How do I get a copy of a Police Report?

Crime and Incident reports:
Download the form below. These reports may be released to:

• The victim(s)
• An authorized representative of the victim
• An insurance carrier against which a claim has been made and or might be made
• Any person suffering bodily injury, property damage or loss

• The disclosure would endanger the safety of a witness or other involved party
• Endanger the successful completion of the investigation or related investigations
• The name and address of a victim of certain crimes will not be disclosed

• Drivers involved in the collision
• Registered owners of vehicles involved
• Parents of minor driver involved
• Passengers involved, listed on report
• Insurance Companies
• Those incurring property damage or civil liability as a result of the accident
• Attorneys representing any of the above

Reports are not released to witnesses.

Juvenile Reports:
Juvenile Court has exclusive authority to determine whom, and to the extent which information may be released. Release of juvenile information requires permission from the Juvenile Court. Parents of a juvenile victim may receive a copy of certain types of reports only. All others will need to petition Juvenile Court directly for the release of that record. The Ukiah Police Department has the necessary form to do this.

Report Request Form:
Download the PDF* form below, complete and mail or bring to:
Ukiah Police Department
300 Seminary Avenue
Ukiah, CA 95482

How do I recover Found/Held Property?

Hours for release: Monday through Wednesday, 8am to 2pm, by appointment through the Property Officer.

Property seized as evidence will not be released until an authorization for release has been obtained from the District Attorney’s Office and the Ukiah Police Department Detective Sergeant. 

Please bring proper identification with you when you come to pickup your property.  Property will not be released to a third party unless written authorization has been received from the legal property owner.

The Property Officer can be contacted at (707) 463-6259.

How do I get Fingerprinted?

Livescans are done on Thursday's by appointment only.  Please call 463-6241 to schedule your appointment.

The Ukiah Police Department has a Live Scan fingerprint station available to assist the public for the purpose of pre-employment. Live Scan has the ability to digitally transmit your fingerprints to the Department of Justice.

Live Scans are done on Thursday's from 8 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 3pm. Please call 463-6241 to schedule an appointment.   When an applicant wishes to be fingerprinted, he or she will need to provide one of the following forms of identification:

• A current and valid California Driver’s License or California Identification Card
• A current and valid Out of State Driver’s License
• A Passport
• Military ID Card

A "Request for Live Scan" form must be completed prior to fingerprinting. These forms are obtained from the employing agency. We DO NOT provide Live Scan Service Forms.

Payment:
Cash only! No checks or credit cards accepted.

Fees:
The Ukiah Police Department charges a rolling fee of $12.00 for Live Scan Services. This fee is in addition to any DOJ or FBI fees that may apply. The current fees assessed are:

• DOJ: $32.00
• FBI: $19.00
• Child Abuse Index: $15.00

How can I "Ride-Along" with an Officer?

Complete an application/waiver packet and turn into Business Office during regular business hours. You will be contacted by the Operations Commander to schedule a time for your Ride-Along.

How do I get a case number for something I've already reported?

If you did not get a case number at the time you made a report, or if you have misplaced it, you can call the Ukiah Police Department Records Division at (707) 463-6241. You will need to provide your name, date of birth and type of incident you reported.

I lost my copy of a Ticket/Citation. How do I get a duplicate?

You can come to the Ukiah Police Department with proof of identification and we will provide you with a copy.

How do I contest a parking citation?

Steps for contesting a parking citation:

Parking citations are issued by our Parking Enforcement Officers, the Ukiah Police Department, the California Highway Patrol and the Sheriff’s Department. The California Highway Patrol and the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office currently contract with the City of Ukiah for the management and processing of citations written within County of Mendocino jurisdiction.

When a parking citation is issued, the recipient has the right to contest the parking citation. This must be completed within 21 days from the date of issuance. To contest the citation, please use a City of Ukiah Request for Administrative Review form or simply put in writing your name, address, phone number, citation number and the reason that the citation should be dismissed.

Once a request has been received, a photo copy of the front and back of the original parking citation and the contesting letter is forwarded to the Administrative Review Officer.

The Administrative Review Officer will review the citation and contesting letter to determine specifically if there were any technical reasons the citation should be dismissed.

If the citation is to be dismissed for a technical reason, a letter is mailed out to the recipient of the parking citation stating that the citation has been dismissed. No further action is required, and the citation is removed from our computer system.

If the citation has not been dismissed for a technical reason, a separate letter is mailed out (along with a copy of the findings) stating that the citation has not been dismissed.

