For non-emergency police matters in Hammond, Indiana, call the Hammond Police Department’s non-emergency number at 219-853-6490. Use this line when you need an officer or want to file a report but no one is in immediate danger and no crime is actively happening. Save it in your phone now, so you don’t end up tying up 911 for something that can wait.
When to Call 911 Instead
If someone is in danger right now, call 911. That covers crimes in progress, fires, medical emergencies, car accidents with injuries, and anything else where seconds matter. A break-in while you’re home is a 911 call. A break-in you discover hours later when you get home from work is a non-emergency call.
If you genuinely can’t tell which category your situation fits, call 911. Dispatchers are trained to triage and will route you to the non-emergency line if the situation doesn’t require an immediate response. What you shouldn’t do is dial 911 for routine questions or general complaints. Under Indiana law, knowingly placing a 911 call for a non-emergency purpose is a Class A misdemeanor and can carry up to a year in jail.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 36-8-16.7-46 – Knowing or Intentional Placement of a 911 Call
What Counts as a Non-Emergency
Non-emergency situations are incidents where no one is in immediate danger and no crime is actively unfolding. Common examples:
- Past-tense property crimes like a car break-in, stolen package, or vandalism you discover after the fact
- Noise complaints: loud music, disruptive parties, after-hours construction
- Suspicious but non-threatening activity, such as someone lingering in your neighborhood with no sign of an imminent crime
- Minor traffic incidents, including a hit-and-run on a parked car or a fender bender with no injuries
- Neighbor disputes that haven’t turned physical
- General inquiries about parking rules, towed vehicles, or the status of an existing report
The common thread is that the matter can wait for an officer to be assigned without anyone getting hurt in the meantime. If any of these situations escalates to threats or physical violence, it crosses into 911 territory immediately.
How to File a Non-Emergency Report
Call 219-853-6490. Expect an automated menu that routes you to the right division, whether that’s records, patrol, or another unit. Stay on the line until you reach a dispatcher or intake officer who can log the report. If the phone line gives you trouble, you can also walk into the Hammond Police Department and file at the front desk. For property crimes you need documented for insurance, some people prefer the in-person route anyway. The city’s contact information is listed at gohammond.com, though parts of the site may be under construction at times.
Non-English speakers can ask for interpreter services during the call. Dispatch centers commonly use on-demand phone interpretation covering hundreds of languages, so language shouldn’t keep you from reporting.
Information to Have Ready
Before you dial, pull together what the intake officer will ask for. Having this organized shortens the call and makes the report more useful later:
- Exact street address, or the nearest intersection, with apartment numbers or business names if relevant
- When the incident happened or when you discovered it, as specifically as you can state it
- Vehicle details: make, model, color, and license plate
- Descriptions of anyone involved: height, build, clothing, hair, distinguishing features
- Your own full name and a working phone number
Stick to what you actually saw. If you have camera footage or photos of damage, say so during the call so the responding officer knows to collect it. Speculation about who you think did it and why doesn’t belong in the initial report.
Calls That Aren’t Actually for the Police
Some problems feel like police matters but are handled by other Hammond departments. Routing them correctly the first time saves you from being bounced around.
Hammond 311 handles city service issues: potholes, streetlight outages, graffiti, and similar infrastructure complaints. The 311 app uses your phone’s GPS to pin the location and lets you attach photos and track your request through resolution.2City of Hammond, Indiana. Hammond 311 A broken streetlight goes through 311. A stolen bike goes through the police non-emergency line.
Overgrown properties, abandoned vehicles on private land, trash violations, and building code issues go to Hammond’s Code Enforcement Division at 219-853-6447.3City of Hammond, Indiana. Code Enforcement Division Stray animals, injured wildlife, and animal welfare complaints go to Hammond Animal Control.4City of Hammond, Indiana. Animal Control
Reporting Anonymously
If you want to report suspicious activity without giving your name, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office runs an anonymous tip line through tip411. Text the keyword LCSO plus your tip to 847411, or download the LCSO Tip app on iPhone or Android.5tip411. Indiana Residents Can Now Submit Tips to the Lake County Sheriffs Office
Know the trade-off. A tip can prompt an investigation, but it doesn’t create an official report in your name. If you need documentation for insurance, a landlord, or a court case, use the non-emergency line and file a formal report.
What Happens After You File
Your report gets a reference number. Write it down right away. You’ll need it to request copies, check status, and give your insurance company something to work with.
Don’t expect a detective at your door the next morning for a routine property report. Many minor-crime reports are logged for records and crime-trend analysis rather than assigned to active investigation. If the department needs more from you, an officer will usually follow up by phone. Cold property crimes with no suspect and no physical evidence rarely lead to arrests, but filing still matters: insurers often require a police report before they’ll process a theft claim, and the department uses the data to track patterns in your area.
You can request a copy of the report in person, by phone, or in writing under Indiana’s public records law. Agencies may charge a reproduction fee; vehicle accident reports carry a minimum fee of $5 under state law, and other reports follow the department’s fee schedule.
Don’t File a False Report
Knowingly giving a false crime report or false information to an officer is “false informing” in Indiana and starts as a Class B misdemeanor. It climbs to a Class A misdemeanor if your false report causes officers to be dispatched or results in harm, and can reach felony level in certain circumstances, particularly reports involving dangerous persons.6Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-44.1-2-3 – False Reporting; False Informing
Honest mistakes aren’t crimes. If you report something stolen and later find it, call the department back and correct the record. The law targets people who fabricate reports on purpose.