Recordkeeping is one of the crucial functions of law enforcement agencies across states. Police in the United States are trained to document every observation and action they take while on duty.
Law enforcement officers record or document this in a police report. So, how can one obtain a police report? Here’s a more detailed explanation.
What is Meant by a Police Report?
A police report is an official record issued by the police containing information about an incident suspected to be a criminal act. Civil society can file a police report with the nearest law enforcement officer regarding criminal violations that have occurred, are ongoing, or are suspected to occur.
For example, reports about traffic accidents, arrests of criminals, investigations, and so on. Official police reports are generated from almost every submission or call from the public. These official records are carefully kept for public purposes and legal administration in a region.
Police reports detail all conditions, timelines, and facts of a criminal event or illegal action. This information is typically used for police investigations. Police reports are also commonly required by crime victims, court officials, and insurance companies.
The issuance of police reports by authorities is intended for specific purposes, such as the following needs:
1. Tracking, Capturing, and Prosecuting Suspects
Police reports are needed to help find perpetrators of crimes. Victims can fill out or file a police report, even in non-emergency situations. For example, victims of crimes or minor offenses can seek assistance from local police.
Police reports typically contain descriptions of suspects to help law enforcement track and apprehend them. These reports are also invaluable for the suspect’s judicial process.
2. Assistance in Investigation
If local police require involvement from other parties, a police report will be prepared to initiate an investigation. Police reports are vital tools in the criminal justice process. Officers must accurately document crimes in police reports.
3. Serving as Evidence
Some police reports lead to arrests or trials. However, not all do because some police reports are only used as supplementary evidence. Victims usually need these reports to prove that a crime or accident indeed occurred.
For example, in hit-and-run cases, victims require police reports for insurance claims. Police reports can also serve as evidence for prosecutors when bringing perpetrators to trial.
4. Public Information
Not all police reports end up as documents or evidence in court. Police reports are also highly beneficial to the general public, especially in areas experiencing high levels of crime.
Police reports can help authorities identify trends in criminal activity occurring within a city. For instance, if the police receive numerous reports of home burglaries in a particular area.
These reports assist the police in taking immediate action and alerting residents. Police officers typically patrol locations with many reports of neighborhood security or disturbances, among other issues.
5. Serving as Public Records
Another function of police reports is serving as public records. Anyone can search for and obtain police reports about specific crimes or incidents.
However, not all information stored in police reports can be shared with the general public. Some types of police reports may require special permission to access.
Requesting a Police Report
A police report is an official document that is confidential and restricted. If you have a green card to obtain this document, you can request it from the relevant police department according to the location of the incident or the case being prosecuted.
Procedures for obtaining a police report may vary between institutions or regions. However, most states provide websites that facilitate the public in obtaining police reports online.
For example, the New York City Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website can be used by individuals who want to access accident reports. This website stores accident and police reports for 4 years from the date of the accident.
You can use it to search, purchase, and download reports, both free and paid. The “free” search is limited to see if the accident report you are looking for is stored in the DMV or not.
If you need a complete report, you must use the paid option. The search fee is around $7 and the report fee is $15 for each requested report.
After the request for a police report is received by the relevant party, you may need to wait for some time until the report is sent. Copies of police reports can be sent via U.S. mail, fax, or sent online in PDF format.
However, police reports will not be issued until the investigation is complete. If you have any questions or issues regarding a police report, you can directly contact the nearest police station.
Things to Know Before Requesting a Police Report
Are you planning to request a police report from local officials? There are several important things to know before requesting a police report.
1. Police Reports Cannot Be Disseminated
Local police departments may not respond to your request for various reasons. One of them is ongoing court proceedings. This is crucial to understand because police information cannot be shared until the process is complete.
According to the RTKL (Right-To-Know Law) Article 708 (b) (16) which states that “records of an agency relating to or resulting in a criminal investigation…”. This means that police reports related to investigations will not be shared easily.
In addition to this common reason, requests for police reports may not be granted due to rules in each state. For example, in New York (NY), based on Public Officers Law Article 87 (2) (b), requests for access to police reports are denied because disclosure would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy.
Police reports that cannot be disseminated may also be due to jurisdictional reasons. For instance, in Alabama (AL), there is a rule stating “Cities are only required to provide public records to residents of Alabama”.
Another reason is that you are not the victim or an official representative of the victim listed in the police report. This is in accordance with regulations in California (CA), based on Government Code Article 6254.
2. Tedious Process of Obtaining Police Reports
Obtaining a police report typically follows the rules of freedom of information laws applicable in each state. Crime victims or victims involved in motor vehicle accidents are allowed to request copies of police reports from the police department.
Some institutions allow others, such as legal guardians like lawyers, to obtain police reports. Lawyers on behalf of their clients must submit written requests for police reports or related public records.
You may encounter a convoluted process in obtaining a police report. Firstly, you need to know which police department is responsible, then the place or location where the crime occurred, and which department handles the report.
