Police reports can be helpful tools when building your car accident case, but knowing where to go can be tricky. Many third-party websites charge for police reports, but they have no contracts with the police departments and may provide redacted or incomplete records.
In Bloomfield, you can go to the police department directly for a report that costs $2 in person or $5 by mail. The New Jersey State Police also hosts reports online, which you can obtain through an online form. Our attorneys can also get a copy of the police report for you, along with other records you might need help obtaining for your case.
For your free case evaluation, call the Bloomfield car accident lawyers at Agrapidis & Maroules, P.C. by dialing (201) 777-1111.
Getting a Police Report from the Bloomfield PD
The Bloomfield Police Department’s website directs people to get police reports in person or by mail from them directly.
In Person
In person, you can go to the Law Enforcement Building and fill out a form to get a copy for $2. The info needed for this form is as follows:
- The date of the accident
- The location
- The party’s names
- Your name
- Type of incident (as they have other police reports available, too).
You also need to give a reason for the request and sign and date the form.
As mentioned, this costs $2, but their website does not provide information about what forms of payment you can use. Typically, municipalities do accept credit, debit, or cash payments, but you can always call ahead to check or come prepared with options.
By Mail
By mail, you can include all of the same info you would on the form and mail that, along with a stamped, self-addressed envelope for them to mail the report back to you. This costs $5 and must be paid with a check, according to the website.
Getting a Police Report from the State Police
The NJ State Police (NJSP) has accident reports online, and you can obtain them through this web portal. Most accidents on the Garden State Parkway will be handled by the NJSP, so expect to find your report here if your crash happened on that highway. They also handle crashes on other highways, non-toll roads, the NJ Turnpike, and other places.
These reports just need some basic information – when and where the accident occurred, your name, etc. – and you can receive the report online. The cost varies for these reports at $13 for non-toll roads and $5 for toll roads.
Crashes on the AC Expressway are obtained through a different office. Contact information is on that same web portal. Fatal crashes and serious crashes also take additional steps, and you should contact the NJSP directly for help. Again, instructions are available on that web portal.
Do I Need to Get My Own Police Report?
Our Bloomfield personal injury lawyers can typically get a copy of your police report for you. There is usually no need for you to go out and find the report before coming to us.
We can help you obtain other evidence you might need for your case, too. This can include setting up vehicle damage appraisals, medical evaluations, psych evaluations, and medical records and bills from the treatment you already received. We can also request records for any of these evaluations that have already taken place.
If the accident involved any companies or businesses, we can also ask them for any internal records about the crash.
Can You Get Pictures from a Police Report?
Often, police will include photos in a police report. These pictures can be helpful for building your case, especially if you were seriously injured and had to go straight to the hospital without a chance to take photos of your own.
Police reports will also typically include a diagram of the crash scene. We cannot vouch for the officer’s artistic abilities, but this should at least show the layout of the roadway or intersection and the location of the cars, potentially serving as a good illustration we can show to the jury in your case.
Can I Use a Police Report as Evidence?
Police reports also cannot generally be used as evidence in the case, so their main purpose is to help us look for information. For example, we can see if there were any statements made to the officers, what the officer saw, and what was told to them later.
For example, if the officer’s report shows that they saw the entire accident happen, we can call them as a witness. On the other hand, if everything in the report was relayed by witnesses, it will likely have their names and contact info so we can go to them directly. The report itself would likely be hearsay, and the recorded statements within the report would be hearsay within hearsay.
In some cases, there may be statements from the defendant in the report. These may be acceptable evidence even though they would otherwise be hearsay. However, we need to always assess the trustworthiness and effectiveness of the report.
We can also use the report for other purposes, such as helping witnesses remember on the stand what happened or challenging statements when the defendant’s or other witnesses’ stories have changed.
How Much Does a Police Report Cost in Bloomfield, NJ?
As mentioned, an in-person report from the police department should cost $2, whereas a request by mail costs $5, plus two stamps.
The online reports from the NJ State Police usually cost $5 for toll road reports and $13 for non-toll road reports.
How Long After a Crash Are Police Reports Available?
NJ law usually requires reports to be made available within 14 days. You can always check with the officer or department to see if the report is ready sooner.
Call Our Car Accident Lawyers in Bloomfield Today
For your free case review, call the New Jersey car accident lawyers of Agrapidis & Maroules, P.C. at (201) 777-1111.