Legal Question in Criminal Law in Missouri
Are police reports public records and if so how does one obtain a copy? Also, does the fact that an investigation is on going matter in obtaining a copy of an initial report?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Some reports are public records, in that unrelated parties can obtain a copy. They may be redacted (Blacked out) to not divulge private information. Some internal reports or investigator's notes may not even be accessible to the person being investigated or the victim of a crime, or the families.
The best place to start obtaining police reports is at the police station. There is almost always a fee for obtaining a copy of a document. If the particular municipality is reticent to sell you a copy, you may have to make a claim under the Freedom of Information Act. You can hire counsel to do that for you, or study at the library. The public library may not have enough information, so you might have to pay to use a Law Library. These are at all Law Schools and near larger Circuit Courts.
Good luck
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