Metropolitan Police Department: FOIA

The FOIA Officer is the principal contact point within MPD for advice and policy guidance on matters pertaining to the administration of the FOIA. The FOIA Officer is selected by the Chief of Police and is charged with administering the Freedom of Information Act in a matter that is both professional and expeditious. The FOIA Officer is available to the public to provide advice and policy guidance on all matters related to the Freedom of information Act.

The Metropolitan Police Department, and all District of Columbia Government agencies, are governed by District of Columbia Official Code § 2-531 et seq. Requesting parties are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the content of the law.

Under District of Columbia Official Code § 2-536, certain information is made available to the public via the internet, including the list and salaries of current employees and the policies and procedures that govern the agency’s operations.

Furthermore, requesting parties are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the exemptions provided for in District of Columbia Official Code § 2-534. Specifically, FOIA requests for personal information about members, to include disciplinary records, and information about ongoing investigations, are exempt from public disclosure. Requesting parties that are unsure if their request falls into one of the exempt categories are encouraged to call the FOIA Officer for clarification prior to formally submitting their request.

Submitting a FOIA Request
FOIA requests may be oral or in writing. If the request is written, the envelope shall prominently be marked "FOIA Request." The FOIA Officer may request that an oral request be reduced to writing, if the requested records are not customarily made available by the public body.

Note that there are several public documents and information available from the Metropolitan Police Department that do not require the submission of a formal Freedom of Information Act request. See the section "Items Not Requiring a FOIA Request", below, for details.

Requesting parties are encouraged to submit requests through electronic mail to the FOIA Officer via email. Additionally, requests can be made orally or in written form through the US Mail to the address below. If the request is written, the envelope shall be marked “FOIA Request.” The FOIA Officer may request that an oral request be reduced to writing if the requested records are not customarily made available by the public body.

Contact Information
Please be sure to include at least one method of communication so that the FOIA Processing Unit may contact you in order to properly handle your request (email, phone number, fax, business or home address).

What You Can Expect
Once you have submitted your request via one of the methods above, you will receive a letter acknowledging your request and the assigned FOIA number which will be used to track your request. Use this number as reference in any correspondence you have during the process.

The DC FOIA statute provides that public bodies are required to respond to a FOIA request within 15 working days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays). The response period begins on the date the request is actually received by the FOIA Officer of the public body that maintains the records you are requesting. Public bodies may extend the time for a response by an additional 10 working days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) for unusual circumstances, as defined by DC Official Code § 2-532(d).

Once your request has been processed, you will receive a letter indicating the availability of the documents (if any exist), the total cost, and information on how to file an appeal, along with instructions on how to pick up or have mailed to you your requested documents.

Get More Information
For additional information on how to file a FOIA request, including applicable exemptions, fees and their waiver, the appeals process, and more, please visit the DC Government FOIA Information Page or contact the FOIA Officer.

Common request	How to obtain it
Police Reports and Accident Reports	The MPD provides basic crime report information through CRIMEMAP.DC.GOV. However, Individuals interested in obtaining copies of police reports (PD-251) or accident reports (PD-10) may make the request directly in person or by US Mail to: Metropolitan Police Department Records Branch Public Documents Section 300 Indiana Avenue, NW Room 3075 Washington, DC 20001 Phone: (202) 727-4357 Fax: (202) 727-4464 Get more information on how to obtain reports from Public Documents here.
Criminal Record Checks (Police Clearances)	Requests for criminal record checks (police clearances) should be made to the Criminal History Section in person or by US Mail to the address below. Requests must be made via a Criminal History Request (PD-70), accompanied by a notarized letter from the person to which the inquiry pertains. Metropolitan Police Department Records Branch Criminal History Section 300 Indiana Avenue, NW Room 3055 Washington, DC 20001 Phone: (202) 727-4245 Fax: (202) 727-4464 Get the details on requesting police clearances from the Criminal History Section.
Crime Data and Statistics	Online Tools Individuals interested in getting crime statistics for a geographic area are encouraged to visit the following two sites before submitting a FOIA request -- using these online resources may save some time: DC Data Catalog Includes life data feeds of 311 service requests, juvenile arrsts and charges, crime incidents and much more. CRIMEMAP.DC.GOV The advanced features on MPD’s crime mapping application can provide a substantial amount of information on incidents that have been reported in the District of Columbia, including: Advisory Neighborhood Commissions; Block (block address provided, but specific addresses are not available); Criminal Complaint Number; District; Method; Offense; PSA; Report Date; and Shift. Research and Analysis Branch If you are unable to find what you seek online, requests for statistics on calls for service to a block, crime maps, trends, and other routine data requests may be made via email to research@dc.gov or via US Mail to: Metropolitan Police Department Research and Analysis Branch Room 4048 Washington, DC 20001 (202) 727-4174 www.mpdc.dc.gov/research Get additional information on filing a data request with RAB.
MPD Policies and Procedures	In order to comply with DC Official Code § 2-536 (2001), the MPD has posted online the written directives that include Statements of Policy and Interpretations of Policy approved for release. Directives for Public Release
Employee Information	Under District of Columbia Official Code § 2-536, certain information is made available to the public via the internet, including the list and salaries of current employees. See "Public Information" on the DC Government FOIA Web Page

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