Reporting Public Safety Incidents At Your Fingertips

Did someone steal or damage your property? Did you witness dangerous driving or mischief? Instead of calling the non-emergency number or visiting a police station, residents of Cobourg can report non-emergency crimes through their smartphone or computer by visiting the Cobourg Police Service website or directly through RubiREPORT. Please note, if it is an emergency, call 911!

Since his appointment as Chief of Police, Paul VandeGraaf and the V13 Policetech Accelerator (a joint initiative between the Cobourg Police Service and NCFDC) have focused on bringing innovative policing technologies and solutions to Ontario to improve public safety. In June 2021, Rubicon’s RubiREPORT was accepted into the V13 Policetech Accelerator’s Pilot Stream, an initiative that offers startups and SMEs the opportunity to test and validate their solutions in a small town pilot-scale environment.

RubiREPORT is a software tool providing an online portal to help automate the reporting of non-emergency incidents, reducing the need for in-person or telephone contacts and optimising data for interoperability and actionable insights. The digital system streamlines workflows, allowing frontline officers to focus on emergency calls for service and high-priority cases, while offering the public a convenient and effective alternative to reporting minor crimes virtually.

In March 2022, the Cobourg Police partnered with Rubicon to provide a test bed for RubiREPORT and integrated the system into their operations in order to enhance mobile and web-based reporting tools for the public. As part of the real-world validation offered by the V13 Policetech Accelerator, CPS collaborated with Rubicon to identify ways to further hone and optimise the RubiREPORT software application. 

“Through the V13 Policetech Accelerator, our service is connected to creative and innovative energies–startups and entrepreneurs–who are enhancing our internal efficiencies and improving how we serve our community,” said Chief VandeGraaf. “When we first meet with a startup, we are open to exploring all innovative ideas and opportunities to achieve the shared goals of service excellence, cost savings, and improved community safety. Rubicon’s online reporting solution improved our ability to meet the needs of the community and came as a cost-savings for the service.” 

“The integration of the RubiREPORT system into the daily operations of CPS was made possible through the Pilot Stream of our Policetech Accelerator,” added Joe Miller, Business Development Officer at NCFDC and the V13 Policetech Accelerator Lead. “We believe that projects like this showcase what innovative companies bring to the table to help decrease operational costs and maximise efficiencies while increasing the functionality and responsiveness of the CPS–all while creating a safer community.”

The Cobourg Police Service’s recent integration of RubiREPORT has sparked interest from other nearby municipalities, prompting discussions of expanding the RubiREPORT deployment to other police services. The online reporting tool is available for free to the public 24/7, with an accessible and straightforward user-friendly interface. Digital record management allows police access to the most recent report information, rendering an improved standard for security intelligence and community safety.

To report non-emergency crimes, please visit the Cobourg Police Service website and click the “Start a report” button and follow the instructions. Please note that filing a false police report is a criminal offence.

To learn more about RubiREPORT, visit tryrubicon.com

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