How To Access Your Police
Members of the public have the right to request records containing their personal information from the Ontario Provincial Police or a municipal police service. Individuals who make these requests may have, for example, played a role in a suspected offence, been involved in a call for service or some other police-attended incident or had a relative who died in circumstances that led to the involvement of a police service.
Someone else, such as a lawyer or other person acting on your behalf, may make the request for you, or you may do so yourself. You may file a request by submitting a form and paying a fee, either by mail or in person.
Commonly requested records include:
- officers notes and
- police-related 911 calls.
Many people think that they cannot request a police officers notes, but a police notebook is generally in the custody or control of the police service and is subject to freedom of information requests.
Requesting information from a police service follows the same process as asking for records from other types of government institutions. However, the nature of police-held information means that frequently some of these records or some passages within these records are exempt from disclosure under Ontarios access to information legislation.
In all cases, if you disagree with a police services decision to deny your access request in whole or part, you may file an appeal with our office.
This post is also available in: French
What Disclosures Are Included
- Criminal Records – Adult and Youth
- Pending and outstanding charges
- Outstanding warrants for arrest Canada-wide
- Police Files/Information Reports: Relevant occurrences this may include any interactions an individual has had with police as being disclosed, including mental health occurrences, if they are deemed to be relevant. A relevant occurrence may not have resulted in charges being laid, but will be disclosed if relevant or there is a potential risk to public safety
- Records of not criminally responsible by reasons of Mental Disorder pursuant to s.16 cc
- Judicial Orders while in effect: probations, prohibitions, peace bonds and recognizance conditions
- Vulnerable Sector Records
- Absolute Discharge for one year period
- Stay of Proceedings for one year period
- Conditional Discharge for three year period
- Alternative Measures for one year period
What Databases Are Searched
The Calgary Police Service uses three search mechanisms:
- P.I.M.S. – Local records of the Applicant’s involvement with Calgary Police Service
- J.O.I.N. – The Alberta court system
- C.P.I.C. – The Canadian Police Information Centre system and R.C.M.P. National repository in Ottawa.
This Police information check only provides information found at the time of the check, on the above listed systems. The Calgary Police Service does not guarantee completeness of the information, as we are limited to information available on these systems.
This check does not include information found in any other jurisdiction’s local police information system nor does it include court information from any other provinces, except convictions registered on the National Repository for Canada and information entered onto the Canadian Police Information Centre System.
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Who Must Submit Their Records
Although background checks are conducted on both family members, only the family member seeking a green card must submit court, police, or prison records even for arrests or charges that occurred while they were a minor and sometimes even those that were later expunged from their record. The specific details depend on whether the relative seeking a green card is applying from abroad or within the United States.
What Is A Police Report
People file a police report with law enforcement for a wide variety of reasons. For example, domestic disputes, traffic accidents, burglaries, home invasions, fraud, theft, stalking, violence, and many other reasons. To file a report, citizens usually begin by calling 911, or their local police departments non-emergency line, to report the incident.
Once a citizen reports an incident, dispatchers assign it to local officers in the area. The police officers travel to the appropriate location via car, motorcycle, or other police vehicles. Then, the officers evaluate the situation, make observations, interview witnesses, record data, and complete forms and reports required by their local police department.
Police officers also initiate the filing of a report to record the data and gather the details associated with criminal and civil incidents such as car accidents, burglaries, assaults, and robberies, just to name a few.
Officers gather and record a great deal of information and data on a police report. This is to help ensure thorough and accurate investigations and to support criminal proceedings if they become necessary. Also, background verification services may use them in background checks. The information contained in the typical police report may vary from county to county, but most capture very similar information.
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Request Forms For Ca Family Code 6:
Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, Human Trafficking, or Abuse of an Elder or Dependent Adult
California Family Code § 6228 provides that victims of the alleged crimes, listed above, may receive a copy of their incident report within five days of their request, free of charge. Due to the sensitive information included in the reports, SFPD protocol requires in-person identification verification. Victims or their designated representatives must either submit their request in-person or pick-up their incident report in person at CISU Records Management. For a list of acceptable forms of identification, please refer to Section 2 of the Request for Police Report: Family Code § 6228 form.
Trump Has Long Used A Strategy Of Portraying Himself As The Victim Of Persecution
Former President Donald J. Trump, who for years has conflated legal issues with public-relations and political ones, is attempting to do the same around his decision to invoke his Fifth Amendment rights in a New York civil investigation related to his company.
