Search Brookline Police Records
Brookline police records are maintained by the Brookline Police Department's Records Division. Whether you need an incident report, accident report, or CAD log from Brookline, the Records Division is the place to start. The department offers a public records request form on its website, and you can also visit the station in person. Brookline is part of Norfolk County, and cases that move to court go through the Norfolk County system. This page covers how to find and request Brookline police records, what the process looks like, and what to expect in terms of fees and response times.
Brookline at a Glance
Brookline Police Records Division
The Brookline Police Department runs a dedicated Records Division that handles all public requests for police reports. This division manages incident reports, accident reports, and CAD logs. CAD logs are the computer-aided dispatch records that show every call the department responds to. You can reach the Records Division through the Brookline Police Records Division page.
Brookline is a town, not a city, but it runs a full police department with the same records obligations as any city department in the state. The department must follow M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10 and respond to public records requests within 10 business days. The Records Division staff can help you figure out what type of record you need and how to get it.
Below is what the Brookline Police Records Division page looks like online.
The page has details on what records are available and how to submit your request to the department.
How to Request Brookline Police Records
You can request Brookline police records in a few ways. The department has a public records request form on its website. Fill it out with the date and type of record you need and submit it online. You can also send a request by mail or visit the station during business hours. When you go in person, bring some form of ID and be ready to give the date and location of the incident.
For crash reports, Brookline also uses the BuyCrash.com system. That site lets you search for motor vehicle accident reports from Brookline by date, name, or report number. The fee is around $20 per report through BuyCrash. You can also get the same reports through the RMV about four weeks after the accident.
When you submit your request, be specific. List the exact date, the names of people involved, and the type of report. Vague requests take longer to process because staff has to search through more files. A clear, focused request usually gets handled faster.
Note: CAD logs are available through the Records Division and show all calls for service within a given time frame.
Types of Brookline Police Records
The Brookline Police Department keeps several types of records that the public can request. Incident reports cover crimes, disturbances, and other events where an officer wrote up a report. Accident reports document motor vehicle crashes that happened in Brookline. CAD logs track every call that comes in to the department, including the time, type, and location.
Arrest records are also available. These show the name of the person arrested, the charges, and the date. Some arrest info appears in the daily police log, which most departments in Massachusetts keep for public review. The log gives a quick summary without the full detail of an incident report.
Court records tied to Brookline cases are in the MassCourts system. You can search by name or case number to find docket entries and case status. MassCourts does not show the actual police reports though. Those still come from the Brookline Police Department directly.
Brookline Records Fees and Costs
Brookline follows the state fee rules under 950 CMR 32.08. Copies cost $0.05 per page. The first two hours of search time are free. After that, the town can charge $25 per hour for staff time. Most single-report requests cost very little.
If a request will cost more than expected, the Records Division will send you a fee estimate first. You can then decide to proceed, narrow your request, or withdraw it. There is no charge just to inspect records in person at the station. You only pay when you want copies made.
Privacy Rules for Brookline Police Records
Not all police records in Brookline are fully public. Under M.G.L. Chapter 4, Section 7(26), certain parts of law enforcement records can be withheld. Active investigations may have details that the department keeps private until the case is resolved. Juvenile names are always redacted. Victim info in domestic violence and sexual assault cases is also protected.
CORI records, which track criminal history across the state, are managed by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services. These are separate from local Brookline police reports. CORI requests go through the DCJIS under M.G.L. Chapter 6, Sections 167-178. The fee is $25 for a name-based check.
If the Brookline Police Department denies your request, you can appeal to the Supervisor of Records under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10A. The Secretary of State's office has forms and guides for the appeal process. The supervisor will issue a decision within 10 business days of your filing.
Note: 911 recordings from Brookline go through a separate request process at mass.gov.
Norfolk County Police Records
Brookline is in Norfolk County. Criminal cases from Brookline go through the Norfolk County court system. For more on county-level police records and court resources, see the Norfolk County page.
Nearby Cities
These cities near Brookline also have police records pages on this site.