Routine Police Freedom Of Information Act

FOIA is a Freedom of Information Acts 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.) 

You may download a copy of the City of Detroit FOIA or City of Detroit Police FOIA form to submit a FOIA request.

Due to the volume of FOIA requests for police records, if you are seeking routine police records, please submit your written request to:

        City of Detroit Police Department Law Unit
        Coleman A. Young Municipal Building
        2 Woodward Avenue, Suite 500
        Detroit, Michigan 48226    

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

The following information is required to search for routine police records:

• nature of the incident;
• date of incident;
• time of incident (if known);
• address;
• names of individuals involved in the matter

Without this information, your request may be denied as the Police Department requires such information in order to conduct a search for the record.

Routine Police Records include:

• 911 Audio Recordings
• 911 CAD Reports
• Police Dash-Cam Videos
• Simple Arrest Reports
• Mug Shots
• Police Incident Reports concerning:
  • Domestic dispute matters
  • Simple assault and battery
  • Theft
  • Motor Vehicle Accident Reports.
• Police records concerning the following matters are not routine:
  • Fatal accidents
  • Critical injury
  • Homicide
  • Narcotics
  • Gang related activities and incidents
  • Criminal sexual conduct
  Therefore, requests for these documents should be submitted to the FOIA Coordinator at the Law Department.