Cop-Line is a service provided by Constable Ron Hickman that has
two main goals. First, COP-LINE provides the citizens of
Precinct Four a fast, convenient, and reliable means by which to file
police reports for minor incidents where immediate follow up
investigation is not necessary. Second, it increases the efficiency of
patrol operations by allowing street deputies additional time to focus
on proactive patrol and response to more serious incidents.
Incidents that are eligible to be reported using COP-LINE include, but
are not limited to, lost or stolen property, minor thefts, telephone
harassment, gas drive offs, and other non-violent property crimes. In
addition the following general criteria must be met:
- Must be a
criminal offense or otherwise reportable incident. (Excluding Traffic
accidents)
- Must have
occurred within the boundaries of the Constable Harris County Pct 4
- Suspect is not
on-scene or no suspect information
- No injury or
imminent threat of injury or harm to anyone involved
- No physical
evidence to be collected at the scene
- There is no
scene to preserve or no need to preserve the scene of the incident for
evidentiary purposes.
COP-LINE gives the caller the opportunity to speak directly to a deputy
constable. The deputy will evaluate the incident and determine whether
the report meets the criteria to be taken over the telephone or would
be better handled by dispatching a patrol deputy to the
caller’s location. If the call meets the requirements for
COP-LINE, the deputy will collect the information over the phone that
is necessary to generate an offense report. The caller will then be
provided a case number for his or her records which may be used to
obtain a copy of the report if needed.
Constable Hickman developed COP-LINE as a means by which to maintain
the level of service expected of his department despite the recent
budget cuts to Precinct Four. With fewer patrol deputies on the street
as the result of the budget cuts, making the most of available
resources is a necessity. COP-LINE provides an alternative means to
handle minor report calls quickly and efficiently over the phone,
saving time, fuel, and other expenses that are associated with
dispatching a deputy to the scene. Patrol resources are freed up to
allow the street deputies to respond to more serious incidents and to
provide pro-active patrol services in an effort to thwart criminals and
prevent crime in community.
To use COP-LINE, callers may contact the Constable’s office at 281-376-3472 as they
normally would and request to make a report over the telephone. The
caller will be transferred to a constable deputy who will assist them.
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