What do I do if I want to report a crime?
For all EMERGENCIES, pick up the phone and dial 911.
For non-emergencies, please call the Allenstown Police Department at 485-9500 and a dispatcher will direct your call or dispatch a Police Officer as needed. You may also come to the Police Station and report in person during regular business hours or use the police telephone located inside the police station lobby. This is a direct line to the dispatcher.

Where is the department located?
The Allenstown Police Department is located at 40 Allenstown Road (Route 3), Allenstown, NH

Why do they ask so many question when I call the police?
Receiving dispatchers are trained to try to get as much information as possible to best determine the nature of the problem and its seriousness. On emergency calls, the dispatcher has already sent the information to the officer while asking additional questions.

What court do the Allenstown Police go to?
Allenstown Police cases are heard at the Hooksett District Court, 101 Merrimack Street Hooksett, NH 03106. Telephone: 603-485-9901.

Who can I talk to about speeding cars in my neighborhood?
You can call and speak to any officer of the Allenstown Police Department. The Chief or Lieutenant may, at his discretion, assign a patrol unit on selective enforcement in your neighborhood for a period of time. If your complaint is for an immediate problem, please call the police non-emergency number and talk to the officer on duty.

Can police radar work both ways coming and going away?
The Allenstown Police Department uses Doppler radar, both stationary and moving. Our stationary radar can pick up vehicles traveling towards the radar unit or going away. So don’t speed up after you pass an officer using radar or he/she may surprise you. We also have moving radar that monitors vehicles as they approach the patrol vehicle while moving on the roadways. Just remember to drive carefully and watch your speed

I found an old box of ammunition while cleaning out the attic. What should I do?
If the ammunition is small caliber and in a box, or assorted cartridges, rifle ammo, it can be brought to the police station and will be disposed of.
If you find large caliber ammunition, grenades, or other unknown type of ammunition – DO NOT MOVE IT. Call the police to have it safely removed.

I return home and find my front door open. Should I go in?
NO. Go to a neighbor’s house and call the police. If you return home and notice anything suspicious, broken window, open window, alarm sounding, or anything that you do not feel comfortable with DON’T GO IN. You want to avoid any confrontation with a burglar.

Should I report suspicious activity in my neighborhood?
The Allenstown Police Department depends on citizens calling to report crimes or suspicious activity. The dispatcher who takes your call will ask questions about the activity to determine its nature and ask for descriptions of the people involved. You may be asked if an officer or detective may contact you, but you may refuse.

What do I if I want to get a Hawkers/Peddlers Permit?
Those wishing to solicit or peddle door - to – door must first obtain a Solicitors/Peddlers license. These are available from the Allenstown Police Department.  Please take notice that all licenses issued shall be subject to the procedures, regulations and guidelines established by the Board of Selectmen and filed in the office of the Town Clerk.

There’s a bear/deer/moose in my back yard. What do I do?
Please remember that Allenstown is a rural community and as such is home to many wild animals. When housing being developed further and further into wooded areas, sightings of large wild animals are becoming more common. The most important thing to remember is not to panic or startle the animal. As a general rule, wild animals are more scared of humans then we are of them. The best course of action is to keep all children and pets inside your house and leave the animal alone. More often than not the animal will leave on its own in a short time. To reduce the likelihood of wild animals appearing in your yard, remove or secure all potentially attractive food sources such as bird feeders bee hives, compost piles and domestic cat or dog food. Searching for food is the most common reason wild animals appear in populated areas. If the animal returns repeatedly you can contact the NH Fish and Game Department at 271-3361. If the animal is an immediate threat to people or livestock then you should contact the Allenstown Police.
Isolated sightings of wild animals without any threatening or unusual behavior should not be reported to the police


Where do I go to pay my Parking Ticket/ Motor Vehicle Citation?
Parking tickets can be paid by mail or in person at the police department. No cash is accepted at the PD.  If you receive a summons for a traffic offense turn your summons over and carefully read the instructions printed on the reverse side of your ticket. Follow these instructions carefully. You have 30 days from the date written on the front side of the ticket to respond to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Can I make a police report at any time of day and do I need to make an appointment?
The police department will respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week to requests for police assistance.

Can I make a police report over the telephone or does a police officer have to come to my house?
Some reports can be taken over the telephone. The officer on duty can determine if your report can be handled over the telephone.

Can I obtain sex offender information?
Yes, convicted sex offenders in the State of New Hampshire are required by law to register with the local law enforcement agency they reside in. The register can be inspected by anyone. To view the register, please call the PD at 485-9500 to make an appointment.

Can I obtain sex offender information by e-mail?
NO. All requests MUST be in person at the police station. Any person requesting such information must fill out a form Request For Information About Sex Offenders.

I’ve just been involved in a motor vehicle accident. Do I need to report it?
If your are involved in any type of motor vehicle accident (no matter how minor) you must stop and identify yourself to the other driver(s) or property owner(s) involved. If the damage to the other vehicle(s)or property exceeds $1000.00, or if someone is injured (no matter how minor), or if one of the vehicles involved has fled the scene then you must report the accident.

