If you witness a crime in North Charleston, you should take the following steps:
For emergencies or crimes in progress, immediately call or text 911 to report the situation and get assistance from law enforcement.
For non-emergencies, you may call the North Charleston Police Department non-emergency number at 843-202-1700.
You can report certain types of incidents online via the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office public incident reporting form if the crime occurred in Charleston County, no suspect is present, and no physical evidence needs to be collected. This includes reports such as minor theft, vandalism under $1000, lost property, and other less urgent matters.
When reporting, provide as much accurate information as possible about the crime, location, and any involved parties.
Avoid intervening directly in the crime to stay safe physically. Instead, observe details such as descriptions of suspects or vehicles, which may help officers.
If you have physical evidence or witness statements, share these respectfully with the police during their investigation.
You can also submit anonymous tips through the local police tip lines or online reporting portals.
These steps help ensure prompt and safe handling of crime reports in North Charleston by the appropriate law enforcement agencies, prioritizing emergency situations for immediate response and allowing for convenient reporting of less urgent crimes online or via phone.
SOURCES
[1](https://sheriff.charlestoncounty.org/incident-reporting-form.php)
[2](https://arc.northcharleston.org/ncpd/policies/PolicyO-04.pdf)
[3](https://charleston.edu/student-affairs/files/reports/2025-2026annualsecurityreport.pdf)
[4](https://www.facebook.com/NorthCharlestonPoliceDepartment/posts/ncpd-launches-online-reporting-portal-the-north-charleston-police-department-is-/1060035852985219/)
[5](https://www.charleston-sc.gov/303/Police-Department)