If you wish to continue to contest the citation, you will need to request a formal hearing with the Hearing Officer either by mail or in person, within 21 days from the date of the technical review letter. This time period is mandated by the State of California.

To request a formal hearing you will need to provide the reason for your appeal and any documentation you feel might help your case (photos, etc).

Hearings are held at the Civic Center, 300 Seminary Ave., Ukiah, with the Hearing Officer. The hearing is documented in writing and recorded.

The Hearing Officer will determine if the citation should be dismissed, the fine reduced or if you are still responsible for the amount of the parking citation. If you have given the City of Ukiah the amount of the fine prior to the hearing and it is determined that the citation is to be dismissed, the check will be returned.

Hearings are scheduled in advance by phone, and followed by a confirmation letter. Rescheduling, or cancelling a hearing, must be done 24 hours in advance or you will be responsible for the entire citation fine.

My car was towed. What do I have to do to get it back?

If you are the registered owner of a vehicle who possesses a valid drivers license and your car was towed because the driver was arrested for any offense other than Drunk Driving, A Drivers License Violation or A Registration Violation, then you may go directly to the Tow Company that is storing your vehicle and show proof of ownership, current Registration, your valid drivers license and pay the towing and storage fees in order to take possession of the vehicle.

If your vehicle is towed and stored for DUI, a Drivers License Violation or Registration Violation and is not being held for 5 or 30 days then you must come to the Ukiah Police Department and pay an administrative fee of $65 and obtain a written release from the police department in order to take possession of your vehicle from the towing and storing company.

A vehicle that does not have current registration will not be released without proof of current registration or a temporary registration permit issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Your vehicle may be held in storage for 5 calendar days if it was towed and stored because the driver was arrested two or more times for a drunk driving offense within 10 years.Your vehicle may be held in storage for 30 calendar days if it was towed and stored because the driver of the vehicle was cited or arrested for driving without ever having been issued a drivers license or has a suspended driving privilege. The law relating to 30 day vehicle storage was enacted by the legislature in 1995 to place responsibility on the owner of a vehicle in the State of California to make sure that only properly licensed drivers are allowed to drive the vehicle. In order to obtain an early release from a 30 day storage the owner must report the vehicle stolen and sign that it was stolen under penalty of perjury or the vehicle must have a legal owner (such as a bank or other financial institution) that is repossessing the vehicle. Make sure that you know who drives your vehicle and make sure that they have a drivers license. If you are not sure that the person you are letting drive your vehicle or who has access to your vehicle has a license, do not let them drive. The fact that you did not know if the person has a valid drivers license or thought that they did will not be a reason to release the vehicle early from a 30 day hold.

Under the provisions of Section 22852 VC, you have the right to a hearing to determine the legality of the towing and storage of your vehicle. If you choose to contest the legality of the storage and towing of your vehicle, you must request the hearing in writing, in person or by telephone at the Ukiah Police Department, 300 Seminary Ave., Ukiah. The vehicle towing and storage hearing is an informal process to determine whether or not the vehicle was stored legally.

Your request for a hearing must be received within ten (10) days from the date you were notified that your vehicle was towed and stored. If you request a hearing, it will be conducted within 48 hours of the request, excluding weekends and holidays. Your failure to request or attend a scheduled hearing shall satisfy the Post-Storage Validity requirements of Section 22852 VC.

If the hearing determines the storage to be unlawful, the storing agency will be responsible for the towing and storage charges. If you have any questions, or if the vehicle is no longer owned by you, please contact the Ukiah Police Department.

How can I find out if someone is in jail?

Contact the Mendocino County Jail at (707) 463-6330.

Can I check my own criminal record?

You can come to the Ukiah Police Department to check your local criminal history within our Department only. There is no charge for this service. You must show proper identification.

If you require a clearance letter, one will be provided if you have no criminal history within this department.  If you require a notarized clearance letter there is a $10.00 fee per Govt. code 8211 (a)(b). 

If you want to check your statewide criminal history you may contact Department of Justice at (916) 227-3835 or visit their web site for application and details:

I want a copy of my police report to prepare for my court appearance. Why can't I get it?

We cannot release your report prior to review by the District Attorney. You will receive a copy of your report at the time of your arraignment.

When should I call 911?

You should dial 911 only for emergency situations. Examples would include the threat of immanent violence, crimes in progress, suspicious activity in progress, medical emergencies, traffic accidents with injuries, or dangerous or life threatening situations requiring immediate attention. For all other situations for which you need an officer to respond please call (707) 463-6262.
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