Fee Schedule For Copies Of Public Records
The fee schedule for copies of public records requests is as follows:
- One to five pages of paper copies: $5.00/.25¢ for each additional page beyond 5
- Video: $40.00 per disc, additional videos associated w/same case $ 10.00 per CD
- Audio or Photos: $10.00/$5.00 additional CD’s
- Clearance Letter: $10.00
Items not picked up sixty days after notification will be destroyed and there will be no refund of monies paid.
Finding The Descriptions Of Crimes For Different Penal Code Sections
Police records usually refer to penal code sections in describing crimes police are investigating.
For example, section 187 of the penal code is for homicides.
How can you find out which crimes the various sections of the state penal code stand for?
The Berkeley Police Department has a list of commonly used penal code sections and which crimes they refer to. Thats at:
At the site check the box next to Penal Code. In the search box type in the number for the penal code section youre interested in .
At the search results page, click on the first listing. That should give you the penal code section youre seeking .
What Is A Criminal Record
A criminal record, also known as a rap sheet, is the collection of documents that show all the times a person has interacted with the Criminal Justice System. The content of a criminal record is chronological, and includes descriptions of the individuals earliest offense to the latest offense. Criminal records will include information on the arrest of the individual, the circumstances leading to the arrest, information on the individual arrested, their trial, the outcome of the trial should it result in a guilty verdict, incarceration, probation, parole information and more.
Information on criminal records through each of the 50 states and Washington DC can be found here:
The content of a criminal record differs according to the jurisdiction. Each state and municipality adopts its policy for creating and storing criminal records per its criminal justice system. The following reports and information can typically be found in a criminal record that has not been expunged or sealed or ones that have not been pardoned by a government official.
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What Is The Sex Offender Registry
The sex offender registry is a public database of individuals convicted of sex crimes in the United States. Per Megans Law, every person convicted of a sex crime must register as a sex offender for a specified period depending on the severity of the crime. In turn, municipalities and states must maintain a searchable database of sex offenders registered or living in that jurisdiction. Likewise, the Department of Justice maintains a national sex offender registry.
Any member of the public may search an official sex offender registry for information on a suspected or convicted sex offender. A person may use information obtained from the sex offender registry to satisfy personal curiosity or protect loved ones. However, states have laws that caution against using the information obtained from the registry to harass, blackmail, or embarrass a sex offender.
Meanwhile, Megans Law also ensures residents receive notifications when a sex offender moves into the community. The sexual assault and murder of Megan Kanka of Mercer County, New Jersey, made these measures necessary. Megans attacker, Jesse Timmendequas, was a sex offender with two prior convictions of sex crimes against young children. Yet, the community was unaware of his status as a sex offender before he committed the despicable crime.
How Do I Find Police Records
If you want to find police records quickly and easily, the fastest way to do so is to do a search on SpyFly. You can have access to some of the largest databases in the country that are filled with public information. Other ways that you could find police records are to:
- File a request with the local police department
- File a request with your county recorders office
- File a request with the state department that you live in
Sometimes you can get access to records within a couple of months, and sometimes it can take years, depending on where you are searching for them.
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Does South Sound 911 Provide Police Traffic Collision Reports
South Sound 911 no longer processes requests for Police Traffic Collision Reports however, you may obtain a copy of a PTCR from the Washington State Patrol , which is the central repository for PTCRs:
Visit the Washington State Patrols website at for more information on requesting a collision report from them. You will be able to immediately download your document for a fee.
If you have difficulties with your request and need to contact WSP, they can be reached via phone at 570-2355 or via email at . There is also an FAQ box and a help box at the top of their web page to assist you with making your request.
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What Public Records Are Available For Inspection
All records maintained by state and local agencies are available for public inspection unless law specifically exempts them. You are entitled to access to public records under reasonable conditions, and to copies of those records upon paying the costs of making the copy. In most cases, you do not have to explain why you want the records. However, specific information may be necessary to process your request. An agency may require information necessary to establish if disclosure would violate certain provisions of law.
Exempt Records
While the state strongly encourages disclosure of public records, state law does allow for some information to be withheld. These exemptions are listed in the Public Records Act . Other exemptions are found elsewhere in Washington law, and in federal law.
