Obtaining Police Reports

SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT
OBTAINING POLICE REPORTS

Where to Obtain Reports Cost of Reports Ordering by Mail Obtaining Fingerprints Background Checks, Immigration Letters

The "Texas Public Information Act" (Government Code, Chapter 552) provides for public access to most government records and for sale of copies of such records, including Police Reports. The Transportation Code (550.065) addresses the release of accident reports and sets fees for copies. The Texas Administrative Code (1 TAC 111.16 - .70) also addresses the cost of copies of open records (fees charged to the public for each copy of a record). In addition, the Code of Ordinances, City of San Antonio, (Chapter 25, Article I, Sec. 25-6) sets the SAPD fees for record searches and reports. All fees are set to cover the actual costs of materials, labor, equipment and overhead in making the copies of reports available.

WHERE & WHEN :
BY MAIL: Download the Police Report Form (in PDF format). Please submit with a self-addressed, stamped envelope, and a money order payable to the City of San Antonio with your filled-out Police Report Request Form. Please mail your request to the San Antonio Police Department Records Office, P.O. Box 839948, San Antonio, TX 78283.
IN PERSON: The Records Office sells copies of Police Reports to the public at various locations throughout San Antonio (note location changes as of 12/13/2006):

LOCATION ADDRESS RECORDS SALE HOURS
SAPD Headquarters 214 W. Nueva M-F : 8am - 4pm
COMMUNITY LINK CENTER:
Las Palmas 803 Castroville Rd
207-6545 M-F : 8am - 6pm
Sat: 10am-6pm
COMMUNITY LINK CENTER:
Valley View 8523 Blanco
207-6150 M-F : 8am - 6pm
Sat: 10am-6pm
COMMUNITY LINK CENTER:
South Park 2310 SW Military
207-6141 M-Sat : 10am - 6pm
PLEASE NOTE: Reports not available on City Holidays.
214 W. Nueva accepts cash or money orders for payment;
Link Centers also accept checks and credit cards.

COST : The cost for reports is as follows: (updated 03-30-2007)
ACCIDENT REPORTS: $2.25 (as of 4/2/07)
OFFENSE REPORTS and INCIDENT REPORTS:
10 cents per page for first 50 pages*
(This applies to reports that are located on-site).
$18.00 an hour (pro-rated), plus 10 cents per page for reports over 51 pages.
* PLEASE NOTE: All reports more than 2 years old are stored in the Archives, which is located in an off-site storage facility. A charge of $18.00 an hour (pro-rated), plus 10 cents per page applies to all reports that have to be retrieved from the Archives.
CERTIFIED ACCIDENT REPORTS : $2.00 EXTRA (NOT available at Link Centers)
POLICE SURVEYS: start at $18.00 an hour (pro-rated), plus 10 cents per page (NOT available at Link Centers).
PAYMENT : Payment is by cash or money order at SAPD Records Office (214 W. Nueva).
The Link Centers also accept Checks and Credit Cards.

HOW : To obtain a copy of a report, you may request the report in person, or by mail (see below).

For an Accident Report : Provide exact date, location and name of person involved in the accident. Copies of Accident Reports cannot be released without having two of the above three items. A case number is helpful, but not required.

For an Offense or
Incident Report : Please provide the case number, or the date, location, and the name of the complainant.

For Police Surveys : Surveys (crime stats or calls for service stats) are available by specific location, intersection, or block number. All surveys must be requested at our main headquarters office at 214 W. Nueva. Surveys must be prepaid when ordering.

To obtain a Police Report Request Form, please go to Police Headquarters, or to one of the Community Link Service Centers listed above, or you may download and print out a Form from the internet. Please click here Police Report Form to access a form in PDF format. (You will also need to download Adobe Acrobat - free - to view and print the form).
To order a Police Report by mail, please submit a self-addressed, stamped envelope, and a money order payable to the City of San Antonio with your filled-out Police Report Request Form. Please mail your request to the San Antonio Police Department Records Office, P.O. Box 839948, San Antonio, TX 78283.

To contact the Records Office by phone for additional information (reports cannot be ordered by phone), please call (210)207-7598.

FINGERPRINTS and IDENTIFICATION SERVICES **
The San Antonio Police Department Identification Office, located at 214 W. Nueva (near the SAPD Records Office), is open to the public from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. It is closed to the public on all City Holidays. The Identification Office provides Fingerprinting Services, Background Checks/Criminal History information (personal, employment, housing), Clearance Letters, Consulate/Immigration Letters, and Notary services.

Proper Identification is required prior to services being provided: Military ID, Birth Certificate, Driver's License, State-issued ID, or Alien Registration.
(NOTE: Criminal History checks are done only with the subject's authorization.)

Service Fees:

Clearance Letters = $10.00 per letter

Copy of Criminal History = $10.00 per transcript (Certified Copy = additional $5)

Consulate/Immigration Letters = $10.00 per letter

Fingerprinting Services = $10.00 per fingerprint card

Notary = $5.00

** THIRD PARTY REQUESTS: It is the SAPD policy in checking arrest records for anyone other than a criminal justice agency that a Signed Release from the person the background check is being conducted on is required. If a representative (third party) submits the Request, the Form will need to be Notarized. PLEASE read the Instructions for Requesting a Background Check and the FORM for Use in Requesting a Background Check, linked below.(PDF format)

INSTRUCTIONS (Revised) REQUEST FORM

** PLEASE NOTE: An SAPD Background Check is limited to information in local SAPD records. It does NOT include information in other locations in Texas or in the U.S.
SAPD will fingerprint persons on an FBI or DPS card, but the person is responsible for sending the fingerprint card to FBI or DPS for a state-wide or nation-wide check.
To contact the Identification Office by phone for additional information (reports cannot be ordered by phone), please call (210)207-7605.

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