Hello MorahRach,
In my work, I have noticed on many occasions a lack of communication between government entities that have specific protocols to interact with each other — e.g., children & youth services and the police department.
That being said, the unit of the police department that would be most used to interacting with and reporting to children & youth services due to frequent collaboration would be New York City Police Department’s equivalent of a Special Victim’s Unit (it may be called that in fact, as it was in the large city where I formerly practiced). The officer who responds to the equivalent of a 911 call initially probably is not an officer in the Special Victim’s Unit, nor a detective in same.
Nonetheless, the mandatory reporter fulfills the legal duty to report and avoids criminal and civil penalties by reporting to the local child abuse hotline, which is distinct from calling the police via the 911 equivalent in New York City. The mandatory reporter duty and the phone number for the hotline are posted on the New York City Administration for Children’s Services website.