A glitch in Tasmania Police's computer system means almost 170 reports, including concerns for child welfare, were not referred for further investigation.
Assistant Commissioner Donna Adams on Tuesday said the fault was found last week and a subsequent review of some 23,000 reports since 2010 found that 169 had not been passed on by the automated email system.
"The welfare of children is a priority for us and I can assure the community that the police response to each matter was appropriate," Ms Adams said of the follow-up work in conjunction with Children and Youth Services.