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Police

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1. Is it safe to walk on campus at night?

Yes, provided you take some simple steps to enhance your safety. First be alert to suspicious people or circumstances. If something or someone doesn't seem right to you, go to a well-lit, populated area and notify the police. Travel in well-lit, well-traveled areas and try not to walk alone. Familiarize yourself with the locations of the courtesy phones around campus. If you ever have a problem, go to one of these and dial 9-911. Also remember that most crimes that happen on campus occur from around 1 a.m. - 3 a.m. and involve alcohol.

2. I locked my keys in a University of Idaho office, what do I do?

Contact the University of Idaho Facilities at 208-885-6246. Ask them to come and open your office. Be prepared to show the identification. After hours, you can also contact University Security at 208-885-7054 for assistance.

3. Where can I be fingerprinted?

The police department does fingerprinting between the hours of Noon - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, for a charge of $20. The Latah County Sheriff Office provides routine fingerprinting service. Visit their website.

For non-city license applicants please bring in an over sized pre-paid envelope for mailing since you cannot mail them yourself.

4. How do I get a copy of a police report?

You may request a summary of any police report by coming to the Moscow Police Department and completing a Freedom of Information Act Request Form. These forms are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the website. It may take seven to ten days to process your request and costs 10 cents per page. If you have questions about this policy, please call us at 208-883-7054.

5. Where can I find laws on the internet?

The State of Idaho maintains Idaho laws online on their website.

The City of Moscow maintains a listing of our Moscow City Codes.

6. Where do I pay or contest my parking ticket?

If the City of Moscow Police issued you the parking ticket, you can use this website or stop by the main lobby at 118 E 4th Street, between 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. to either pay or contest your ticket. You can also drop off a payment after hours at our drop-box in front of the main entrance. Other agencies in our area that can also issue parking tickets are: 

• Latah County Sheriff's Office, 208-882-2216
• University of Idaho Parking Services, 208-885-6424

7. How do I request a presentation by a police officer?

You can request that a police officer give a presentation to your group by calling the following numbers:

• For presentations on the University of Idaho Moscow campus, call us at 208-883-7129.
• For all other presentations in the City of Moscow, call our Crime Prevention Officer at 208-883-7054.

8. How do I become a Moscow Police Officer?

To see if a position is available, go to the City of Moscow Human Resources webpage and follow their directions to apply.

9. Does Moscow hire lateral transfers (current police officers from other departments)?

This is our preferred hiring pool. If you are currently a police officer and are interested in a job with the Moscow Police Department, contact us at 208-883-7054.

10. How can I identify my belongings to prevent theft?

Identify your belongings by engraving your initials or other markings identifiable only to you on them, recording serial number information, and taking videotapes or photographs of the item(s). List your valuables by serial numbers and identifying features on an inventory sheet. This sheet should be kept separately in a safe place, like a safe or safety deposit box. This not only helps us recover your property should it ever be stolen, it also helps prevent theft. Thieves are less likely to steal something that can be readily identified as stolen. Contact Officer Shaine Gunderson at 208-883-7054 for further information on crime prevention.

11. Can I get a Moscow Police patch for my collection?

Yes. The patch is available to patch collectors for $5. If you're interested in receiving a patch, send $5 to:

Moscow Police Department
Attn. Karen Potter
118 East 4th Street
Moscow, Idaho  83843

12. I’d like to speak with someone regarding an officer’s actions. What should I do?

Your comments are very important to us. If you would like to compliment or complain about an officer’s actions, please:

For complaints, please call us at 208-882-COPS (2677) and ask to speak with a supervisor.

For compliments please call us at 208-882-2677 or write a letter and send it to:

Chief of Police
Moscow Police Department
118 East 4th Street
Moscow, Idaho  83843

In all correspondence, please include the Officer’s name, approximate date and time you interacted with the officer, and the location of the interaction.

13. What should I do if my car is stopped by a police officer?

• If you are driving a motor vehicle and an officer signals you to stop, you must pull over. That’s the law.
• Please stay in your car. If it’s dark, turn on the interior light. Do not  leave your car unless directed to do so by the officer. Relax, don’t  make any sudden movements or reach for items inside the vehicle which  could be construed by an officer as a potential threat to his/her  safety.
• Please keep your hands on the steering wheel.  Wait for the officer to approach your vehicle. The officer will begin by identifying him/herself and will tell you they work for the Moscow  Police Department. Next the officer should explain to you why you were  stopped and ask you to explain your behavior regarding the violation for which you were stopped. The officer will then ask you for your driver’s license, vehicle registration and proof of liability insurance. If you  don’t have your license with you, verbal identification will be  requested. Please provide the officer with the requested information.
• Moving traffic violations are the most common reason for stopping a vehicle.  However, you may also have been stopped for a registration or equipment  violation. A criminal investigation may be another reason for being  stopped.
• At some point during the stop, the officer may ask you and any passengers to step from the car for a variety of  reasons. Please follow the instructions the officer gives you.
• The officer's actions during a traffic stop are guided by the fact that  police officers are assaulted and killed each year during traffic stops. Our goal is to protect you, the motorist, and to ensure our own safety. We feel that it is important for you to know that most of the Moscow  Police Department’s traffic stops are video/audio recorded.

14. When a car is stopped, it appears that the officer is “sneaking up” on the driver. At night, the officers shine their lights into the car. Why is that?

Officers are trained to minimize their exposure to traffic and potential danger from within the vehicle. At night, the bright lights illuminate the interior of the vehicle which is another safety consideration for the officer.

15. If I've only been pulled over for a traffic offense, why do other police officers show up?

It is not uncommon for officers who are in close proximity to back each other up, even if they are not requested. This is just routine for safety reasons. It is also possible that the initial or secondary patrol vehicle may be a field-training unit, which consists of two officers, one of whom is learning how to become a police officer.

16. Why does the officer sit in the car for so long? What are they doing?

Technology now allows an officer to verify your driving status and check your vehicle registration directly from the patrol car. Because this information is accessed via computer and dependent upon its reliability, unanticipated delays may occasionally occur. While it may seem as if the officer has kept you waiting for a long time, it’s normally only for a few minutes.

17. What if you are issued a citation?

Please don’t argue at the scene. You have the right to contest a citation before a judge at a later time.