Records Division

OVERVIEW:

The Records Division of the Brookline Police Department is responsible for maintaining the security and destruction of all records for the Department. The Division will also assist individuals with request for obtaining public records under Public Records Law MGL Chapter 66 Section 10; such records include police reports, accidents reports, CAD logs and letters of good conduct.

Please note that not all records maintained by Brookline Police are public records. The Records Division follows in accordance with guidelines set forth by the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. For further information on Massachusetts Public Records Law please visit: Secretary of State's website

HOURS & LOCATION:

The Records Division is located in the Brookline Public Safety Building, 350 Washington St Brookline, MA 02445.

A Records Clerk is available for assistance, in person or by phone, during the hours of Monday-Thursday 8:30am-4:30pm and Friday 8:30am-12:00pm at 617-730-2225.

PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST/OBTAIN POLICE REPORT:

(Please read entire section for information on how to obtain materials from the Brookline Police Department through Public Records Request. For information on accident reports see the Accident Reports section)

The Brookline Police Records Division provides reports under the Massachusetts Public Records Act. Some or all materials requested may be subject to redaction or denial of records in whole as required under MGL Chapter 66 Section 10.

All requests are subject to review by the Commander of the Division. Reports may not be readily available upon request; the Records Division has 10 business days by law from the date of request to respond; business days do not apply to weekends, holidays, or days in which the Division is unexpectedly closed.

Requests are filled in the order in which they are received and by size/scope of the request. In most cases a request is filled within a few days.

If a request is extensive in size and scope, the requester will be provided with an estimated timeline that it will take to fill such a request, as well as any associated fees. If are fees assessed the requester will be provided with an invoice estimate. Extensive requests may be charged an hourly rate of the lowest paid employee who can complete the task, as well as fees for materials. If no payment or contact with the Department is made within 30 days of the invoice the request will be considered closed, and all copies of the materials created for the request will be destroyed.

Under the Public Records Law there is no specific form that must be used to make a request; please provide a concise and reasonable description of what is being requested, specifying exactly what materials are wished to be obtained. So that this Department may make arrangements for completed requests to be disseminated, as well as payment of any associated fees, the requester MUST provide contact information; this especially applies to requests online, as it is a limited email based request system and not monitored for ongoing correspondences regarding requests. Requests may be submitted either by mail, in person during business hours, or online at recordsdivision@brooklinema.gov

ACCIDENT REPORTS:

Not all traffic accidents will generate an Incident Report; generally, as most accidents are a civil matter, Brookline Police Officers on the scene are there to assist the motorists with the exchanging of information.

If you were in an accident a blank Crash Data Form, as well as instructions, can be found on the RMV website.

Completed copies of Crash Data Forms for accidents that occurred in the jurisdiction of the Town of Brookline, or requests for copies of accident reports can be mailed to:

Brookline Traffic Division
350 Washington St
Brookline, MA 02445.

DAILY LOG:

The daily log, or CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch), is a record of all calls and police responses through the Brookline Police Department's Dispatch Unit. Please note that not all calls will generate an Incident Report.

The Brookline Police Daily Log is available to view at the front desk, 24 hours a day, at the Brookline Police Public Safety Building.

If you wish to obtain a copy of a call log, please submit request by mail or online (SEE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST SECTION ABOVE). Correct date, location, and/or time of the call must be provided to process a search of the CAD records. 

LETTERS OF GOOD CONDUCT:

Letters of Good Conduct are done as a courtesy only for CURRENT residents of the Town of Brookline.

A letter can be obtained during business hours of the Records Division. Please provide the Records Clerk with the following materials:

A CORI background check done by the State of Massachusetts that has been completed within 3 months of the request date. A blank CORI Check Form can be obtained at any Police Department or online at the State CORI site
 
The requester must appear in person with a State issued ID, with a current Brookline address. A Passport will also be accepted, provided a proof of Brookline residency is given, such as a current lease or utility bill.

POLICE POLICIES & PROCEDURES/TOWN BY LAWS:

For information regarding the Brookline Police Department policies and procedures please visit the following link for all of the Department’s written policies and procedures listed for your review and convenience free of charge:

• Police Policies and Procedures
• Town By-Laws

Records Access Officer
Amanda Williams
350 Washington Street
Brookline MA 02445
617-730-2225