Requests for Records - Town of Bristol, Rhode Island

Please Note: The Bristol Police Department maintains records pertaining to law enforcement matters only.

The Bristol Police Department has instituted the following procedure to help you obtain public records:

The Public Records Unit is the Records Office, please call 401-253-6900 and ask to be connected to the Records office, or select option 5 from the recorded announcement.
The regular business hours of the Records office are as follows:
Monday – Friday: 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
The Records Office is closed on weekends and on all State and Federal holidays.

If you come in after regular business hours, please ask for a Request for Records form at the main lobby, once completed it will be provided to the Records Office Clerk the next working day.
- In order to ensure that you are provided with the public records you seek in an expeditious manner; we ask that you complete the Request for Records Form in person located at the main lobby window or on this website, the form can be found at the bottom of this page.
The department may ask you the reason for your request, as its regular course of business. However, you are not required to provide identification or reasons why you seek the information. Your right to access public records will not be denied for failing to provide identification or reasons.
There are times when the public records you seek are not available at the time of your request. Please be advised that the Access to Public Records Act gives a public body 10 business days to respond, which can be extended an additional 20 days for “good cause.” We appreciate your understanding and patience.

Cost

Subject to the provisions of section 38-2-3, the cost per copied page of documents shall not exceed fifteen cents ($ .15) per page for documents copy-able on common business or legal sized paper. Voluminous requests will be assessed a fee of $15.00 per hour, however there is no cost for the first hour of a search and retrieval. Payment is accepted in the form of cash, check or bankers check. Coins must be rolled; providing that the amount paid is larger than a rolled unit of coin.

Public Records Request - Police

Please be as specific as possible when requesting reports. Locations, Dates, and Times are extremely helpful when submitting a request. This will aid the clerk to efficiently provide you with the documents requested.

Under the access to Public Records Act (Online Submission Form)

Date Submitted:*

Time Submitted:*

Report Number (If Known):

Name (Optional):

Address (Optional):

Phone Number (Optional):

Email address where report will be sent to (Optional):

If you wish to receive the records electronically, please include the Email Address that you would like them sent to. If this field is not completed, the report(s) will be available for pick-up at the police department within 10 business days for the date of submission.

Fax number where report(s) will be sent to (Optional):

If you wish to receive the records electronically, please include the Fax # that you would like them sent to. If this field is not completed, the report(s) will be available for pick-up at the police department within 10 business days for the date of submission.

Requested Record(s):*

Requests without a form of return delivery will be available at the Bristol Police Department. Documents can be mailed, however you will need to provide a self addressed stamped envelope, and a check for $3.50 payable to "Town of Bristol" to the Bristol Police Department.

If you desire to pick up records, they will be available within 10-business days from the date submitted. If, after review of your request, the Department determines that the requested records are exempt from disclosure for a reason set forth in the R.I. Gen. Laws Section 38-2-2(4)(i)(A) through (W), the Department reserves its right to claim such exemption. Note: If you chose to pick up the records, but did not include identifying information on this form (Name, etc) please inform the officer/clerk at the desk of the date you made the request, and records requested. Thank You. (Revised 4/4/17-Online Form)

Office Use
Received by:________
Request #:________
Date:________
Time: ________
Available on: ________
Cost: __________
Copies ______________
Search & Retrieval

Complaints

If you feel that you have been denied access to public records, you have the right to appeal to Captain Brian C. Burke.

If you are still not satisfied, you may file a suit in Superior Court, or file complaint with the Department of the Attorney General:
150 South Main Street
Providence, RI 02903

Information on the Access to Public Record is available online.

The Bristol Police Department is committed to providing you with public records in an expeditious and courteous manner.