In describing a decision that Mr. Trump said he took on the advice of his lawyers which he has been known to flout at other times during a deposition with Attorney General Letitia James of New York State on Wednesday morning, the former president maintained that he was the victim of an unfair campaign to destroy him and that was why he could not answer questions.
In reality, Mr. Trumps decision in the deposition may have related to the ongoing criminal investigation by the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, into his company and a top executive, Allen Weisselberg. His testimony in the civil case might have been used as evidence in the criminal investigation.
But Mr. Trump sought to portray the attorney generals inquiry, as he has in legal cases for decades, as an effort to condemn him unfairly.
Tim OBrien, author of the book TrumpNation: The Art of Being The Donald, said that Mr. Trumps current behavior is rooted in a long tradition that began with his father, Fred C. Trump, in which authorities and law enforcement are out to get him, and he is always the victim.
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Are Police Reports Public Records
Many types of police records are exempt from public disclosure and are not public records. There are two main reasons why they arent publicly available. First, disclosing the information could undermine an ongoing investigation. Second, it could jeopardize someones privacy and safety. In some cases, departments will release certain information related to the report, such as to a reporter doing a story. However, they rarely release a full copy.
Trumps Release Of A Campaign
A campaign-style video that former President Donald J. Trump posted on his social media site this week has prompted fact-checks and a new round of speculation about whether he is on the verge of announcing a third bid for the White House.
The back story is a little more complicated.
The nearly four-minute, highly produced video leaves viewers with a feeling of anticipation, which was probably by design: The footage was used to help introduce Mr. Trump before his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas last weekend.
The video was compiled by staff members on Mr. Trumps Save America political action committee and started to take on its own life when the former president posted it on Truth Social after midnight on Tuesday. Just hours earlier, the F.B.I. had searched his Florida home.
Relying mostly on footage from a rally Mr. Trump held last month in Alaska, the video features his America-in-decline message that has become mostly standard boilerplate in his speeches and rallies. That portion of his addresses has the effect of both criticizing the current administration and positioning Mr. Trump an increasingly likely presidential candidate as someone who can deliver the rescue.
The release of the video also came in the backstretch of a midterm campaign dominated by Mr. Trumps efforts to oust Republicans who have crossed him, and in which an embrace of his election lies has become a litmus test in a number of G.O.P. primaries.
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Police Department Request Form
If you cannot submit a police report request online or through the mail, then you will have to visit the police department in person and file a request there. Call beforehand since some departments only allow in-person requests on certain days. You can find your local police department here. Then you can find out about filling out a Police Department Request Form in person and how to get the information you need. Typically these police department request forms can be fulfilled that day.
A request will typically require you to provide your personal and contact information as well as details about the incident, including the type of incident, date, and who else was involved. Be aware that if the report pertains to an ongoing investigation then your request could be denied. If you are unclear about why your request was denied you should talk to an attorney.
Police Report Vs Police Record
First, lets clarify something that is bound to cause some confusion: the difference between a police report and a police record. While these two items have similar names, they are in fact very different. A police report is a document filed by a police officer that essentially offers a summary of an arrest, incident, or accident. A police record, on the other hand, is usually the same as a criminal record and it includes a list and summary of an individuals history of interactions with law enforcement, including arrests and convictions.
Another point that deserves clarification is the difference between a police report and an accident report. In fact, theres not really a difference between these two items. An accident report is simply a type of police report that details the circumstances of a traffic accident. A police report, meanwhile, can include accident reports, but they cover a much broader range of incidents that may involve the police, including crimes. Note that some police departments call police reports incident reports. Remember that some accident reports may also be criminal reports, such as if the accident may have been caused by drunk driving.
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Request A Police Incident Report Copy Online
Request and receive all types of San Francisco Police Incident Reports through an online portal. Report types include traffic collisions, domestic violence, and all other incidents of general crime. Using the portal is the most secure and convenient way to request and receive incident reports from the San Francisco Police Department. An account can be created within the Incident Report Request Portal to track the request and receive reports and correspondences securely online.
Traffic Collision Reports: Before attempting to obtain a copy of a collision report, please allow a minimum of five days from the date of the collision to allow the report to be reviewed and approved for release.
FAQ: Why is it taking so long to receive a copy of my report/record?
As the result of the COVID-19 pandemic and an understaffed Unit, increased workload, and financial restrictions CISU is currently experiencing a backlog of requests for public records. We appreciate your patience during this time. Please DO NOT make a duplicate request for a copy of your report/record. This could potentially further delay your request, it is advised you follow the steps below.
