The NYPD UF-49 form is the department’s general-purpose internal memorandum, used whenever an officer needs to put an official communication in writing and no more specific NYPD form fits the situation. It follows a standard memo layout with a header identifying the sender, recipient, date, and subject, followed by a narrative. Officers use it to document actions, relay information up the chain of command, or make formal requests. Civilians, attorneys, and journalists most often encounter it by requesting a copy through New York’s Freedom of Information Law.
What the UF-49 Covers
The UF-49 is a catch-all. Because it covers situations that do not have their own dedicated NYPD form, its uses are broad. An officer might prepare one to document investigative steps taken during an unusual occurrence, notify a commanding officer about a scheduling or personnel matter, request action from another unit, memorialize a witness conversation that does not fit neatly into a complaint report, or explain why a particular action was taken at a crime scene.
Not everything belongs on a UF-49. Line-of-duty injuries, arrest reports, and complaint reports each have dedicated forms, and a change of name, residence, or social condition goes on the PD 451-021 rather than a UF-49.1New York City Police Department. NYPD Disciplinary Proceedings – Police Officer Rance Camarena The UF-49 fills the gaps between those specialized documents. It also surfaces regularly in internal affairs investigations and civil litigation as a contemporaneous record of what an officer knew and did at a specific point in time.
How to Fill Out the Form
The UF-49 follows the standard departmental memo format. A header block at the top handles routing, and the narrative section below carries the substance.
Header Information
The top of the form carries the “POLICE DEPARTMENT CITY OF NEW YORK” heading and the date the memo is prepared. The routing fields sit directly below:
- To: the recipient’s rank, name, and command. This is usually the preparer’s immediate supervisor or commanding officer, though a UF-49 can be addressed to any unit or bureau.
- From: the preparer’s full rank, name, shield number, and current command assignment. These identifiers let the records division file the memo and trace it to a specific officer.
- Subject: a brief, specific description of the topic. Keep this tight. “Recovery of Narcotics Paraphernalia at PSA-5” is more useful than “Incident Report.”
Narrative Section
The body is where most officers run into trouble. Present the facts in chronological order: what happened, when, where, and what action was taken. Write in the first person and stick to direct observations. Opinions, speculation, and conclusions about another person’s intent do not belong here. If the memo concerns an event, put the date, time, and location of the occurrence early in the narrative.
When the memo relates to an investigative action, describe each step taken and the result. If physical evidence was recovered, note where it was found, how it was secured, and where it was vouchered. If the memo is a request rather than a report, state the request clearly in the opening sentence and then provide the supporting facts.
Attach supporting documents such as physician statements, witness accounts, photographs, and voucher receipts to the UF-49 rather than trying to reproduce their content in the narrative. Reference the attachments by name in the body of the memo so the reader knows they exist.
Signature and Endorsement
The preparer signs and dates the bottom. The memo then moves to the officer’s immediate supervisor, who reviews it and adds an endorsement noting whether the supervisor concurs, disagrees, or is forwarding the memo without comment. Depending on the subject matter, the memo may continue up the chain of command, with each level adding its own endorsement before the document reaches its final destination. A UF-49 that lacks a supervisor’s endorsement is incomplete and will stall in the process.
Consequences of Falsifying a UF-49
The UF-49 is an official departmental record, so false entries carry both criminal and administrative exposure. Under New York Penal Law, falsifying business records in the second degree, which includes making a false entry in any business record, is a class A misdemeanor. If the falsification is committed with intent to commit or conceal another crime, the charge escalates to falsifying business records in the first degree, a class E felony.2New York State Senate. New York Penal Code 175.10 – Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree
On the administrative side, an officer who submits a false UF-49 faces departmental charges that can result in penalties ranging from loss of vacation days to termination. The NYPD has prosecuted officers through its internal trial system for preparing misleading or fabricated UF-49s, and these documents are scrutinized closely whenever an officer’s account of events is challenged in a disciplinary proceeding or civil lawsuit.
