Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly laid down the law to the NYPD: Make it easier for New Yorkers to report crimes and make each one of them count.
In a memo obtained by the Daily News, Kelly provided a veritable �Policing 101� refresher.
The operational order spells out in painstaking detail the steps cops are supposed to take when someone wants to report a crime. It also warns cops to eliminate excuses for not taking complaints from victims.
Police officers were told to take reports even if:
l The victim can�t identify the suspect.
l Someone can�t provide a receipt for stolen items.
l The victim refuses to view photographs.
l The complainant won�t speak with detectives.
l The victim doesn�t want to prosecute an offender.
The memo urges police officers not to refer crime victims to another precinct if the crimes didn�t happen in their command. And Kelly reminds cops not to tell people to return to crime scenes and call 911 after they�ve come to a police station to report a crime.
The operations order issued on Tuesday comes, as the NYPD and others are investigating claims that police officers � under pressure to make the city appear safer � are fudging stats or making it difficult for people to report crimes.
Police officials called the operational order routine and denied it was prompted by controversy.
�We use operations to periodically remind personnel of proper procedures,� Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne said.
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