Accident reports taken by Cleveland police will be a keystroke away starting next Monday, says the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Citizens will be able to access the completed reports on a computer instead of going downtown to police headquarters, which can be a hassle because of parking fees and long lines at the counter. The city will pay a $1,125 monthly fee for the service. The cost will be offset, at least in part, by reduced copying and personnel expenses.
Reports going back to March will eventually be available online and can be accessed on the department’s Web site. It will still take seven to 10 business days for the reports to become available once officers write them. Police take about 15,000 accident reports each year. Citizens started filing police reports online on July 6 for minor crimes such as property thefts, property damage, and petty thefts. Reports can be filed at tinyurl.com/lhexep.