear is that maybe people might take advantage of the system and stuff, waste resources reporting things that shouldn’t be reported like some of the suspicious activity and things like that that’s left up to a lot of people’s judgment,” Counts said. 

Hiller wants to remind residents that filing a false report online carries the same penalties as doing so in person.

“Now, if for some reason you utilized our online reporting falsely, you can be held liable for that, up to, and including filing a false police report, which is a misdemeanor in the state of Michigan,” Hiller said.