So, you may need to contact several people to determine precisely which sub-department is responsible for issuing the police report. This can be quite cumbersome because sometimes not all officers working there are familiar with the policies regarding report issuance.
In some police agencies, report matters can be handled via telephone or online. You don’t need to go back and forth to the police station, but don’t be surprised if the process is also lengthy.
You will usually be asked to fill out an online form or answer questions from officers over the phone. Some processes are free, but some institutions provide report requests for a fee.
You can inquire directly with the relevant department about the costs. Your request will be processed after payment. So, this entire process may be complicated and confusing, especially for first-timers.
3. Incomplete Information and Data
Police reports used for internal police needs contain the most comprehensive information. However, the copy of the police report you obtain may not be as detailed as the original report.
The reason is that the police have two types of reports: reports for internal use (not shared with the public) and reports shared with the public. Additionally, inconsistent report content across different agencies within a country may be a reason why you do not receive complete data in the police report.
Another reason is that the contents of the police report may have been edited by the authorities. Police officers and officials typically edit report contents to protect the identities of victims, especially in cases involving children.
Edited information may consist of several paragraphs or even entire pages. This is done to safeguard sensitive information.
4. Obtaining Police Reports May Incur Charges
In many cases, especially for minor incidents, the report can be requested for free. You simply need to contact the local police department to obtain a copy of the report via email or mail.
In other cases, you may be charged for the search process and the issuance of the police report. The fees vary depending on the policy of each police department. Some police departments charge $2-$15 for issuing a report.
These fees can be calculated per report or per hour of service. In short, the more police reports you need, the more expenses you will incur. Obtaining multiple police reports for various needs can result in significant costs.
Furthermore, the cost of obtaining police reports may increase if the sought-after reports have already been transferred to the central archive location.
Types of Police Reports
Police reports are quite valuable to the community as they can serve as evidence of criminal events, crimes, or accidents. There are various types of police reports, including:
1. Crime Reports
Crime reports or incident reports are types of reports containing information about crimes that occur without any witnesses. Examples include police reports related to vandalism, theft, assault, and serious crimes such as murder.
Police create these reports and recommend actions to be taken according to the country’s regulations regarding the events mentioned in the report. Victims of crimes such as identity theft, debit card or property theft, and others can file crime reports with the local police.
2. Administrative Reports
These police reports explain violations or crimes committed by police officers. The leaders of the relevant agencies can take action based on these reports.
3. Traffic Reports
The next type of police report is traffic reports. It contains information on traffic violations such as driving without a valid driver’s license, speeding, fleeing the scene of an accident, and so on.
Traffic reports record various information, including the perpetrator’s name, phone number, violations committed, vehicle make and model, license plate number, and vehicle identification number.
4. Intelligence Reports
These reports contain facts about actions, events, or crimes that threaten peace. Law enforcement will deploy intelligence units to investigate the backgrounds of suspected individuals.
5. Accident Reports
One of the most frequently requested types of reports by the public is accident reports. This police report records accident details, such as the names and phone numbers of parties involved, the cause of the accident, the extent of damage incurred, and who is responsible for the accident incident.
6. Domestic Violence Reports
Police also issue reports on domestic violence. These reports outline incidents of violence or violations that occur within the scope of households.
Free Public Records
There are several police reports that are shared with the general public for free. For example, police reports related to sex offenses that can be obtained by the public online. This information can aid in the nationwide search for perpetrators.
Some examples of free public records from the government, especially police departments, include:
1. Inmate Records
You can search for inmate information by name, find the location of detention, and view release dates.
2. Missing Children
Police reports related to missing and exploited children can be obtained for free. These reports are usually accessible through the official police website or intelligence agencies.
3. Genealogy Searches
Genealogy records are very useful for individuals who want to conduct comprehensive family history searches.
4. Most Wanted Lists
Lists of DPOs (Fugitives) or individuals most wanted by the police are police reports that are typically disseminated and can be accessed for free. You can search for information on individuals wanted by the FBI, DEA, or other government departments.
5. Criminal Public Records
You can search for information related to criminal history processed in court. This includes requests for criminal record expungement.
Where to Obtain Police Reports?
Police reports are not part of the court system, so they are stored at police agencies. Where can we get police reports?
1. Relevant Police Stations
Most police agencies have administrative or record-keeping offices. You can visit these offices according to the location where the criminal incident or offense was reported. You may need the police report number to easily obtain a copy of the report.
2. Local Police Department Website
In addition to visiting police stations, you can also request reports online. If your police agency has a website, you can obtain the desired data from the website.
3. Local Authority Offices
If you are requesting a police report from the United States, you can do so through several authority offices such as courts, sheriff’s departments, investigative bureaus, and public safety departments.
So, requesting or obtaining police reports directly is available at almost all police departments in the United States. In most police departments, police reports can be ordered online by the public.