What we can I do about harassing phone calls?
Before an officer can begin an investigation, you must successfully trace a least two of those calls and document the trace. Information about how to do this is printed in your telephone book or call your telephone company for help. After the traces, you must call the telephone company as well before you can report it to the police. When you do call the police department, obtain a case number that can be furnished to the telephone company.

Caller ID is not the same thing as tracing a call. If you have a caller ID box, you still must work with the telephone company to trace the call. Caller ID is not admissible in court.

What should you do if you get a phone call claiming you have won something?
The best rule of thumb is that if something sounds to good to be true, it is. And if you feel at all uneasy, there’s probably a good reason for that. You should never have to divulge personal information to receive a prize. And it’s always best to get information in writing rather than over the telephone. If you do talk to someone on the phone, get their full name, the name of the company and the phone number. Then you can call back to verify it is a legitimate company. If they won’t give you a name and number, chances are it is not legitimate.

What should I do if I am stopped by a police officer?

• Stop your vehicle as far out of the lane of traffic as possible.
  Make sure you turn your flashers on, and motion to the officer that you are going to comply.
  
• Stay in your vehicle, and turn on the interior light.
  Good lighting assists good communication. Relax and remain in your vehicle. If you leave the vehicle, you subject yourself and the officer to the dangers of traffic.
  
• Keep your hands in view, preferably on the steering wheel.
  Wait for the officer to request your license, registration and proof of insurance.
  
• Police officer's are trained to ask for identification first and provide an explanation second. First provide proper documentation. Then give the officer a chance to explain the reason you were stopped. Providing your documentation will simplify and speed the process. Remember, most often the officer is in uniform with the nametag displayed. You have the advantage of knowing with whom you are dealing. Extend the courtesy by providing the requested identification without argument.
  
• If you do not agree with the citation, or the officer’s demeanor, do not argue at the scene. All citizens have the right to question their citation before a magistrate. The Allenstown Police Department has an internal affairs system in place to investigate citizen complaints
  

What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is defined by the relationship of the victim to the defendant, not by crime committed; it includes any harmful physical, or threat thereof, occurring between current or former family and household members, sexual or intimate partners (including homosexual partners). Domestic violence generally represents a pattern of behavior rather than a single isolated incident. This pattern can take on many forms, all of them involving physical violence or threats of physical violence, the pattern almost always includes emotional, sexual and economic abuse as well.

How do I obtain a Restraining Order?
New Hampshire law provides that protection from domestic violence is afforded to a broad range of persons, including family or household members and current or former sexual or intimate partners of the defendant. New Hampshire law provides protection to two groups of people:

Those who have been directly abused, as defined by the law and those who are entitled to file a petition; and those who are themselves entitled to file a petition because they have not been personally abused, but to whom the statute offers protection once the abuse has been found because of their relationship to the victim.

Who may file a petition?
Spouses, ex-spouses, current or former intimate partners, persons who cohabitated with each other but who no longer share the same residence; and parents and other persons related by consanguinity (related by blood), or affinity (a connection between a spouse and the blood relations of the other) other than minor children who reside with the defendant.

Anyone who is in an abusive relationship should seriously consider obtaining a restraining order. In order to obtain one, the victim (plaintiff) is required to appear before a justice and explain why an order is to be issued against the abuser (defendant). The plaintiff should request the necessary paperwork from the clerk of courts. The plaintiff will then be required to complete the "petition". Once completed, the plaintiff will have to appear before the judge, and explain why the order should be issued.

The Judge will, if he deems it necessary, issue the order, along with a notice of hearing to the defendant. The hearing is usually two weeks from the date the order is issued, although the date may be changed depending upon scheduling, etc. The order will usually prohibit the defendant from having any contact with the plaintiff, in person or by phone, and may establish temporary visitation, residency, and monetary requirements to be adhered to by both parties, the order may also demand relinquishing to the Police any deadly weapons, including firearms, which may have been used in the commission of a domestic violence act.

In the event that you may require a restraining order after hours or on a weekend, you can still get an emergency retraining order. To qualify for an emergency order, there must be shown an immediate and present danger of abuse. The court may issue such an order, as it deems necessary to protect the petitioner. In order to do so, contact the Allenstown Police Department at 485- 9500. The petitioner should be present during the conversation but the petitioner will not speak to the judge unless the judges specifically request it. If you are in immediate danger of abuse, please call "911" The officers responding will safeguard you and your children, if necessary and advise you on the procedure for obtaining a restraining order after hours.

REMEMBER IN THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, IT IS A CRIME AGAINST THE STATE FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE HOUSEHOLD TO ABUSE ANOTHER, YET ONLY ABOUT ONE TENTH OF ALL BATTERING/ASSAULT INCIDENTS ARE EVER REPORTED. NO ONE DESERVES TO BE BEATEN, OR TO LIVE IN CONSTANT FEAR OF ABUSE. IF YOU HAVE BEEN BATTERED/ABUSED PLEASE CALL THE ALLENSTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CALL THE ALLENSTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT AT 485-9500.