Many of the exemptions are designed to protect the privacy rights of other individuals. Other exemptions are designed to protect the investigative functions of law enforcement and other agencies with investigative responsibilities, as well as the legitimate business interests of other citizens.
You should refer to the Public Records Act itself for specific exemptions. You may also wish to consult with an agencys records officer.
Just because part of a record may be exempt does not mean the entire record can be withheld. In those cases, the agency has the obligation to black out or otherwise remove the information it believes is exempt from disclosure and provide you the rest.
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Whats In A Criminal Record
Lets break it down, an individuals criminal record can consist of the following things:
- Arrest records
- Conviction Records
- Warrants
Keep in mind that some of these reports can be considered null and void if the criminal charges were dropped or if a person was found innocent of the crime. This will likely depend upon the jurisdiction. A criminal record will also have a list of crimes that a person was convicted of and the sentence. These include jail or prison terms served, time of probation served, parole grants, and even violation of probation or parole. A criminal record will also show any warrants for a person.
What Types Of Crime Reports Can I See
General Offense Reports in PDF format are available for almost all crimes reported to SPD. These reports are made available within 8 hours after the event is closed. For the major crimes of Burglaries, Robberies, Aggravated Assaults and Homicides, additional information is made available through a redacted full narrative. These reports are available within 5 business days after the event.
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Why Should I File A Report After A Motor Vehicle Accident In Georgia
After an auto accident, you may be left with injuries and will need to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and damages for pain and suffering. You should report all accidents immediately, fill out the Georgia SR-13, and keep a copy for yourself. It is important to do this even if no party was injured. There may be damages to the vehicle and delayed injury symptoms that are not apparent right away.
Accessing public records is different in every state. It is important to properly report an accident if you were involved in one to save you time and money, and potential legal issues.
What Is An Arrest Record
Arrest records in the state of Washington refer to crime related information stored in the central repository of CHRI . Maintained by the State Police of Washington, the data has been accumulated through inputs from all the local crime justice agencies across the state.
Since its establishment of the CHRI in the legislative session of 1972, all local law enforcement agencies are legally obligated to submit information relating to gross misdemeanor and felony arrests to the State Patrol which files the details into a CHRI database known as WASIS .
The Identification and criminal history section of the CHRI provides accurate information to private citizens as well as peace officers along with expert technical service pertaining to legal matters, in the interest of public safety.
Records are furnished on the basis of a name/description inquiry as well as finger print identification. While there may be some discrepancies in the results of a name search, finger print inquiries offer positive identification.
Information provided in response to a criminal history inquiry will include details about the individual in question his/her such as his/her name, identifiable traits/ characteristics, finger prints, photographs along with crime and disposition related data like indictment and charges filed, verdict in the matter and correctional facilities that the criminal was sent to.
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What Reports Are Available To The Public
Most police records are usually available to the public under the California Public Records Act. However, there are many police records that aren’t available openly to the public. The police or other investigating authorities generally refrain from disclosing these records stating various reasons. The most prominent ones among them include posing a risk or danger to someone’s life or those reports which tend to cause an obstruction to the investigation.
So, different police departments state different reasons for not disclosing such reports to the public. Some police departments do provide such information upon request, but only after editing out certain sensitive information before handing them over. Some provide reports by withdrawing certain sensitive information related to a case. Others may completely decline to provide such reports.
So, it becomes important for a person of the public seeking such reports to check with the courts if there are any criminal charges filed in any of the cases. When you seek out these court files, you will also sometimes find police reports attached to these documents, generally containing the original complaint details filed against the defendant, as well as the charges pressed against him or her.
Records Unit And Police Reports
The Records Unit is staffed by a clerk and supervised by a police administrator. The Records clerk is responsible for collecting and maintaining complete and accurate records, distributing and processing investigative and court paperwork on all individuals arrested, as well as maintaining files and entering data into the departments records management system.
The Records unit submits crime analysis reports and statistics to the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Identification as well as the FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting program.
We understand that coming in contact with a police department can be anxiety provoking. If at some point it becomes necessary for you to contact us, there are some tips below about records procedures that will put you at ease and help us serve you in the most professional manner possible.
