The Springfield Township Police Department (STPD’s) 24-hour number for non-emergency calls and general information is 330-733-1061. If there is any doubt as to whether the situation is an emergency, it is always better to be on the safe side and call 911.
Crimes and suspicious activities that fall into this category are:
Ones for which an immediate response is not needed
Ones in which there is no possibility that the suspect is still at the scene or is likely to return to the scene
Those that don’t involve serious personal injury, property damage, or property loss
Response to Calls
The STPD response to non-emergency calls will depend on the relative seriousness or priority of the situation, the likelihood of making an arrest at the scene, and the availability of an officer. Response times are the longest for so-called "cold crimes" like home burglaries where the perpetrator has fled the scene, no suspects exist, and the victim is in no further danger.
Some example situations that may not be emergencies are:
Accumulations of consumer goods, especially in good condition and not in use in homes, garages, and storage areas
Auto theft and vandalism
Car or building alarms
Hit and run accidents with no injuries
Home and business burglaries in which the suspect is gone from the scene
Impersonation and stolen identification, e.g, drivers license
Loud parties - the person calling must be willing to sign a complaint
Minors violating curfew
Open or broken doors or windows in businesses or homes, especially if the business is closed or the residents are away
Past instances of child or elder abuse
Past instances of graffiti or other vandalism
Persons who are:
Carrying property at an unusual time and place
Disturbing the peace, i.e, loitering, panhandling, noise making, and harassing others
Drunk in public but not in any immediate danger
Entering and leaving property on daily or regular basis, or in large numbers, especially at night
Exhibiting unusual mental or physical symptoms but not a danger to themselves or others
Going door-to-door, or into side or back yards in a residential area
Loitering near a business or home, especially if the business is closed or the residents are away
Loitering near schools or parks
Looking into parked vehicles
Making a quick change of vehicles
Offering goods for sale at ridiculously low prices
Running other than for exercise
Soliciting without a license, not displaying a valid registration card, or operating between the hours of 9 pm and 8 am
Road hazards that don’t require immediate attention
Runaway juvenile or missing adult who does not need special care
Stolen checks and credit cards - also call the financial institutions involved to have them stop payments of checks and verifications of charges
Underage drinking
Checklist to Report
The ability of the police to locate and arrest criminals often depends on the thoroughness and accuracy of the report you submit. The following information checklist should be used for reporting both emergency and non-emergency crimes:
Location: exact street address and nearest cross street
Number of persons injured and types of injuries
Suspect information: race, gender, age, height, weight, hair color, hair length and style, eye color, facial hair, clothing type and color, other characteristics (e.g, tattoos, missing teeth, scars, glasses), direction of flight, etc.
Time of occurrence
Type of crime
Vehicle information: type, license number, color, year, make, model, unusual characteristics (e.g, dents, bumper stickers), number of persons, etc.