| Public Communication has enjoyed a big boost | | | | time and place of occurrence, case number and |
| with the advent of the Internet and Public | | | | type, witness information, surrounding |
| Police Records is one of the biggest | | | | factors like weather conditions, crowd, noise |
| beneficiaries. Through this medium, they are | | | | and so forth. |
| now reaching more people more efficiently | | | | |
| with more effect. The main objective of | | | | Free Police Reports are posted on various |
| posting these periodical Free Police Reports | | | | media by many Police Departments and Sheriff |
| publicly is to keep people informed of | | | | Offices for public viewing and attention. |
| arrests made by the authorities. In a way, | | | | Weekly update is the norm but there is no |
| those who might be having ulterior ideas are | | | | fixed schedule, with some as frequent as live |
| also warned. | | | | and some at monthly intervals. Cumulative |
| | | | lists over the years are also commonly |
| A Police Arrest Records is a record by law | | | | available. Such reports are usually of a |
| enforcement authorities of apprehensions that | | | | collective nature listing all arrests |
| lead to detention or confinement. It | | | | conducted over a certain period within a |
| constitutes a list of all arrestees with | | | | particular locality. Expunged records and |
| their personal details plus other information | | | | those of arrestees below a certain age are |
| surrounding the incidents together with the | | | | usually omitted. |
| ensuing charges if any. Individually, they | | | | |
| form part of the Public Arrest Records of the | | | | The primary purpose of Public Police Reports |
| offender. | | | | is to document those incidents on record. |
| | | | Being effectively an official statement, it |
| Public Arrest Reports are commonly referred | | | | is also often used as evidence or |
| to as Public Police Reports as they are | | | | substantiation to make charging decision by |
| predominantly generated by the Police. Having | | | | the Prosecutor or Grand Jury. Although it is |
| that said, there are other enforcement | | | | well known that Police Arrest Records are |
| authorities that are also in the capacity to | | | | almost always one-sided, it will still have a |
| do so. Although there may be variations from | | | | strong bearing upon the Prosecutor in his |
| one state to another, it is also a general | | | | willingness to plea bargain, trial tactics |
| practice that Public Arrest Reports are | | | | and case approach. |
| befittingly taken charge of by the Police. | | | | |
| | | | State Police Records are considered as a |
| By procedures, a Police Report is prepared | | | | public service. They can thus be requested |
| shortly after an arrest is made to record the | | | | from government agencies tasked with the |
| incident in official document. It is then | | | | function as long as procedures are followed. |
| submitted to an assigned Case Intake | | | | An alternative and preferred way to retrieve |
| official, who is usually the assigned | | | | them is by purchasing them from commercial |
| Prosecutor for subsequent action. The report | | | | information providers. On top of government |
| would detail all the facts pertaining to the | | | | sources, they also tap into private and |
| arrest. In general, they present the personal | | | | proprietary information networks, often |
| particulars and bio-data of the arrestee, the | | | | coming up with extras but fees are charged. |