You can generally receive a copy of a police report if you are a victims of a crime or involved in a traffic accident, though some law enforcement agencies do limit information and the time of release. Mostly, it just takes time and money to obtain a copy of a report.

How to Obtain a Police Report

Each law enforcement agency has its own requirements for releasing copies of police reports. Agencies with websites give their requirements for obtaining a report on their site. If the agency does not have a website, you need to call the department and speak to the records office. It helps if you have the case number of the report, which police officers may give you at the time of the incident. Santa Clara County, Calif., requires a case number to obtain a report. If you don't have one, you can search their online database for it; county personnel also will search for the case number for a fee. If you don't have a case number, you will need the names, including birthdates, of at least one of the parties involved; and the date, time, type and place of the incident. Once you have this information, you are ready to request a copy of the report. If you are not one of the parties in the incident, they will likely deny you the information unless you have written permission from someone who is involved. You will probably have to fill out a form asking for the details of the incident. Some police departments, such as Oregon's Portland Police Bureau, have these forms on their websites; you just print it out, fill it in and mail it to the department along with the required fee. You can also obtain the form by going to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Some departments, such as Portland, only accept requests by mail; some, such as Sudbury, Mass., will accept requests dropped off in person as well as by mail. Be sure to check with the department's records offices to verify how they want the requests submitted. The majority of law enforcement agencies charge for police reports. Most agencies charge a flat fee, but some charge by the page. Agencies require payment of the fees before they release a report.

Denial of Requests

Police may deny some report requests. If the report involves a crime, police may withhold the report until after the crime has been investigated and prosecuted. If you are a victim of this crime, you should contact the prosecutor's office for a copy of the report before the case is closed. Laws in some states prohibit law-enforcement agencies from releasing certain information. In Oregon, this list includes cases involving elder or child abuse, juvenile records and mental health information, according to the Portland Police Bureau's website. Some agencies automatically block out the names of minors named in any reports.

Source:

Santa Clara County, California

Portland Police Bureau

Sudbury, Mass., Police

More Information:

Getting a Criminal Report in Minnesota

FBI Requirements to Get Your Records