FAQ: How do I send an email asking for a follow-up on the report/record I’m still waiting for?
Important Note
Requesting A Police Report By Mail
The process of requesting a copy of a police report by mail is a bit more involved. In many jurisdictions, you are required to make your Public Access Request via mail. Typically, the agency will provide a form online for you to fill out, but some places are fine with you writing a letter to ask for the police report.
1. Figure out where to send the Public Access Request form or letter.
Your local police department may have a specific address and addressee for police report requests listed on their website. If they dont, simply address it to the Records and Identification Division, and use the general address listed online for the department.
2. Fill out the form or write the letter.
After you have found the location to send your request, you should be able to easily find out if they want you to send a request form or a letter. If the information is not readily available on the site, just call and ask which method they prefer. If it is available, filling out a request form is typically the easiest method because you wont have to worry about leaving out information.
If you write a letter instead of filling out the form, be sure to include the following information:
- Case number
- Your Name, Birthdate, and Address
- The date and location of the incident
- Your role in the case
- The officers name who filed the report
- What exactly you are requesting
3. Gather additional materials and send the form/letter.
4. Pay for the police report.
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Defendants Who Can Show That An Officer’s Past Misconduct May Be Relevant To Their Defense Can Sometimes Get Access To Confidential Personnel Files
As anyone who has ever contested a traffic ticket knows, courts frequently assume that whatever an officer says is the truth, even when witnesses refute the police’s version of events. The presumption that an officer behaved appropriately on a given occasion or has accurately described an event is particularly challenging when it comes to scuffles between cops and citizens. Given the general predisposition in favor of cops, what’s a defendant with a legitimate defense to do?
Requirements For Filing An Online Report
Crimes filed online often don’t need in-person police response. To file online, the incident has to meet the following criteria:
- It’s not an emergency
- There’s no known information or suspects about the crime that can be followed up on
- You must have a return email address
- You must be 18 years or older
Ensure you have the following details to submit your report:
- Date and time when the incident occurred
- Location, address, and name of the business where the incident happened
- Your name, date of birth and contact information
- The name, date of birth and contact information of other persons involved in the incident
- If the report involves property, includes make, description, serial number, model and estimated property value
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What’s In A Police Report
At the scene of the car accident, if you pay close attention you may notice the investigating officer inspecting vehicles, talking to people, measuring distances, writing notes, and taking photographs. The officer is taking some or all of these steps in preparation for drafting the police report. In short, the police report is a summary of the police officer’s investigation of the accident. The report will often contain some or all of the following information:
- approximate date, time, and location of the collision
- identifying information for parties involved in the car accident, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and insurance information
- identifying information for witnesses
- statements from the parties and witnesses
- citations and/or violations of law, and
- opinions as to cause of the collision and/or a fault determination.
How To File A Police Report
If you are involved in an accident, you may need to call the police and file a police report. In most states, if an accident results in death or injury or property damage exceeds a certain threshold then by law you are required to call the police. That threshold can vary depending on whether or not the motorists involved in the accident are insured. In Illinois, for example, the property damage threshold at which police must be called to an accident is usually $1,500. However, if any driver involved in the crash is uninsured then that threshold is just $500.
Even if you think your accident doesnt meet the minimum threshold, it is usually still a good idea to file a police report. Thats because a police report is an official account of the accident and it can have a huge impact on your insurance claim. Remember that even if you call the police and the police dont come to the accident scene you can still visit the police department later and file a report there. Some police departments, such as the Los Angeles Police Department, even allow you to file police reports online so long as it relates to a non-emergency incident.
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How To Get A Police Report For A Car Accident
After you have been in a car accident, one of the first questions your insurance provider will ask you is do you have a copy of the police report? Obtaining accident reports is a similar process to the one above, but it is generally a bit easier because in most cases, there is no criminal investigation. If you are in a car accident, you will receive a slip with an incident number on it. To obtain your police report, simply visit the police department that the report was filed from and trade the sheet for the actual report. If you do not obtain your police report, your insurance company will have to request a copy via mail, and it will take a bit longer.
There are also resources online that house accident reports, like LexisNexis and Buycrash. However, the safest and quickest option to is visit your local Police Desk as soon as possible after the accident. Accident reports can be ready to pick-up as early as 24 hours after the accident, and up to a week. Another way to get a copy of a police report is through your local Department of Motor Vehicles.
Now that you know about how to get a copy of a police report, check out How To File a Police Report.