Request records of complaints about police

Learn about public records and how to request them.

Qué debe hacer

Published records

Check our online public records portal before you request a public record. We publish some reports by law.

You may be able to find what you need right away.

Requesting records

The best way to request records is through our online public records portal

Time

It can take several months to respond to a records request, as records can be up to 400 pages. 

Before you file, check the portal to see if we have already published a report on the case.

Complainants

You may request copies of your own complaint and the findings letter. 

Before we release information about your complaint, we will remove any private information.  

Types of public records

You can request records of all complaints against police officers. Before we release records, we remove sensitive information like medical information and the names of the people who filed the complaint and witnesses. 

We also publish 4 categories of records on our online public records portal: 

  • Officer-Involved Shootings
  • Great-Bodily Injuries
  • Officer Sexual Assault
  • Officer Dishonesty

These 4 categories are sometimes called “SB 1421 Records” after the 2019 bill that requires us to publish them. 

We are adding records to the portal all the time. If you request something that is not on our portal, it may take time to deliver the records. 

 

Why is this transaction good for the community?

Sharing public records contributes to transparency in police oversight.

Obtenga ayuda

Phone

Department of Police Accountability

1 South Van Ness Ave 8th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103

Última actualización August 23, 2021