See South Dakota Police Departments and search free public police records. Police departments, precincts, stations, and public safety departments are law enforcement institutions which enforce laws and keep public order.
Police departments maintain records on any actions that involve the police, including crime reports, incidents reported to the police, and ongoing police investigations.
Arrest reports, incident reports, search warrants, arrest warrants, and more can be found at police departments. Many of these records can be accessed online through the local police department.
Police departments have records of all police arrests, incident reports, and police warrants. Many police departments make these records available to the public through online databases.
Police departments keep arrest reports and incident reports. Arrest reports include basic information about the arrest, such as the names of those arrested, the location, the number of charges, and the bail amount, if any. If an individual resisted arrest or the officer used force, this will be recorded in the arrest report.
Incident reports are records of police action that did not involve an arrest, such as accident reports, citizen reports of crimes, and 911 calls for assistance. These reports list the time, location, and nature of the incident, and any injuries or weapons found at the scene.
Arrest reports and incident reports are often included in police logs. These summary logs are typically available to the public, and they can be searched through online databases maintained by local police departments.
Some police departments also provide public access to police body-worn camera footage. This footage may be available from the local police department if you make a public records request.
Police departments also keep records of search warrants and arrest warrants. Search warrants include a description of the items the police are seeking, the judge's approval for the warrant, and a list of items seized by the officers during the search. Arrest warrants include the name of the accused, the alleged crime, and the court that approved the warrant.
The police department may provide access to search warrants and arrest warrants. These warrants are also court documents, so if the police department cannot provide copies, you can request these records from the court.
In some cases, law enforcement officers may request that certain police records remain sealed if they believe public access might endanger those involved in the case or hamper the police investigation.
Most police departments provide public access to certain police records on their website. For other police records, including arrest reports or body camera footage, you may need to fill out a public records request with the police department. In most cases, this can be done online.