Concord Police Records

Concord police records are kept by the Concord Police Department. The city has about 130,000 people and is in Contra Costa County. Reports include incident files, arrest logs, and crash data. You can ask for copies if you were involved in a case. Requests go through the California Public Records Act. The department responds within ten days. Not all files can be released if a case is still open. Victims have more access than the general public in Concord.

Concord Police Department

The Concord Police Department handles all law enforcement in the city. The records division takes requests for police reports from the public. You can ask for incident reports, arrest info, and crash files. Contact the department to start a request. Give them the date, names, and case number if you have it. They will search for the report and tell you if it can be released in Concord.

To request police records in Concord, call the department or submit a written request. Include as much detail as you can. The more info you give, the faster they can find your report. If you were a victim or party in the case, say so. This helps them know if you qualify for access under California law. The department reviews each request to decide what can be released in Concord.

Fees for police records in Concord depend on the type of report and how many pages you need. The department will tell you the cost when your report is ready. Some records may be free if you were a victim of certain crimes. Domestic violence victims do not pay under California law. Call ahead to ask about fees before you submit your request in Concord.

Crash Reports in Concord

Concord uses the LexisNexis eCrash system for traffic collision reports. This is an online portal where you can request crash reports that Concord police handled. Many California cities use this same platform. It makes the process easy if you need a traffic report from Concord.

To get a crash report from Concord, go to the LexisNexis eCrash website at ecrash.lexisnexis.com. You will need to provide the date of the crash, location in Concord, and your information. The system will search for the report and let you know if it is available. There is a fee for crash reports through this system in California.

If the CHP handled your crash instead of Concord police, you need to request from the California Highway Patrol. They use a different system at crashes.chp.ca.gov. If you are not sure which agency responded to your crash in Concord, call the police department first. They can tell you if it was their officers or the CHP.

Types of Police Records

Incident reports show what happened when police respond to a call in Concord. An officer writes the report after investigating. The report has facts, names, and what action was taken. You can get a copy if you were a victim or involved party. Suspects and witnesses have less access. The department reviews each request to see if the file can be released under California law in Concord.

Arrest records list people booked into jail by Concord police. These show the name, date, charges, and bail amount. Some of this info is public. Contra Costa County posts booking logs online that you can search by name or date. An arrest does not mean a conviction. Charges may be dropped or reduced later. Full arrest reports are usually not released to suspects in Concord.

Traffic collision reports document crashes that police respond to in Concord. These show the date, time, location, vehicles, and any injuries. California Vehicle Code Section 20012 requires the release of crash reports to drivers, passengers, owners, and insurers. Processing takes about seven to ten days through the LexisNexis system for Concord.

Body camera footage is mostly exempt from release in Concord. State law keeps body cam video private except for critical incidents. This includes officer-involved shootings and serious use of force. The department must release that footage within 45 days under Government Code Section 7923.625. All other body cam video stays confidential in California, including Concord.

Contra Costa County Sheriff

Concord is in Contra Costa County but has its own police force. The county sheriff handles unincorporated areas and some contract cities, not Concord. If you need records from the Contra Costa County Sheriff, contact them at (925) 335-1570. Their records unit is at 2530 Arnold Drive Suite 170 in Martinez. They use different fees and procedures than Concord Police in Contra Costa County.

The sheriff charges 50 cents per page for copies. Accident reports cost 10 cents per page. Certification fees are $40. They take cash or check but not credit cards. The sheriff also has a ten-day response time under state law. If you are not sure which agency handled your case, call Concord Police first. They can tell you if it was their department or the county sheriff in Contra Costa County.

For more on county records, see the Contra Costa County page. That page covers the sheriff's records division, jail booking logs, and other resources. It also lists which cities in the county contract with the sheriff for police services. Concord does not contract with the sheriff, so all Concord police records come from the city police department.

How to Request Records

To ask for police records in Concord, contact the police department with these details:

• Your name and phone or email
• Date of the event
• Names of people involved
• Location in Concord
• Case number if you know it
• What type of record you want

The California Public Records Act gives the department ten days to respond. This means they tell you if the record exists and if they will release it. It does not mean you get the file in ten days. They may need more time to produce the records. A 14-day extension is allowed if they need to search many files or consult with other offices in Concord.

If your request is denied, the department must cite the law that exempts the record. Common exemptions include ongoing investigations, personnel files, and certain confidential records. You can challenge a denial in court. Many people work with lawyers or advocacy groups on appeals. The California Attorney General has info on your rights at oag.ca.gov for police records in Concord.

Note: Domestic violence victims get free copies of their reports within five days under California Family Code.

California Public Records Laws

The California Public Records Act in Government Code Sections 7920-7931 gives you the right to ask for police records in Concord. Any person can make a request. You do not need to live in California or give a reason. The agency has ten days to respond. They can extend this by 14 days if needed. Some records are exempt from release under state law in Concord.

Penal Code Section 832.7 covers officer personnel records. SB 1421 and SB 16 changed this law to require more disclosure in Concord. Police must now release records of shootings, serious use of force, sexual assault by an officer, and dishonesty. The department has 45 days to provide these files. A delay of up to 180 days is allowed if there is an ongoing criminal investigation in California.

Vehicle Code Section 20012 requires the release of traffic collision reports to involved parties in Concord. This includes drivers, passengers, owners, and insurers. The law sets out who qualifies. Agencies cannot deny these requests if you meet the requirements in California. Most crash reports are ready in seven to ten days from Concord police.

Other Records and Resources

The Concord Police Department only keeps law enforcement records. For other public records in Concord, contact different city or county offices. Vital records like birth and death certificates go through the Contra Costa County Health Services. Court records are at the Contra Costa Superior Court. Property records are kept by the County Assessor in Concord.

If you need legal help related to police records in Concord, several groups offer services. Bay Area Legal Aid serves people with low income in Contra Costa County. Call (800) 551-5554 for info. The Contra Costa County Bar Association has a lawyer referral service if you need to hire an attorney. You can also contact the California State Bar at 1-800-392-5660 for referrals statewide.

For questions about California police records laws, the Attorney General website at oag.ca.gov has guides and FAQs. The site explains the Public Records Act and how it works. It also has contact info if you need to file a complaint about a denied request. These resources apply to all police agencies in California, including the Concord Police Department.

The California Department of Justice runs the OpenJustice portal at openjustice.doj.ca.gov. This site has crime stats, arrest data, and law enforcement info for the whole state. You can view data by county or city, including Concord. The portal has maps and charts. This is a useful tool for research on crime trends. It does not have individual case files. For those, you contact the Concord Police Department.