OBTAIN A POLICE REPORT (FOI REQUEST)
Freedom of Information Requests
The West Vancouver Police Records Section manages requests under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA).
As a public body, the West Vancouver Police Department is responsible to respond to requests by members of the public for access to information held by the West Vancouver Police Department.
FOIPPA provides two basic rights for members of the public:
- The right to access information in the public body records.
- The right to have personal information protected from unauthorized collection, use and disclosure.
Submitting a Request
A request to access records under FOIPPA must be made in writing. Complete the FOI Request for Access to Records Form. Download the form by clicking the link or you can pick up the form in person at the front desk. FOIPPA requests will NOT be accepted by e-mail, fax or through the website.
Please make your request as specific as possible. Provide case numbers, exact dates, addresses, names and numbers of officers involved if you have this information, so we can do a more accurate search for the information requested.
Identity Verification
If you request personal records about yourself, we will need to verify your identity to ensure we are giving access to the right person. You will be asked to produce government-issued photo identification such as a driver’s licence or passport. This should be done when you submit your request. There is no charge to obtain your own personal information.
If you are mailing in your request, please include a clear photocopy of your current government-issued photo identification.
Please send to:
West Vancouver Police Department
Records and Disclosure Section
755 16th Street
West Vancouver, BC
V7V 0B8
Information That Will Not Be Provided
If the record you request contains personal information about someone else, and it would be an unreasonable invasion of that person’s personal privacy to provide that person’s personal information, we must sever that information from the record. If the record you request contains sensitive law enforcement information that would harm a law enforcement matter if released, we do not have to provide that part of the requested record.
The Act contains other exemptions that may have to be considered depending on the nature of the request. Whenever we sever information, we will explain our reasons for doing so.
Response Time
We have 30 business days to respond to your request, unless an extension for a further 30 days is required because the regular time limit is not sufficient to locate the records; or we must consult with third parties before access can be granted. We will mail our response to your request to your address (as indicated on the request form). Alternatively, upon your request, we will phone or email you to pick up our response to your request at the West Vancouver Police Department: 755 16th Street, West Vancouver. You will be required to provide photo identification when picking up your records. We do not fax or email responses out of concern for personal privacy.
For more information about the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and other statutes, please visit the website of B.C.’s Information & Privacy Commissioner.
Insurance Companies
If you are an insurance company or other service provider seeking records involving your client, you may submit your request in letter form, enclosing a written authorization from your client to us to release information, as well as payment of our current fee. We will not begin processing your request until all of these items have been received.
Fee: $68.25 (GST incl.) – make cheque payable to the District of West Vancouver
Law Firms
If you are a law firm seeking records involving your client, you may submit your request by letter advising that you represent the individual whose records you are seeking.
When requesting records for a client, only the client’s personal information can be disclosed and information in the records about all other individuals will be severed, as required pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA).
There is no fee for these requests.
Consent Order (Court Ordered Release)
Subject to the possible withholding of information on the basis of the provisions set out in the template Consent Order, records released pursuant to a Consent Order, will not have third party personal information severed, as would otherwise be the case when making a request pursuant to FOIPPA.
Please use the West Vancouver Police Department Consent Order Template for these requests: WVPD Consent Order Template
Send your draft Consent Order to our address for signature.
Records Section
West Vancouver Police Department
755 16th Street
West Vancouver, BC V7B 0B8
We will respond to your request within 30 business days.
Processing Fee: $136.50 ($130.00 +GST $6.50)
Make cheque payable to: District of West Vancouver
Additional fees as required:
- Photographs DVD (per copy) $28.00
- Audio & Video DVD (per copy) $28.00
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Attend West Vancouver Police in person with a piece of Government issued photo ID and fill in a Freedom of Information (F.O.I.) application.
We have 30 business days to respond to your request, unless an extension for a further 30 days is required because the regular time limit is not sufficient to locate the records; or we must consult with third parties before access can be granted.
Yes, the form is available on the website in the FOIPPA section - you can find that HERE.
No, the form must be brought in to West Vancouver Police in person, or mailed in with a clear copy of your current government issued photo ID.
If you are mailing in your request, please include a clear copy of your current government issued photo ID, along with a completed copy of the FOI Access to Records Form.
Please send to:
West Vancouver Police Department
Records and Disclosure Section
755 16th Street
West Vancouver, BC
V7V 0B8
