You cannot file a police report online in Boston for most incidents. The Boston Police Department requires you to walk into a district station in person for things like theft, lost property, vandalism, and assault.1Boston Police Department. Report An Incident A handful of specific situations do have online paths, and knowing which is which saves you a wasted trip.
What BPD Actually Accepts Online
BPD’s own site says it does not take police reports over the phone or through its website.1Boston Police Department. Report An Incident That covers the everyday cases people usually want to report digitally: a stolen bike, a package taken from a porch, a broken car window, items you need documented for an insurance claim. For any of those, you’re going to a station.
What BPD does offer online is narrower: anonymous crime tips, and copies of reports that have already been filed. Everything else labeled “online” for Boston residents is actually run by another agency — the state RMV, the FTC, or the State Department.
Filing In Person at a District Station
You can walk into any BPD district station to file a report. Bring a valid photo ID, and pull the following together before you go:
- Your full name, address, phone number, and email.
- The date, approximate time, and exact location of the incident.
- A clear account of what happened, in order.
- For stolen or lost items: descriptions, make, model, serial numbers, and estimated value.
- Any supporting evidence — receipts, photos of damage, screenshots of suspicious messages.
The Public Service Counter at BPD Headquarters, One Schroeder Plaza, is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with extended hours until 6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays. It’s closed weekends and holidays.2Boston Police Department. Get A Copy Of A Police Report
Anonymous Tips Through CrimeStoppers
If you have information about a crime and want to stay anonymous, the Boston Police CrimeStoppers program takes tips online through the P3 Tips platform. You can upload photos or video and receive a Tip ID and password to check for follow-up without identifying yourself.3Boston Police Department. Crime Stoppers Anonymous Tips You can also text “TIP” to CRIME (27463). A tip is not a police report and won’t produce a report number for insurance purposes.
Boston 311 for Neighborhood Complaints
For graffiti, illegal dumping, noise complaints, broken streetlights, and similar quality-of-life issues, use Boston 311 online or through the BOS:311 app.4Boston.gov. Boston 311 You can attach photos and track the request. 311 routes to city services, not to BPD, and it doesn’t generate a police report.
Reporting Identity Theft Online
Identity theft is the clearest case where an online federal process fills the gap. Start at IdentityTheft.gov, run by the Federal Trade Commission. The site walks you through recovery and generates an Identity Theft Affidavit from your answers.5Federal Trade Commission. Identity Theft: What To Do Right Away
Print and save the affidavit before leaving the page; you can’t retrieve it later. Then take it to a BPD station and file a police report. The affidavit and the police report together form an Identity Theft Report, which strengthens your rights when disputing fraudulent accounts with creditors and credit bureaus. If you can’t use the online form, call 1-877-438-4338.
Reporting a Stolen Passport Online
A stolen U.S. passport has its own online process through the State Department. Submit Form DS-64 through the Online Form Filler at pptform.state.gov. The department cancels the passport within one business day and emails a confirmation.6U.S. Department of State. Report Your Passport Lost or Stolen Once reported, the passport is permanently invalidated even if you find it.7USAGov. Lost or Stolen Passports Replacement requires an in-person application on Form DS-11. File a police report at your BPD station too, since some offices ask for one when processing the replacement.
Getting a Copy of a Crash Report Online
If you were in a car crash in Massachusetts and want a copy of the police crash report, you can request it online through the Registry of Motor Vehicles — this retrieves an existing report rather than filing a new one.8Mass.gov. Request a Copy of a Police Crash Report Use the myRMV Online Service Center and select “Request Crash Report.” You’ll need your driver’s license or learner’s permit number, full name, date of birth, Social Security number, and an email address. The search fee is $20, non-refundable, per report,9Mass.gov. Crash Program and processing can take up to four weeks.
Separately, Massachusetts law requires anyone involved in a crash that causes injury, death, or more than $1,000 in property damage to file a written crash report with the RMV and the local police department within five days.10General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90, Section 26 If injury prevents you from filing within that window, the deadline pauses until you recover. If the driver can’t file, the vehicle owner must.
Getting a Copy of an Existing Police Report
If a report has already been filed and you just need a copy, you don’t have to go back to a station. Email policereport@pd.boston.gov with the date of the incident, the location, the names of the people involved, and a photo of your driver’s license or other government ID for verification.11Boston Police Department. Public Service Counter You can also pick up a copy at the Licensing Division / Public Service Unit on the first floor of One Schroeder Plaza with a valid photo ID during business hours.2Boston Police Department. Get A Copy Of A Police Report
When to Call Instead
None of the online options above are appropriate when something is happening right now. Call 911 if a crime is in progress, someone is injured or threatened, or you need an officer to respond to the scene.
For situations that need police attention but aren’t emergencies — a car break-in discovered hours later, suspicious activity, a fraud case you want to discuss — call BPD’s Operations line at (617) 343-4200.12Boston Police Department. Contact Us An officer can walk you through next steps and point you to the right district station.