The Records Division is staffed by one Records Supervisor and two full-time Records Clerks. The division is responsible for storing, indexing and disseminating records produced by police officers in the course of their duties. All “calls for service”, or CFS, where police reports are made become part of the records system. Most reports usually contain a narrative describing the events that took place and often include the names of reporting parties, victims, suspects, arrested subjects, and witnesses. Accident reports contain vehicle information, estimated damage value, and a diagram of the crash events.
In addition to compiling incident reports, the Records Division is also responsible for submitting National Incident-Base Reporting System (NIBRS) data to the federal government for the purposes of crime data analysis. The NIBRS data is an important part of law enforcement, in that it helps identify trends and allows departments to tailor their policing to combat a certain index of crime.
Obtaining Incident/Accident Reports
Incident Reports
If a “call for service” prompted the officer to make a police report of the incident, the resulting report is available for public release. Citizens can obtain a copy of the incident report by coming to the Public Safety Center between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. There is a small fee for obtaining a copy of the report, which you can find below. The following conditions may prevent the release of some reports or some information within the reports:
- The report of any incident currently under investigation cannot be released.
- If the incident has not cleared court, the report cannot be released.
- If the report contains the names of juveniles, those names will be redacted.
Accident Reports
The Dickinson Police Departments offers two types of accident reports: Full reports or Short-form reports. Full reports are done by officers when 1.) combined damage between all vehicles exceeds $4,000 or 2.) the crash involved injury. Short-form reports are done by officers when combined vehicle damage is less than $4,000 – generally the little “door dings” and fender-benders.
Your insurance company will generally obtain the police reports for you. If not, you may obtain a copy by coming to the Public Safety Center during normal business hours as stated above. Like incident reports, accident reports also have a small fee which you can find below.
Fee Schedule
| Type of Service | Fee |
| Incident Report | $0.25 per page (front and back) $25/hr excluding the first hour |
| Accident Report – Full | $7.00 |
| Accident Report- Partial | $7.00 |
| Fingerprinting | 1 set – $10.00 Each additional – $5.00 |
| Animal Impound Fees | $50.00 one-time fee $10.00 per day thereafter |
| Pet License | $25.00 every 2 years |
| Vehicle Impound Fee | $50.00 plus tow fee |
| Audio/Video evidence DVD Copy | $5.00 |
| Alarm Response Fee | $50.00 – Residential $100.00 – Commercial |
Fingerprint Services
Fingerprint cards can be processed by the division for a small fee. Effective February 2012, the department will only offer these services to residents of the City of Dickinson by appointment only. All county and non-residents are directed to the Stark County Sheriff’s Department for fingerprinting services. To schedule an appointment, contact records at 701-456-7753 or Click Here to Email.
The division participates in the Landlord Program, which provides background checks on prospective renters to various housing agencies. Criminal warrants and sex offender registration are also processed through the Records Division.
Marsy’s Law
In 2016, North Dakota voters amended the state constitution to enhance the rights of victims of crime. Marsy’s Law, as it is known, grants crime victims certain protections like the right to limit disclosure of information, the right to restitution, and the right to be notified of all court proceedings and changes in suspect incarceration status. If a victim chooses to invoke their Marsy Rights, the Records Division assists the local prosecutors and judges in ensuring the provisions within Marsy’s Law are followed. For more information about Marsy’s Law, visit the ND Attorney General’s website by clicking the Marsy Law logo to the left.
Annual Report
Click below to read the most current annual report.
Questions or Comments?
Comments and questions regarding the Records Division can be directed to the administrative clerk at:
Phone: 701-456-7689 or 701-456-7753
Public Safety Center / Dickinson Police Department
2475 State Avenue North
Dickinson, North Dakota 58601
BUSINESS HOURS
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday – Friday