What is a logbook?
The handrail allows you to report and have facts officially recorded with the police or, depending on local practices, the gendarmerie, without requesting that criminal proceedings be initiated.
Its main purpose is to date events and to keep an official record of it. This can be helpful when the facts do not clearly constitute a criminal offense or when you do not wish to file a complaint immediately.
In what situations?
The handrail is often used to indicate:
- repeated disturbances; ;
- neighborhood disputes; ;
- family or marital disputes; ;
- verbal threats that are not immediately followed by action; ;
- harassment for which there is still insufficient evidence; ;
- recurring incidents that you would like to report.
How do I file a police report?
You can go to a police station. Depending on local practices, some gendarmerie units also accept similar reports.
Explain the facts accurately and in chronological order. The officer will record your statement in the department’s records.
We recommend that you bring:
- a form of identification; ;
- a chronological summary of the facts; ;
- the dates and times of the events; ;
- the contact information for the individuals concerned, if known; ;
- photographs, videos, or screenshots; ;
- emails, text messages, or other communications; ;
- any document that supports your statement.
What happens next?
A police report generally does not trigger neither an investigation nor criminal prosecution.
It is essentially a official record of your statement. If the incidents recur or worsen, it may be useful in demonstrating their recurrence or how long they have been occurring.
If necessary, you may decide at a later time to file a complaint.
How is this different from a complaint?
A complaint is intended to report a criminal offense and may lead to an investigation under the authority of the public prosecutor.
A handrail is intended solely to record facts. It does not, in and of itself, constitute a request for prosecution.
Good to Know
If the facts constitute a criminal offense (violence, theft, fraud, harassment, serious threats, assault, etc.), it is generally best to file a complaint rather than a handrail.
In case of immediate danger, call the following number immediately: 17 or the 112.
Confidence level: high.
Point to watch out for: Unlike filing a complaint, there is no no law or regulation requiring the police or gendarmerie to file a police report. Whether it is recorded depends on the practices of the relevant departments, which may vary depending on the situation. This is an important difference from a complaint, which must be accepted pursuant to Article Section 15-3 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.