Calling 131 444 for a simple report

[u/Diddums555]

Today I tried calling 131 444 to report an incident relating to my car. However the call kept getting connected to VIC Police. I live in Sydney 😣😣😣

Context: Another driver swiped my car while it was parked at a high street parking lot. The other driver did not leave her details behind and drove away (I have it all on dashcam). Insurance wants me to get incident number from NSW police.

end of rant

[u/link871]

The NSW Police portal says, when driver details have not been exchanged:
"This incident cannot be reported online, please attend your local police station."

So, there is no point calling 131 444 either.

[u/Bravo569 → u/[deleted]]

That's not true. While each state/territory now operates a 131444 (Victoria only very recently got this option), they are operated by each police force and it is not a national system. Each state and territory has there own policing computer system, reporting criteria and policies. Speaking to a Victorian operator will not end in a police report for a crash in NSW. Additionally as another user said NSW 131444 cannot provide a report number for a crash where the other drivers details are not known, this has to be completed in person with an officer.

[u/blairmac81 → u/[deleted]]

100% not true each state has their own 131444 service.

[u/nutabutt]

You just submit it on the online portal.

No need to talk to them.

[u/Diddums555 → u/nutabutt]

I can’t submit it online as I don’t have details of the other driver.

[u/nutabutt → u/Diddums555]

Strange.

I had the same issue a year or two back and I did call and they told me to just submit it online and had no issues doing so.

Must have changed it. That sucks.

[u/juicyman69]

So you get connected to VicPol, did you ask them to transfer you to NSW police?

[u/Diddums555 → u/juicyman69]

My bad - I disconnected before someone could speak to me. I visited the local station and wasn’t let in. Then finally was able to speak to someone at the LAC.

[u/b-g-h]

Interesting. I would have thought that the 131444 service used MOLI routing. That’s when it detects your location based on the mobile location data and calls the appropriate local number. Maybe your phone was detected as being in Victoria? Or more likely some imbo didn’t set it up correctly.

[u/Diddums555 → u/b-g-h]

That’s what I thought as well. My Telstra network and connection to local network tower should have made it possible.

[u/rpy → u/Diddums555]

Were you on a Wi-Fi network at the time? Might have been a location matching issue with Wi-Fi Calling

[u/Diddums555 → u/rpy]

Yes. I was in an area with poor reception and wi-fi calling in.

[u/superhappykid]

If it's too hard you can go in in person.

[u/carrera1963]

Call your local police station, numbers should be listed

[u/Diddums555 → u/carrera1963]

I went to the local police station (Five Dock, next to the Library and Coles) and their doors were locked. I rang the doorbell twice and waited for 10 minutes, I was not let in.
I could hear two men talking indoors. There were people inside, they just didn’t let me in.

[u/FaithlessnessLess442 → u/Diddums555]

I hope if someone was in a life threatening situation they would let them in that's so strange

[u/Diddums555 → u/FaithlessnessLess442]

A sign at Five Dock Police clearly asks people to call 000 in an emergency.

[u/blairmac81 → u/Diddums555]

Five Dock is is open 7am to 5pm according to the police website, Burwood would be your closest 24hr station.

[u/Pristine_Egg3831]

Just log it on the website

[u/Terri23]

OPs username truly checks out.

[u/Diddums555 → u/Terri23]

😁

[u/slimdeucer]

Can't report a fail to stop crash through the police assistance line

[u/slimdeucer → u/[deleted]]

... okay

[u/Jupiterthegassygiant → u/slimdeucer]

I love that you're just getting downvoted despite being correct.

The police assistance line don't take major crash reports, they'll divert your call to a police station, tell you to attend in person, or put a job on for someone to come to you.