Obtaining a traffic accident report, filing a complaint and submitting an anonymous tip with the Mantua Township Police Department just got a whole lot easier for residents.
The department announced on April 20 the launch of its new citizens services program website. The site allows residents to contact the police department for minor incidents as well as obtain reports and information from the comfort of their own home.
The new web page is hosted through ProPhoenix, a Moorestown-based technology company that provides records management and other software for police, fire and EMS agencies. The citizen services program website is separate from the police department’s informational page on the Mantua Township website. Residents can visit https://mantua.prophoenix.com to access the citizen services page.
We are now offering citizens the ability to report certain types of non-violent, non-emergent incidents on-line on our…
Posted by Mantua Police Department NJ on Monday, 20 April 2020
Lt. Shuan Butler of the Mantua police said while the new website was in the works well before the COVID-19 pandemic began, its launch during the stay-at-home order helps residents obtain the information they need without having to visit the police station.
“It definitely is an extra thing that allows people to be able to contact us,” Butler said.
Mantua Township is the latest police department in Gloucester County to launch a citizens services program website. Other municipalities with similar websites include Harrison Township, Monroe Township and Washington Township.
One of the main functions of the new website is the ability to report small incidents such as criminal mischief or vandalism in either Mantua or Wenonah. After filling out the required form, residents will receive an incident number.
“You can actually report minor, non-violent incidents through it,” Butler said in describing the function. “Examples would be lost property. If you lost your wallet, you can actually report it to us … If someone came by and did mailbox baseball and destroyed your mailbox, you can report that online.”
Butler said the reporting function should not be used for emergencies; a questionnaire residents fill out while reporting will filter emergency incidents. For example, if a resident fills out the questionnaire and says someone was injured in the incident, the website will not allow them to continue to file the report and instead requests them to call 911.
“It’s for anything that doesn’t require that immediate police response,” Butler explained.
Another important function of the site is the ability of residents to obtain accident reports; to get one, residents need to fill out a form with their case number, name and driver’s license number.
Butler hopes the new website will cut down on the number of people who come to police headquarters to receive reports.
“We get about 550 crashes a year,” he said. “If two people are involved in each crash, you’re looking at 1,100 people coming in to get a crash report.”
The website also includes a quick link for residents to submit tips to the department. The right side of the page includes a red eyeball and telephone graphic. Clicking on the graphic takes residents to a tips page, where they can then access a form to send an anonymous message to police. The page also features a phone number and email address for the police department in case residents wish to contact it directly.
Some services on the website require residents to create an account first. They must create an account to file a complaint, request ancillary services or request a house check. Creating an account is free and requires residents to fill out name, address, birth date and phone number.
Mantua Township Police envision the new webpage growing as time goes by. Butler said the services currently on the website are just the tip of the iceberg and more services could be added in the near future.
