Q: What happens if I dial
911 with a cell phone?
A: Your 911 call will be
routed to the nearest tower
from the point where you
make the call.
Wherever you are, your call
will go to the nearest 911
dispatcher. On rare
occasions, a 911 dispatcher
may have to forward you to
another police department,
depending on what
jurisdiction you happen to
be in at the time, but these
transfers are done rapidly
in emergency situations.
In any situation, a
dispatcher will ask you your
current location and will
make appropriate decisions
accordingly.
Q: How do I obtain a copy of
a police report?
A: Call our main office
Monday through Friday from
8:00am-4:30pm and request a
public copy through our
office staff. Have a
report number available, or
any other relevant
information and our staff
will assist you in obtaining
a copy of the report.
Please be advised that all
reports take a minimum of 2
business days to process
before they are available
for the public.
Q: What do I do about
harassing phone calls?
A: Tell the person that
you do not want them to
contact you any more.
It is illegal to make
harassing phone calls.
Advising the unwanted caller
that you will seek a warrant
for their arrest if they
continue to call will
usually stop them from
calling. However, if
the calls continue, document
when the calls came in and
who is calling. Making
harassing phone calls is a
misdemeanor crime, so you
will need to go to the
nearest magistrate with that
list of times and dates to
seek a warrant for the
arrest of the individual who
is harassing you. It is helpful
to get a copy of
incoming calls from your
telephone company if a
warrant is obtained, to use
as evidence in court.
If voicemails are left by
the unwanted caller,
document those as well for
additional evidence.
Q: What is the curfew in
Smithfield?
A: 12:30am - 5:00am are the
hours of curfew for
juveniles in the Town of
Smithfield.
Q: What should I do if I'm
in a car accident?
A: Check to see if there
are any injuries. Call the police
right away and the
dispatcher will ask you if
anyone was injured, extent
of injuries, where you are
located, how many vehicles
were involved, type of
vehicles and extent of
damage to the
vehicles. Knowing if
anyone is injured and where
you are located is of
immediate importance in
order to dispatch rescue
services. Whenever
possible, have your driver's
license, registration, and
insurance information
available for the arriving
police officer.
Q: What can I do about
barking/nuisance dogs?
A: The first thing to do
is talk with the neighbor
who owns the dogs.
They may not be aware that
their dogs are barking
during certain hours, or
that it is a
disturbance. If the
barking does not cease,
police can visit the owner
and provide them with a
notification packet that
advises them of the Town's
Ordinances against noise
disturbances and legal
actions that will be taken
if it does not cease.
It is helpful if you have
made a log of the time of
day when the dogs are
especially noisy.
Q: My friend got pulled for
DUI, what can I do?
A: Find out what department
arrested them (State Police
and Isle of Wight Sheriff
Deputies have jurisdiction
in Town limits). The
arrest process for a DUI in
the Town of Smithfield can
take a few hours,
including the arrestee
meeting with a magistrate
who determines their
bond. There is a
mandatory minimum four hour
sobering period from the
time the arrestee has met
with the magistrate.
This sobering period takes
place at Western Tidewater
Regional Jail in Suffolk
near the Obici
Hospital, if the individual
was arrested by a Smithfield
Police Officer. Your friend
may need a ride from
Suffolk, approximately 6-8
hours from the time they are
stopped on the road.
Q: What should I do if I
think I'm behind a reckless/drunk
driver?
A: Get a license plate
number. Call the
telephone number for the
police department or
sheriff's office where you
are. Give the
dispatcher a description of
the reckless nature of the
driving, the car type, the direction you
are headed and your
location, the license plate
of the car, and if possible,
stay behind the car until
police arrive. When
police arrive, continue on
your way. The
dispatcher will get your
contact information so that
you can be reached if you
need to serve as a witness.
The dispatcher will ask you
if you wish to press
charges. Often times,
citizens will see someone
driving in a reckless
manner, but when a marked
police unit arrives, the
driver may cease his
recklessness. As a
citizen, you have a right to
seek a warrant against the
reckless driver, if the
officer did not witness the
reckless driving. The
officer can still assist by
obtaining the necessary
information on the reckless
driver so that you can press
charges. In the case
of a drunk driver, the
officer will seek charges.