South Portland police are launching a system that will let residents file some police reports online for incidents like graffiti, car burglaries and vandalism for which there are no suspects or evidence.

The Web-based tool will result in reports being filed more quickly because a resident will not have to wait until an officer is free to respond to the complaint, according to a statement today by Lt. Frank Clark. The option also means residents will not have to schedule a meeting with an officer to report an incident.

The online reports will get the same analysis as reports submitted by patrol officers, Clark said. The department will issue the resident a temporary police report that is adequate for insurance purposes, Clark said.

The system also could lead to minor incidents being reported that a resident might have otherwise decided against filing a report on but which may be important for police investigations or statistics, he said. A car burglary where nothing was taken may still be important to investigators, he said.

The “Desk Officer Online Reporting System” can be accessed through the police department section of the city’s website at www.southportland.org or a kiosk in the police station lobby.