Request a Copy of a Police Report

The Garden Grove Police Department Records Bureau receives, maintains, and archives police records in compliance with department policies, City policies and state law.

Copies of reports are available from the Records Bureau counter, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

• Reports will only be released to parties involved in the incident
• You must bring a valid form of I.D. to receive a copy of any reports and complete the Request for Release of Police Records Information form. Fees may apply.
• Request a police report online. Fees may apply.

All report requests must be reviewed for eligibility for release and may take up to 10 business days to process.

Certain reports may not be available for release because the investigation is still ongoing, or because release of the report is restricted by law.

Additionally, certain reports must be redacted (have protected information removed) or have approval by the investigating Detective before they can be released.

You may request a copy of a report if you are:

• A victim of a crime
• An authorized representative of the victim of a crime (with a signed waiver)
• The insurance carrier against whom a claim has been made or may be made
• A person who suffered bodily injury or property damage because of an incident, including, but not limited to, a traffic collision (Before requesting a copy of a collision report, please allow a minimum of 21 days from the date of the collision to allow the report to be reviewed and approved for release).

If you were arrested:

If you have been arrested and have not appeared in court, the Records Bureau will not release the report. The case must be adjudicated before the report may be released. The court or prosecution will discuss options for obtaining the report at your arraignment.

If a report involved a juvenile (under 18 years of age):

• Juvenile information includes any document relating to juvenile contacts and arrests, including being a victim of any crime
• The Superior Court of Orange County Juvenile court limits access to juvenile court records in accordance with the California Rule of Court 5.552, and Welfare & Institutions Code Section 827 provides Juvenile Court
• Release of juvenile information requires the authorization of the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court
• Parents of a juvenile may receive a copy of certain types of reports (i.e., traffic collision reports). Availability of these records is restricted to court personnel, the minor, parents or guardian, attorneys involved in the case, and other persons designated by statute

All others must petition Juvenile Court directly for the release of that record. The Records Bureau has the necessary form to submit to the Superior Court of Orange County Juvenile court.

Juvenile Petition to Obtain Report of Law Enforcement Agency
Instructions on How to Complete Juvenile Petition

To learn more, visit the Orange County Juvenile Court in person or online.

If you encounter an issue with the Online Request a Report site, please contact Support Staff at 866-215-2771. Support website with Live Chat, is also available at: LexisNexis Contact Us