How to Report a Crime
Reporting a Crime in Progress
Dial 911 if the crime is an emergency situation that would require immediate police and/or medical response.
Regardless of where you live, the location of the phone from which the emergency call is made is what determines which police department will respond. All phones are territorially compatible with the jurisdictional police agency, and you will be immediately connected to the police department in the jurisdiction where the phone is located. If you are on the academic or residential part of campus, the Purdue University Police Department will respond immediately. If you are elsewhere in the Tippecanoe County area, the appropriate police department will respond.
If you are on the Purdue West Lafayette campus, you can use the Emergency Telephone System call boxes.
Stay on the line with the dispatcher until help arrives. Keep the dispatcher updated on any changes so responding units can be updated. Even if you cannot communicate, keep the line open. The dispatcher may be able to learn more about what is happening.
Reporting a Crime Not in Progress
If you have been a victim of a crime that is not an emergency or life-threatening situation, call the local jurisdictional police department. Regardless of where you live, where the crime occurred is the determining factor of which police department to call in order to file a report that does not require immediate police and/or medical response.
- If the crime occurred on the academic or residential portion of campus, contact the Purdue University Police Department at (765) 494-8221.
- If the crime occurred off-campus in the city of West Lafayette, contact the West Lafayette Police Department at (765) 775-5200.
- If the crime occurred in the city of Lafayette, contact the Lafayette Police Department at (765) 807-1200.
- If the crime occurred in Tippecanoe County, contact the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office at (765) 423-9388.
- The Indiana State Police Lafayette District 14 Office is available at (765) 567-2125 or 1-800-382-7537.