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Police Public Records - Streamline the Process
Jan 17, 2013 Nicole R11
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The Phoenix Police Dept. should offer other alternatives to receiving police related records and reports rather than having to receive them in person or devise a means for streamlining the process of in person records requests.

Departmental records for the Phoenix Police Department can be received at the Public Records Detail's office on 1717 East Grant St. in Phoenix.

The majority of the time, requesting a record is a very time consuming process. The Department of Economic Security allows for online request for records that are then mailed to the address. I think Phoenix PD can offer the same in addition to emailing the records to the recipient if requested. I believe this proposal would expedite the process for receiving records.

The Phoenix PD method seems archaic, because there does not seem to be a solution for out of city or state requests. A request form can be emailed, but you have to come in to receive and pay.

3 Comments
  • comment icon

    by Ardyce E Do we really want criminals to have access to the record of who turned them in?

    Jan 20, 2013 at 5:56 PM  
  • Nicole R11

    by Nicole R11 Ardyce, these are records anyone can request and receive anytime right now. It's the process that I'm proposing to be improved. Lets say you had to make multiple CrimeStop calls on a particular neighbor for something and you wanted the documents of those calls to see how they were handled or just to have them as evidence for a court case, then you go down to the police records office and...wait for a very very long time. If you don't mind being at the DMV to register a vehicle then you won't mind waiting for police records. It's a long waiting process and can be a far drive for many people to request a one page summary. The Maricopa Superior Courts now have it where court documents can be filed online and paid for. Phoenix Police could set up a system very similar for records requests. The records office does redact personal information on police records, but sadly I've seen a few documents where they slipped and didn't redact a person's name.

    Jan 21, 2013 at 11:00 PM  
  • comment icon

    by Mike N5 That information has always been redacted. The records have also always been public records. I don't think this idea proposes to make information not redacted. Just to streamline the process fro receiving the records that have always been available.

    Jan 21, 2013 at 8:28 PM  

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