Anchorage Municipality Police Records

The Anchorage Police Department maintains police records for the Municipality of Anchorage, covering incident reports, crash records, arrest logs, and related documentation. Most requests go through the APD Public Records Center, which handles all standard record types. You can submit requests online, by mail, or in person at the Records Department on W 4th Ave. Whether you need a copy of an incident report, want to check on property held by the Evidence Unit, or need to file a non-emergency report, the process for getting Anchorage police records is straightforward once you know which office handles each request type.

Anchorage Police Records Request Process

All requests for Anchorage police records go through the APD Public Records Center. The online portal handles most standard document requests. One important rule: you must submit separate requests for documents and for media files like audio, video, or photos. If you need both an incident report and the body camera footage from the same call, those are two distinct submissions.

Each request is limited to one case or incident number. If you need records from multiple incidents, plan to file a separate request for each one. This keeps the process organized on APD's end and tends to speed up turnaround. When you call the Records Department directly, the main line is 907-786-8600, press extension 1 for questions about your request. The customer service window at the Records office is open Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm.

Certain records require a consent form before APD can release them. If you are requesting your own personal records, you will need to fill out an Adult Consent Form. People with a legal guardian use the Adult with Guardian Consent Form, and records involving juveniles require the Juvenile Consent Form. Download the right form, open it in Adobe Acrobat, fill it out, sign it, save it, and attach it when you submit your request. The APD website also hosts tutorial videos that walk through the submission process step by step.

State law drives the redaction requirements for police records. AS 12.61.110, AS 12.61.140, and AMC 3.90.020 all require APD to remove personal information for victims, witnesses, and defendants before releasing records to the public. You will get the record, but certain names and details may be blacked out. That is not an error in your request; it is a legal requirement.

APD Contact Information

The Anchorage Police Department headquarters sits at 716 W 4th Ave, Anchorage AK 99501. For non-emergencies, you can reach APD by calling 3-1-1 or 907-786-8900. The main administrative line is also 907-786-8900. For emergencies, call 911.

The APD phone directory lists direct lines for specific units. The Evidence Unit can be reached at 907-786-8660 (option 1) for property release appointments. If a vehicle was impounded, call 907-786-8923 or email apdimpounds@anchorageak.gov. For citation payment questions, the line is 907-786-2429, available Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm.

The APD Records Request portal shows the online submission form, available consent forms, and links to tutorial videos that walk you through the request process.

The portal breaks requests into two categories: documents and media, each requiring a separate submission.

File a Non-Emergency Police Report in Anchorage

APD allows online reporting for certain non-emergency incidents through the online reporting portal. This is for incidents that do not need an immediate police response. If you have an emergency, call 911. The online form is not monitored in real time.

The online reporting system covers a defined geographic area: from the first Knik River Bridge on the Glenn Highway to McHugh Creek on the New Seward Highway. If your incident happened outside that area, you may need to contact a different agency. Traffic accidents are also not eligible for online reporting through APD. For those, you use the Alaska Motor Vehicle Crash Report through the State Department of Transportation.

Incidents you can report online include: drug information tips, fraud and identity theft, harassment, liquor violations, lost property, shoplifts (businesses only), supplements to an existing burglary report, suspicious activity, theft, theft from a vehicle, threats, vandalism, and vehicle tampering. When you finish the form, the system generates a case number. Print or save that number. You can use it later if you need to request a copy of the report from APD Records.

Filing a false police report is a crime in Alaska. The online form includes a notice about this before you submit. Be accurate in what you report.

The APD Online Reporting page lists the eligible incident types and walks through the steps for submitting a non-emergency report from your computer or phone.

After you finish the online form, you receive a case number you can reference when following up with APD Records.

Anchorage Crash Reports and Traffic Records

Crash reports in Anchorage are handled differently from other police records. If you were involved in a traffic collision, you file an Alaska Motor Vehicle Crash Report through the State Department of Transportation. Forms are faxed or mailed to the DMV within 10 days of the crash. APD does not process these through its Records Center.