How UF-49s Are Used as Evidence
In federal civil rights cases brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, internal NYPD documents including UF-49s are routinely sought during discovery. Plaintiffs’ attorneys request them to establish what an officer documented at the time of an incident and whether that account is consistent with later testimony. Defense counsel may use them for the same purpose.
At trial, a UF-49 can potentially be admitted under the business records exception to the hearsay rule. Federal Rule of Evidence 803(6) allows records of a regularly conducted activity if the record was made at or near the time of the event by someone with knowledge, kept in the course of a regularly conducted activity, and made as a regular practice of that activity. These conditions are established through the testimony of a records custodian or a qualifying certification. The opposing party can challenge admissibility by showing the source of information or circumstances of preparation suggest the record is untrustworthy.3Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Evidence Rule 803 – Exceptions to the Rule Against Hearsay
How to Request a UF-49 Through FOIL
Civilians, attorneys, and journalists who need a copy of a UF-49 obtain one through a Freedom of Information Law request under New York Public Officers Law, Article 6.4New York Department of State. New York State Freedom of Information Law The NYPD directs all FOIL requests through the NYC OpenRecords portal at a860-openrecords.nyc.gov. Select “New York City Police Department (NYPD)” from the agency dropdown and describe the record you need.5New York City Police Department. Document Production/FOIL Requests The portal tracks status automatically.
Be specific. The department needs enough detail to locate the document without an unreasonable search. Include the approximate date of the memo, the command involved, the subject matter, and if you know them, the names or shield numbers of the officers involved. A vague request for “all UF-49s related to an incident” with no date or location will likely draw a denial for being overly broad.
Response Timelines
Once the NYPD receives your request, it must grant access, deny access in writing, or acknowledge receipt within five business days. An acknowledgment must include an approximate date, within twenty business days, by which the department expects to grant or deny the request. If the NYPD cannot meet that window, it must provide a written explanation and a new target date that is reasonable given the volume and complexity of the records involved.6Open Government. Explanation of Time Limits for Response
Fees
Paper copies cost no more than twenty-five cents per page for standard-size reproductions up to 9″ × 14″.7New York State Senate. New York Public Officers Law Article 6 – Freedom of Information Law Records delivered digitally through the OpenRecords portal are generally provided at no charge.
If Your Request Is Denied
The NYPD denies FOIL requests most often by invoking the law enforcement exemption under Public Officers Law § 87(2)(e). Records compiled for law enforcement purposes can be withheld if disclosure would interfere with an ongoing investigation, deprive someone of a fair trial, identify a confidential source, or reveal non-routine investigative techniques.8Committee on Open Government. State of New York Department of State Advisory Opinion The inter-agency/intra-agency materials exemption under § 87(2)(g) is another common basis. Internal memos that reflect deliberative processes or opinions, as opposed to purely factual data, can be withheld under that provision.
You have thirty days to file a written appeal. Send it to the NYPD’s FOIL Appeals Officer by email at FOILAPPEALS@nypd.org or by mail to Katherine T. Obanhein, Esq., Legal Bureau–FOIL Unit, One Police Plaza, Room 110-A, New York, NY 10038.5New York City Police Department. Document Production/FOIL Requests The department must respond to the appeal within ten business days, either explaining the continued denial or providing the records.9New York State Senate. New York Public Officers Code 89 – General Provisions Relating to Access to Records A denied appeal can be challenged in court under Article 78 of the New York Civil Practice Law and Rules.
How Long the Record Stays Available
The City of New York maintains a supplemental records retention schedule that governs how long agencies keep various types of internal documents. General correspondence containing routine legal, fiscal, or administrative information, the category most likely to cover a standard UF-49, carries a six-year retention period.10New York City Department of Records. NYC Supplemental Records Retention and Disposition Schedule Records tied to active or permanent agency functions may be retained indefinitely, and any record subject to ongoing or reasonably anticipated litigation cannot be destroyed regardless of its scheduled retention period. A legal hold overrides the standard timeline. If you are involved in litigation or expect to file a FOIL request, act sooner rather than later to make sure the record still exists.