Police Freedom Of Information Act Request

All FOIA requests must be in writing and describe a public record sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record.  (MCL15.231 et seq.) 
Although no specific form is required to submit a FOIA request to the City of Detroit, the City has a DPD FOIA Request Form specifically for police records, for your use and convenience: Detroit Police FOIA Request Form . Please note that failure to provide the information in the Form may result in a processing delay or denial of the request.

• You must provide your full name and mailing address. 
• Requests cannot be made in the name of a company; a company representative must be identified.
• If you know which DPD unit, division, precinct or officer has the requested record, please identify them.
• If you have the police report number, please provide the report number.
• The more descriptive and specific your request is, the easier it would be for DPD personnel to search and retrieve the requested record(s).
• Please try to avoid “any and all”. If your request is too broad, DPD personnel who will be searching and retrieving the record(s) will most likely encounter difficulties in locating the record(s).
• If the scope of your request is too broad for DPD personnel to locate the requested record(s), your request may be denied or you may be presented with a request for a deposit payment.
• If you are not using the Detroit Police FOIA Request Form , your request should include the word "FOIA" or "FOIA Request".

The following information is required to search for police records:

1. description of the incident;
2. date of incident and, if known, time of incident;
3. address or location where the incident occurred; 
4. names of individuals who were involved in the incident; and
5. description of the record(s) you are looking for.

Without this information, your request may be denied as such information is necessary to conduct a search for the record(s).

For additional information, including processing of FOIA requests, fees/costs and appeals, please refer to the FOIA Procedures and Guidelines  and the sample FOIA Fee Estimate Form 

For your convenience, you may submit your Detroit Police FOIA Request Form , (or written request) to the City of Detroit in one of the following ways:
 

        1. U.S. Mail or hand delivery to                                         ;
        City of Detroit Police Department Law Unit
        Coleman A. Young Municipal Building
        2 Woodward Avenue, Suite 500
        Detroit, Michigan 48226    

       2.  Fax No.:        313-224-5505
       3. Email Address:     [email protected]

Note: If the FOIA request is for medical records, such as ambulance or an EMS run sheets, compliance with both federal HIPAA regulations and the Michigan Medical Records Access Act is required.