How to Get a Copy of a Chicago Police Report Online

To get a copy of a Chicago police report online, use the Chicago Police Department’s portal at chicagopolice.org: traffic crash reports are sold through a dedicated site at crash.chicagopolice.org for $6.00, and case incident reports are purchased through the department’s main online services page for $0.50.¹² After you pay, the department emails you the report as a PDF, and most requests come back within a few business days.

What to Have Ready Before You Log In

Pull together the incident details before you open the portal. At a minimum you need the date and location. If officers gave you an RD number (Records Division number) at the scene, have it in front of you — it’s the fastest way for the system to find your report. For traffic crashes, the report number assigned at the scene does the same job.

You’ll also need a valid email address so the department can deliver the PDF. If you’re requesting a report for someone else, such as a client or an insured, expect to provide documentation showing you’re authorized to act for that person.

Buying a Traffic Crash Report Online

Traffic crash reports have their own portal, separate from case reports. Start at the CPD traffic crash report page and follow the link to crash.chicagopolice.org.¹ Search by crash date, location, or report number. When you find your record, pay online and the report is emailed to you.

The standard fee is $6.00 per report.¹ An amended version of a report you’ve already bought costs $1.50. If the report was prepared by an accident reconstruction officer or team, the fee is $20.00.²

Buying a Case Incident Report Online

Case incident reports cover crimes where you were the victim, such as theft, burglary, or criminal damage. On the department’s main online services page at chicagopolice.org/get-service, choose “Case Report” from the list of purchasable services.³ Enter the incident date, location, and RD number if you have one, then submit and pay.

Each copy costs $0.50.² Unlike crash reports, case reports go through a review before release. The department redacts information about witnesses, minors, and anything that might affect an ongoing investigation, and that review can push delivery past what you’d see for a crash report.

Reports You Cannot Get Through the Portal

Not every report is available online. Illinois law lets law enforcement withhold entire categories of records, and the portal will not produce them no matter how you search. The main restrictions:

Juvenile records. Reports involving a suspect or victim under 18 can be withheld entirely, including arrest records, station adjustments, and investigative notes.⁴
Active investigations. If release would interfere with a pending criminal investigation, the agency can hold the report back.⁴
Confidential sources and complainants. Records that would identify a confidential informant or complainant can be withheld, though witnesses to traffic crashes are generally disclosed unless an active criminal investigation is involved.⁴
Fair trial concerns. When disclosure would substantially threaten someone’s right to a fair trial or impartial hearing, the report stays sealed.

Even reports that are released come with routine redactions: names of surviving victims in some cases, medical details, and names of suspects who were never arrested.⁵ If you get a heavily redacted copy and think you’re entitled to more, a formal FOIA request is the next step.

Filing a FOIA Request When the Portal Won’t Deliver

When a report isn’t available through the purchase channels, or when the copy you received is redacted more than you think it should be, use the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. CPD accepts FOIA requests four ways: by mail to Chicago Police Department, Attn: Freedom of Information Officer, Freedom of Information Section, Unit 114, 3510 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60653; by email at foia@chicagopolice.org; by fax to (312) 745-6948; or in person during business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can also submit through the department’s online FOIA portal.⁶

Print or type the request and include your name, mailing address, daytime phone, and a clear description of the records you want.⁶ The department has five business days to respond and can extend that window by another five business days with written notice. If the request is for a commercial purpose, you must say so upfront, and the response window becomes 21 business days.⁷

FOIA Fees and Waivers

The first 50 pages of black-and-white letter- or legal-size copies are free. After that, the department can charge up to $0.15 per page.⁸ For electronic records, the department can charge for the recording medium but generally cannot bill for staff search or review time, unless your request is commercial, in which case it can charge up to $10 per hour after the first eight hours.⁷

You can ask for a fee waiver or reduction if the principal purpose of the request is to access information about public health, safety, welfare, or legal rights, and not for personal or commercial benefit. Include a short statement in the request explaining why disclosure serves the public interest.⁸ The statute has no indigency waiver, so financial hardship on its own isn’t a recognized ground; the request has to be framed around public benefit.

If You’d Rather Go by Mail or In Person

The online portal isn’t the only route. You can walk in to the CPD Records Customer Service Section at 3510 South Michigan Avenue, 1st Floor, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.⁹ Arrive well before the 1:30 cutoff if you want same-day service.

For mail requests, write to Chicago Police Department, Records Inquiry and Customer Service Section, Unit 163, 3510 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60653. Include the victim or reporting person’s name and address, the type and location of the incident, and the RD number if you have one. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order payable to “Department of Revenue, City of Chicago” for the applicable fee.¹⁰ One quirk worth knowing: traffic crash reports requested by mail or in person cost $5.00, a dollar less than the $6.00 online price.²

1
Chicago Police Department. Traffic Crash Reports
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Chicago Police Department. How Do I Request a Police Report
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Chicago Police Department. Get Service
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Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 5 ILCS 140/7 – Exemptions
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Illinois Attorney General. FOIA for Law Enforcement Agencies – Reports
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Chicago Police Department. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
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Illinois Attorney General. Illinois Freedom of Information Act Frequently Asked Questions By the Public
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Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 5 ILCS 140/6 – Authority to Charge Fees
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Chicago Police Department. Police Records and Procedures
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City of Chicago 311. How Do I Request a Police Report