A Safer Naper
January - See Something, Say Something This Year
The Naperville Police Department’s Safer Naper campaign continues in 2025 to inform you of timely crime prevention and safety strategies. Visit this page each month for information and tactics you can use to help protect yourself and make our community #ASaferNaper in 2025.
See Something, Say Something
Naperville is consistently lauded as one of the safest cities in the country. Why? We like to think that one of the reasons behind our community’s success is our residents’ daily involvement in public safety and crime prevention.
As we start the new year, resolve to do your part. Doing so is as simple as being aware of what’s going on around you as you go about your day and reporting any suspicious or illegal activity to police!
See Something, Say Something! Here’s how …
How to report something
Calling 911
Call 911 for police, fire or medical emergencies when immediate action is required. That could include calling to have an officer respond to check out suspicious activity you noticed, when a crime is in progress, or when someone’s life, health, safety or property is in immediate danger.
If you aren’t sure if your situation is an emergency, you should err on the side of safety and call 911 and let our emergency dispatchers make the decision.
Text to 911
Naperville’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) also accepts emergency texts to 911 from individuals who need immediate assistance but can’t talk to a 911 dispatcher. Anyone in Naperville’s jurisdiction whose cell phone uses Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile’s networks can text their exact location and the nature of their emergency to 911, and one of our dispatchers will respond.
It is still preferred that citizens make a voice call to 911 if possible, as it is faster and more reliable. However, using Text to 911 in an emergency might be helpful for individuals needing emergency assistance who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, or are suffering a medical emergency that has rendered them unable to speak. It can also be used in situations where it is not safe to place a voice call to 911.
Online Reporting
The Naperville Police Department encourages you to use our online reporting system to file non-emergency police reports. This simple online system gives you the ability to submit reports to our department at a time that’s convenient for you while also freeing up patrol officers to answer emergency calls and conduct proactive patrols.
Here are the types of incidents you CAN report online:
- Lost or stolen property
- Civil matters like neighbor disputes or child custody issues
- Criminal damage to property, including non-accidental damage to vehicles
- Nuisances like abandoned vehicles, damage to street signs or ordinance violations
- Identity theft or unlawful use of a credit card
In some circumstances, it would NOT be appropriate to use the online reporting system because the nature of the call merits an officer’s response. In those cases, please dial 911.
Learn more about online reporting
Crime Stoppers
Crime Stoppers encourages community members to assist local law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime by providing tips about a crime or incident AFTER it has occurred. Do not use Crime
Stoppers to report crimes or incidents happening now.
Crime Stoppers provides a safe and comfortable environment for citizens to provide information. Simply call the hotline at (630) 420-6006 and leave your tip. You may remain anonymous and if your tip results in an arrest you may be rewarded up to $1,000!
Learn more about Crime Stoppers
How NOT to report something
Social Media
The use of social media is a common way many people communicate. Social media is used to disseminate important information on various platforms. Unfortunately, many are using it at the sole way to report a crime or spread misinformation. A crime, suspicious person or event cannot be investigated unless the police know about it. Call 911 rather than posting about it.
Crime Stoppers
Crime Stoppers enables citizens to provide anonymous tips about a crime or incident AFTER it has occurred. Do not use Crime Stoppers to report in-progress crimes or incidents requiring an immediate response from an officer.
Online Reporting
Naperville PD’s online reporting system allows citizens to file non-emergency police reports. It should not be used to report in-progress incidents or any incident that merits an officer’s response.
Here are a few instances in which you should NOT use the online reporting system:
- Emergencies or anytime an immediate police response is needed
- Any in-progress incident (e.g., loud parties, barking dogs, speeding vehicles, etc.)
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Hit-and-run involving a vehicle
- Assault or battery (Note: This includes any incident where someone is struck by another person, whether injury occurred or not. This includes domestic related battery.)
- Incidents occurring outside of the City of Naperville