Obtain a Copy of a Police Report
Police report summaries are available to authorized parties in person at the Police Department, or by mail. Reports are not available by fax. To obtain a summary of a police report (i.e.; theft, property damage or loss, incident reports, traffic accidents), you must be authorized to receive the report. Authorized persons include:
- You must be a named involved party to the case (not merely a witness). You must be: A victim, an involved named party, an involved driver, or
- An attorney, authorized agent, or insurance representative for one of the victims or named parties (except suspects).
- Any persons named as a suspect may not get copies of reports from the police department. Anyone named as a suspect should call the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office, 650-363-4677, or have their attorney call for more information.
- For traffic accident reports, copies may be available through the Crashdocs website at http://www.crashdocs.org/ca-fostercity or your insurance representative/agent. If not, you may obtain a copy from our Department.
Fees:
There is a small copying fee for all police reports. The maximum fee charged for most report is $6.28. Copies of voluminous reports and other case related items, such as photographs or audio recordings, may be available to specific authorized parties for an additional fee.
Reports By Email:
If you would like to request a summary of a report by email, and are an authorized party, please fill out our request form: https://www.fostercity.org/police/page/request-police-report-e-mail
Reports By Mail:
If you would like to receive a summary of a report by mail, and are an authorized party, please enclose a signed letter on your letterhead, if applicable, stating your request. Include the following in your letter and all other correspondence:
- FCPD Case Number,
- Date of the incident, and
- Name(s) of any party(s) involved.
- Photocopy of your identification - Driver license, U.S. Passport, etc.
Please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope to ensure accurate delivery. You will need to call our Department at 650-286-3300 to determine the total fees due prior to our releasing the report to you. Enclose a check for the correct amount. Checks should be made payable to the City of Foster City. Our mailing address is:
Foster City Police Department - Attn Records
1030 East Hillsdale Blvd.
Foster City, Ca. 94404
If your requested report cannot be released - your letter and report copy fees will be returned to you.
Who can get a copy of a police report?
Answer: Police reports may only be released to authorized parties (see above) and according to State law. Reports involving certain types of crime (i.e.; juvenile cases and some sex related crimes ) cannot be released to anyone, except district attorneys or law enforcement agencies.
A police report can take 2 to 5 business days after an incident to be written, investigated and approved. Reports of major cases and complex investigations can take much longer to complete. Reports must be approved before the records staff can release any information or provide any copies to the parties. Requests will be responded to within 10 calendar days pursuant to Government Code 6253(c).
Most information in police reports is confidential and cannot be released to the public, per State law, nor can we release information to parties over the phone. Press releases are written about cases or incidents of public interest. A press release may contain some information or details about an incident or the involved parties when released to the media. Police reports will not be released directly to the media. Current press releases are available to the public and are posted at our front counter. Information on some past incidents is also available to the public in the news archives of local media and local libraries.
Once a crime report is filed with the district attorney's office, approval from the district attorney may be required before information can be released to any involved parties. The district attorney may release police reports directly to involved parties, their attorneys or the media. Disposition of any cases filed and adjudicated through the court (like information on scheduled court dates, suspect pleas, sentencing, custody, probation or final case status) is not available through the police department. Victims and other interested parties should call the San Mateo County District Attorney's office, 650-363-4677, if they need more information.
To determine if a report can be released to you, or for information about the status of your report, please contact the Records Bureau or send us an e-mail.
