Police Department - FAQs

WHAT HAPPENS NOW...

You have called the department and reported a crime. In most instances, the initial investigation is conducted by the uniformed patrol officer that was sent to your location or who met with you to discuss the incident. He/she will complete a case report detailing the events of your case, collect any evidence, and talk with any witnesses. The report will then be filed with the Records Section. These reports are reviewed by a member of the Criminal Investigation Team who will use a set of criteria to determine whether your case will be investigated by an investigator or returned to the uniformed patrol officer who took the report for follow-up investigation.

How can I get a copy of the report?

You may pick up a copy of the report (including accident reports) the next business day following the reporting of the incident. It may take between 3-5 business days before accident reports are available.

Where?

Police reports may be picked up at the Smithfield Police Department, located at 110 S. 5th Street, between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM, Monday through Friday.

If you are unable to come by the department in person you may write Police Records, 110 S. 5th Street, Smithfield, NC 27577 and request a copy of your report be mailed to you. There is no charge for police reports.

How can I get a copy of my local criminal record?

The Smithfield Police Department does not provide this service. Criminal record information may be obtained at the Johnston County Courthouse from the Clerk of Superior Court. The courthouse is located at 207 East Johnston Street, Smithfield, NC.

Suppose I remember something I forgot to tell the officer?

If you need to have additional information added to the report, you may call 919-934-2121 and ask to speak with an officer. The information will be added to the original report. If you prefer to talk to the officer who took the initial report you may call 919-934-2121 and ask to speak with that officer. If they are on duty they will be instructed to return your call. If they are off-duty you will be given their voice mail and you can leave them a message and they will return your call when they return to work. You should be aware this method may take several days for your call to be returned depending upon their work schedule.

Will a detective see my report?

Your case report will be reviewed by a member of the Criminal Investigation Team. The reviewing supervisor will then make a decision as whether to assign the case to an investigator or back to the uniformed officer who took the report.

What kinds of cases will be assigned to investigators and what kind of cases are assigned back to the uniformed officers?

Generally, cases that require a great deal of investigative follow-up and cases of a more serious nature are assigned to investigators. Crimes such as murder, rape, sexual assaults, physical assaults, robbery, burglaries, forgeries, frauds and major larcenies are usually assigned to investigators.  Incidents requiring less intensive follow-up investigative work are generally assigned back to the uniformed officer who took the original report.

Will the detective assigned my case contact me?

When a case is assigned to the uniformed officer for follow-up investigation that officer must contact the victim within 8 calendar days. When cases are assigned to members of the investigative team they are to contact the victim within 48 hours following assignment of the case. Both uniformed officers and investigators are responsible for maintaining contact with the victim as necessary throughout the investigation.

Why aren't all cases assigned to investigators for follow-up investigation?

Annually approximately 3500 incidents are reported to the Smithfield Police Department. The department has 3 general investigators, 2 drug investigators, and an investigative supervisor assigned to the Criminal Investigations Team. As you can see it would be impossible to assign each and every case to an investigator. Because of this some cases are assigned back to the uniformed officer and some are simply not investigated past the point of the initial report. We feel we must concentrate our efforts toward cases that have a chance of being solved. To make a better determination as to which cases will be further investigated, specific criteria are considered. These include likelihood that the case can be solved, officer/team workload, and the seriousness of the offense.

If my case is not solved quickly will it be forgotten about?

If no leads, evidence or other information is available, then the case is placed in an inactive file. Often inactive cases are cleared at a later date through information developed from active cases. We encourage you to report all criminal violations to the police department. If you have a question or additional information about your case that may help us solve it, please contact the police department.

Can I avoid a police officer coming to my home or place of business to take a report?

Yes, many incidents do not require an officer's presence. You may come to the police department or telephone 934.2121 and ask to speak with an officer who will make a report. You should tell the Telecommunicator that it would be fine to have an officer call instead of coming by your home or business. You should be aware though that when this happens the officer will not be able to examine the crime scene, collect evidence or observe any conditions present. This information will be noted in his/her report.

If I call to report an emergency, how long will it take for an officer to respond?

Our goal is to respond as quickly and as safely as we can to your call for assistance. As calls for police service are received they are assigned a priority. Calls with the highest priority are answered first. Example: We are notified of a burglary in progress. This call would be given a high priority rating. However, if the burglary was not in progress and all that was needed is an investigation and report to be made, this call will have a lower priority. The general rule is that the most serious calls are answered first.

How can I get my property back?

The police department only receives property in three ways: evidence, found property, and confiscated property.

Property may be claimed at the Police Department Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM till 5:00 PM. It is best to call ahead and ask for Melissa Southerland to ensure that he will be available to release the property. In order to claim property you must have current picture ID. There must be sufficient supporting information to prove ownership of any property to be claimed.  Property collected as evidence can only be claimed with a court order which is obtained from court after the case has been tried. You may call Ms. Southerland at 919-989-1073 if you have questions about claiming property.

What happens to unclaimed property?

Any unclaimed found property is sold at a public auction after 6 months. Auctions are held once each year. All proceeds from auctions as well as any unclaimed money are turned over to the county school systems.

Auctions are advertised in advance in the local papers. Items will be placed on display on the day of auction, immediately prior to the auction. You may not view the items prior to that time.