For APD-generated crash reports, the records are available online if the incident occurred after September 1, 2012. Older reports, those before September 2012, must be requested in person through the APD Records Center at 716 W 4th Ave. There is no online access for pre-2012 crash records.

Anchorage Police Property and Evidence Unit

The APD Property and Evidence Unit handles a large volume of items. As of early 2022, the unit had more than 223,000 pieces of property on hand, and it takes in roughly 45,000 new pieces each year. Property can be held for as few as 10 days or as long as 50 or more years, depending on how serious the related crime was.

To claim property, you must schedule an appointment by calling 907-786-8660 and selecting option 1. Walk-ins are not accepted. Bring a valid government-issued ID to your appointment. If someone else is picking up property on your behalf, they need a notarized letter from you or a power of attorney document. Property can also be mailed to you at your expense if you cannot come in person.

APD does not hold public auctions for unclaimed property. Instead, the department contracts with local auctioneers under AMC 7.25. If you believe property belonging to you may be in APD's inventory, contact the Evidence Unit directly to check before property is transferred to an auctioneer.

The APD Property and Evidence page explains storage timelines by crime category, how to schedule a pickup, and what ID is required at the appointment.

The page also covers third-party pickup rules and the mailing option for property owners who cannot visit in person.

APD Phone Directory and Key Contacts

The full APD phone directory lists direct numbers for all major units. Below are the contacts most relevant to records and public inquiries.

• Records Department Main Line: 907-786-8600
• Non-Emergency Dispatch: 907-786-8900 ext. 0 (or dial 311)
• Evidence Unit: 907-786-8660, option 1 (property release appointments)
• Citation Payment: 907-786-2429 (Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm)
• Impounds: 907-786-8923 or apdimpounds@anchorageak.gov
• Community Relations Director Gina Romero: 907-786-3110
• Evidence Manager Doug Olson: 907-786-8605

For general administrative questions, the main APD number is 907-786-8900. The customer service window is open weekdays from 8am to 5pm at APD headquarters.

The APD Phone Directory page lists direct extensions for each division and is kept up to date on the APD website.

The directory covers all divisions from Records and Evidence to Community Relations and Investigations.

Pawn Shop Records and Stolen Property in Anchorage

APD runs a Pawn Unit that monitors the nine licensed pawn shops operating in the Municipality of Anchorage. Under Anchorage Municipal Code and Alaska state statute, pawn shops must hold purchased items for 30 days and pawned items for 60 days before they can be sold. This hold period gives APD time to identify stolen property that comes through pawn channels.

Serialized stolen property worth $500 or more is entered into a national database. When a pawn clerk logs a transaction, they run the serial number. If the item comes back as stolen, they get an alert. This system does not catch everything, but it is one of the more effective tools APD uses to recover stolen goods without a formal records request.

If you believe stolen property was sold at a pawn shop, you can contact APD Records or the Pawn Unit directly. Have the item description, serial number, and approximate theft date ready. The more detail you provide, the easier it is for investigators to check the transaction records.

Statewide Alaska Police Records Resources

Beyond APD, several statewide systems provide access to Alaska public safety records. The Alaska Criminal History Self-Service portal lets you request your own criminal history record. The fee is $20 for a name-based check under AS 12.62.110-120. Results come back by email.

For court case records statewide, the Alaska CourtView system is free and open to the public. It covers criminal and civil cases across all Alaska trial courts, including those in Anchorage. You do not need an account to search. The Alaska Court System charges $5 for the first document copy, $3 for each additional page, and $10 plus $3 per page for certified copies.

The Alaska Sex Offender Registry is a public database maintained under AS 12.63.100. You can search by name or location. The Daily Dispatch from the Department of Public Safety lists calls for service and general activity reports. Alaska Department of Corrections records can be requested through the DOC Research and Records office at (907) 465-3485.

Cities in Anchorage Municipality

The Municipality of Anchorage includes the city of Anchorage and the community of Eagle River, both served by the Anchorage Police Department.

Eagle River and other communities within the municipality use APD for police services and the same APD Records Center for records requests.

Nearby Boroughs

Adjacent boroughs and census areas also maintain their own police records systems separate from APD.