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Formal letter, public records folder, and source notes on a desk

T-06 · Records-request template

Public records request letter generator

Build a plain request letter for a police report or another department record. The text is created only in your browser, so the information you enter is not sent to this website or stored by it.

This is a general template, not a legal document or legal advice. Check the selected state’s current law and the agency’s official request process first; a police department may require its own online form, identity check, fee agreement, or records portal.

State-law references reviewed . Procedures and fees can change, so open the cited source and the agency’s current page before sending a request.

Privacy:

Your name, date, location, and case number remain in this browser. Do not place a Social Security number, payment-card information, medical details, or other unnecessary sensitive information in a public-records request.

Use the agency’s official records channel

Address the request to the agency’s records division, public-records officer, or other official contact named by the department. The template asks for a record and requests a fee estimate before charges exceed an amount you approve. It does not guarantee access, waive a fee, establish a response deadline, or decide whether a police record is exempt from disclosure.

For encounter background and facts worth preserving, read the police home-visit guide and the site’s guide library. Return to the tools directory for other references. Found an error? Send the page URL, state, and a public source to [email protected].

If the record you need is body-worn camera footage, read our body-camera recording guide before requesting it so you can distinguish deactivation, muting, redaction, and retention issues.