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Can The Agency Ask Me To Pay For The Time It Takes Them To Locate Files Or Redact Audio Or Video
No. The Public Records Act allows agencies only the charge for the “direct costs of duplication, or a statutory fee if appliable.”9 That means that agencies can charge for the costs of paper and ink, or for the disks or drives on which they provide data, but cannot charge for the time their staff spend finding records, making copies or even redacting documents. Despite this, for several years, police agencies still tried to charge requestors an hourly rate, often amounting to thousands of dollars, for the time their staff spent editing body camera video to redact confidential information, arguing that editing video was more like programming a computer to extract data than it was like redacting a document.
However, on May 28, 2020, the California Supreme Court in National Lawyers Guild v. City of Hayward rejected this argument10 and held that the Public Records Act does not allow police departments to charge requestors of police body camera footage for the staff time required to locate that footage and edit it to redact audio & video to remove private information.
If an agency has tried to charge you for the time required to make redactions in audio or video, please see our model follow-up lettera> notifying them of the Hayward decision and informing them such charges are unlawful.
Why Police Reports Matter
Police reports are public records and in some states they may be viewable by just about anybody. Usually there are restrictions on how those records can be used, particularly by employers, landlords, and financial institutions. As already mentioned, police reports are particularly usefuland they may even be necessarywhen filing a claim with your insurer. The contents of a police report are important, so you need to make sure that any police report pertaining to you is accurate and does not cast you in an unnecessarily bad light.
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Locating An Incident Or Offense Report
To locate an incident or offense report, you will need:
- Victims last name
- Your report number
- The report date
Access your report online. If you have technical issues call any time at 866-495-4206, option 5.
If you do not know your incident report number, you can email us. We will look up your information and email it back to you.
Record Process And Fees
Within five business days of the receipt of a written request for a record reasonably described, we will send you a letter either: making such record available denying such request in writing or furnishing a written acknowledgment of the receipt of such request. If you have not received a letter within five business days, please contact us at .
An acknowledgment letter will provide you with an estimate of when the records you request will be available, which shall be reasonable under the circumstances of the request. This date is determined by the number of documents you request, their format, their availability, the time it takes to redact any information that cannot be disclosed pursuant to FOIL, the time it takes to assemble the documents, and other factors.
If the records you request require a fee to be paid, you will be notified prior to the records being released to you. Unless a different fee is otherwise prescribed by statute, Public Officers Law §87 authorizes an agency to charge a fee of 25¢ per page for copies of records up 9x 14 in size, or the actual cost of reproducing a record. In determining the actual cost of producing a record, an agency may include only:
Accordingly, pursuant to Public Officers Law § 87 , the following fee schedule is in effect for records requested from the State Police:
- $15.00 per incident/investigation report
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How To Find Police Reports And Arrest Records Across Multiple Jurisdictions
Conducting your investigation can become complicated if you need to do a background search on someone who has lived in multiple jurisdictions. To simplify things, an internet-based specialized investigation company can provide a comprehensive, multi-state search in one easy step. This allows you to search for multiple records from all over the country quickly and easily. And you can avoid the hassle of searching for individual records from various government entities.
BeenVerified has an online search form for public records. BeenVerifieds automated search aggregates from hundreds of databases and repositories. To search, just go to the online search form and enter the persons first name, last name, and city. The form will search multiple public records databases and provide a list of potential matching names. Scroll through the list and select the person youre searching for, then click Build Report.
Questions and More Information
If you have any questions about how to get a copy of your police report, please leave a comment below. Also, view more Law Enforcement Resources.
What Type Of Information And Data Is Contained In A Police Report
The following are types of data and information that may be included. Please note that there is no universal police report. Information will vary from department to department.
- Identifying information for all parties involved in the incident, including full name, address, phone number, date of birth, social security numbers, driver license numbers
- Date of the occurrence or incident
- Location of the occurrence or incident
- The officers name and ID number
- The names of other officers who were present
- Diagrams or drawings of the scene
- The names of witnesses and their statements
- Reference number
The law enforcement case file may also contain motor vehicle information, as well as specific details of the incident and any evidence associated with the case.
Examples of police reports may include but are not limited to domestic disputes, traffic accidents, thefts, fraud, assault, burglaries, and stalking incidents. Other information that may be available includes crime surveys, crime statistics, calls for service, weather information, and traffic accident surveys.
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