In Dallas, Texas, a person can request a police report by reaching out to the Open Records Unit (ORU) of the Dallas Police Department (DPD). Police reports include accident, offense and arrest reports, as well as specialized information.
Fees are required to receive certain types of reports. The address of the Open Records Unit is 1400 Botham Jean, Dallas, TX 75215. The phone number for the ORU is 214-671-3001.
Get an Accident Report
An accident is a collision involving two or more vehicles. A person can obtain a copy of an accident report by requesting it through the mail or in person at the ORU's customer service window. There is a $6.00 fee per report.
The person must provide a name of the person involved in the accident, the location of the accident or the date of the accident. It is helpful to have the Police Service Number. A report is usually available five to seven working days after the accident. The DPD cannot release information about an accident over the phone.
A person can also purchase a crash report online for $6 through the Texas Department of Transportation.
Get an Offense Report
An offense is defined as an incident of breaking into a motor vehicle, burglary, identity theft, lost property, assault, auto theft, missing person or other criminal incident. A person can get a copy of an offense report by requesting it through the mail or in person from the DPD.
The person will need the name of the person who requested police assistance, the date of the offense and the location where the offense occurred. It is helpful to have the Police Service Number.
There is a fee of 10 cents per page when requesting reports at the service window. There is a flat fee of 50 cents for a mail request. The DPD cannot release information about an offense over the phone. Only the first page of the offense report is available for release.
Get an Arrest Report
A person can get a copy of an arrest report by requesting it through the mail or in person from the DPD. The person will need the name of the person arrested, their date of birth, sex, race, and the date of the arrest. Restrictions apply to the release of an arrest report.
A person should call the DPD at 214-671-3344 for further assistance. The DPD cannot release information about an arrest report over the phone. Only the first page of the arrest report is available for release.
Records Request for Specialized Information
A person can request specialized information from records maintained by the DPD by submitting a written request to the ORU by mail or in person. They should include their name, address and phone number. They should be as specific as possible about the information they are seeking.
Police Reports Are Public Information
The Texas Public Information Act (Texas Government Code, Chapter 552) allows public access to most government records, including police reports. The Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 550, allows for the release of accident reports.
Police reports are public record in Texas. Still, police departments may restrict how much information they share. How a person gets a copy of a police report in Texas varies according to the city or county that is releasing the report.
Additional Information Regarding Crime
A person can look up information for a felony or a misdemeanor court case in Dallas County on the county's website. They need the following information about a party in the case:
- Last name (required).
- First name.
- Middle name (if available).
- Name type, such as defendant, bondsman or defense attorney.
- Race.
- Sex.
- Date of birth.
- Number type (bonds or cases).
- Pending or disposed status.
Dallas Crime Analytics Dashboard
A person can look up additional information regarding law enforcement efforts in the City of Dallas on the Crime Analytics Dashboard. This website is a collaboration of the City of Dallas and the DPD. The dashboard shows detailed information related to crime, police incidents and DPD response times.
The person can use the dashboard to better understand how police officer activity relates to public safety in the city. The dashboard consists of:
- Crime overview page
- Victim demographics page.
- Crime by day/time page.
- Response times page.
Each page has a map, several metrics and ways to filter the data. The dashboard holds data that begin on January 1, 2020. It is updated daily with new data.
References
- County of Dallas, Texas: Dallas County Felony and Misdemeanor Courts Case Information
- Dallas Police Department: Types of Records
- Texas Government Code: Title 5 Open Government, Ethics, Chapter 552 Public Information
- Texas Transportation Code: Title 7 Vehicles and Traffic, Chapter 550 Accidents and Accident Reports
- City of Dallas: Crime Analytics Dashboard
- Texas Department of Transportation: Crash Reports and Records
Resources
Tips
- If you wish to obtain a hard copy of a police record, click on the "Open Records Request Form" link and download the form. Fill out the form and hand-deliver or mail it to the Dallas Police Records Section (dallaspolice.net; 1400 S. Lamar St., Dallas; 214-671-3343). You can also purchase a copy of an accident report by writing to or visiting the Dallas Police Records Section. If you wish to obtain a copy of an accident report you must have a payment of $6 along with the report number, a name of an individual involved in the accident, the location of the accident and the date and time of the accident.
Writer Bio
Jessica Zimmer is a journalist and attorney based in northern California. She has practiced in a wide variety of fields, including criminal defense, property law, immigration, employment law, and family law.