Find the contact information for the appropriate police department online. Depending on the jurisdiction, you may only be able to request the report if you were directly involved in the incident. However, some areas allow anyone to file a report, including lawyers, agents, and family members.
Visit the website for department you’re working with. Search for an online form or a downloadable pdf that you can mail back to them. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, call the department and ask if they allow mailed requests.
Adobe Reader is a free product that will enable you to open, read, and print the form from your home computer.
The names and address(es) of the parties/victim(s) involved The date and location of the incident The report or incident number, if available An insurance policy number and/or claim number. Note: this is required only if the person requesting the report works for an insurance company A release form from the victim, if an attorney is filing the request The type of incident — was it a robbery, assault, automobile accident, etc. Proof of relationship for parents of minor victims or the spouses/relatives of deceased victims You can view a pdf of the San Francisco PD’s request form to familiarize yourself with what documents of this sort look like.
For example, the City of San Diego Police Department only allows in-person requests on Wednesdays between 8:00 a. m. and 3:30 p. m. [3] X Research source
The request form will ask for contact information and identifying details about the incident. See Method 1 above for a detailed list of information you may be required to provide. You may have to provide a current photo ID to verify your identity and address before they can process the request. The officers might make a copy of your photo ID for their records. The waiting period will depend on the individual police department you’re working with. Usually, police reports take 1-5 days to be found, processed and copied, but ask the officers helping you for an estimate.
The amount will vary from agency to agency. Call ahead to find out the cost so you bring enough money to the department.
You may not receive your copy of the police report within the time frame the department provided. If that’s the case, call them to ask about its status.
