How to Deal With False Police Reports
Police departments, everyday must deal with hundreds of false reports in the United States. Those that file the false report usually face some form of penalty or prosecution once it is discovered the information received is nonfactual. This of course, varies from state to state and other local laws. If you are the victim of a false report or have some knowledge of a false report you have the right to question the information and assist the police with finding the truth.
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Instructions
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Dealing With a False Report
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Get a copy of the original report filed with the police department. You can do this by visiting your local police departments administration or records department and request a copy of the report in question. All police reports are considered a part of public record and the clerk will be more than happy to provide you with a photo copy. However, there may be a small fee involved for photo copies.
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Identify all parties involved and what facts are false. There is no law or other road block that keeps a normal citizen from going back and investigating the report if they feel it was wrongly reported or if it is incomplete.
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Collect statements from eye witnesses or other creditable witnesses to prove the case or dismiss the report. In many cases it is considered a "He said, She said" situation and the more statements a person has to either disprove or complete a report, the easier and quicker a solution will emerge. The bottom line is that the more creditable information that is turned in, the easier it is for police investigators to dismiss the report as a false report.
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Turn in all collected information or data relevant to the case to either a police supervisor or the district attorney's office for further determination. Usually the best practice is to go straight to the police station where the report was filed. The investigator or officer assigned to the case will review the information and will more than likely be in touch with you to keep you informed on the progress of the case. However, if the report has been turned over to the prosecutors office, then go directly to the attorney in charge of the case and turn in all information.
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Tips & Warnings
Make extra copies of the information you turned in. There may be a chance where the file, report or information turned in to disprove the case will come up missing or misplaced. So having extra copies on hand to assist with the case is always a plus.
In many jurisdictions there is a specific form that you must fill out.
