Kansas City Police Records Search
Kansas City police records are public documents maintained by the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) and are available to the public under Missouri's Sunshine Law. This page explains how to request incident reports, arrest records, crash reports, and other KCPD files, what fees to expect, and where to search online.
Kansas City Police Records Quick Facts
Kansas City Police Department Overview
The Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) serves Missouri's largest city and handles between 700 and 800 public records requests every week. That volume sets KCPD apart from nearly every other agency in the state. The Records Section at headquarters handles Sunshine Law requests for incident reports, arrest records, mug shots, case files, body camera footage, and dash cam video.
KCPD headquarters is located at 1125 Locust Street, Kansas City, MO 64106. The Records Section phone is 816-234-5100. The custodian of records is Manager Natalie Cofield-Booker, Information Management Unit. You can also reach the records team by email at kcpd.records@kcpolice.org. The records window is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Because of the department's size, the custodian of records may designate staff members to handle portions of each Sunshine Law request. This is standard practice for large agencies under Missouri law. It does not change your rights as a requester.
How to Request Kansas City Police Records
KCPD strongly recommends using the online request system for faster processing. Online requests through the LexisNexis Request A Report (RAR) system typically take 12 to 16 weeks. Standard mail or in-person requests average 24 weeks due to the high volume of requests the department receives each week.
Reports are not available to the public until 20 business days after the date of the incident. This gives investigators time to complete their work before records become open. Once the 20-day window passes, most incident reports can be requested through any of the methods below.
Three ways to request records from KCPD:
- Online: Use the LexisNexis RAR system linked from the KCPD records page at kcpolice.org
- In person: Call 816-234-5100 to confirm availability, then visit headquarters or any patrol division station with photo ID
- Mail: Send a written request to Criminal Records Section, 1125 Locust, Kansas City, MO 64106, with a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment by check made out to "Board of Police Commissioners"
For archived reports from before 1999, you must visit KCPD headquarters. Subpoenas are also handled at headquarters only. Online forms are available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Attorney and insurer requests for active or pending investigative files go through the Office of General Counsel at kcpd.generalcounsel@kcpolice.org or 816-949-1599, not through the standard records request system.
KCPD Fee Schedule
Fees vary by record type. Incident reports cost just $2.00 each. More complex requests involving investigative files, mug shots, or case files are billed at $23.00 per hour for research time, with the first 10 pages included in that hourly charge. Additional pages cost $0.10 each. Video reproduction runs $35.00 per hour, and audio reproduction is $56.00 per hour. Storage media fees add $1.00 per tape or DVD. Mailers with postage cost $3.00 for single items and $5.00 for multiple items.
Payment is accepted by credit or debit card, money order, cash, or personal check. Make checks payable to "Board of Police Commissioners of Kansas City, Missouri." Traffic crash reports are purchased separately through BuyCrash, which uses LexisNexis as the vendor.
Note: Fees for research time are charged at $23.00 per hour, which is the hourly rate for the lowest-paid staff member capable of completing the task, in compliance with RSMo 610.026.
Types of Records Available from KCPD
The Kansas City Police Department maintains a wide range of public records. Traffic crash reports are available through BuyCrash online. Incident reports cover crimes, disturbances, and other calls for service. Arrest records include booking details and charges. Investigative reports become available once a case goes inactive. The department also holds body camera footage, dash cam video (Police Car Video), mug shots, electronic booking records, computer printout crime summaries, and pawn shop investigative records.
For video requests, most footage is public once an investigation closes. Active investigation videos may be withheld. Production typically takes about three months, though that timeline can shift based on request volume. Video is delivered on DVD or in digital format. Police Car Video requests go to the Digital Technology Section at kcpd.digitaltech@kcpolice.org or 816-234-5589.
Media outlets should contact the KCPD Media Unit at 816-234-5170 or kcpd.media@kcpolice.org. Media requests can also go through the standard online form. Form 120 is the specific form for attorney and insurer requests and is available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Missouri Sunshine Law and KCPD
All KCPD records requests are governed by RSMo Chapter 610, Missouri's Sunshine Law. The law presumes all government records are open unless a specific exemption applies. Agencies bear the burden of justifying any denial.
Under Section 610.100 RSMo, investigative reports are closed while an investigation is active. Once the case becomes inactive, those reports become public. Section 610.023 requires agencies to respond within three business days, but KCPD must notify requesters if that timeline cannot be met due to volume. KCPD handles 700 to 800 requests per week, so delays beyond the three-day response window are common. The department will always send written notice when processing will take longer than three days.
Section 610.026 caps copy fees at $0.10 per page for standard paper copies. Research fees are tied to the actual hourly rate of the staff member doing the work. Requesters can challenge fee charges or denials through the Missouri Attorney General's Office, which oversees Sunshine Law compliance statewide.
Note: Social security numbers are exempt from disclosure under RSMo 610.035 and will be redacted from any released records, even those that are otherwise fully public.
Online Tools for Kansas City Criminal Records
Missouri Case.net is the state's free online court records system. It covers criminal cases filed in the 16th Judicial Circuit, which includes Jackson County and handles most criminal matters arising from Kansas City. You can search by name, case number, or filing date to find charges, hearing schedules, and final dispositions. No account is needed.
The Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS) provides statewide criminal background checks. Name-based searches cost $15. Fingerprint-based searches cost $20 plus vendor fees and return more complete records including sealed or expunged data. MACHS is run by the Missouri State Highway Patrol's CJIS Division.
The Missouri Sex Offender Registry allows searches by name or location and is free to use. The Missouri Department of Corrections offender search lets you look up current and past state inmates. For court records from Jackson County criminal cases, also see the Jackson County police records page.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities in the Kansas City metro area also have police records pages with local department contact information.