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Frequently Asked Questions

The following is a list of frequently asked questions at the Service Desk of the Salt Lake City Police Department. Click on your topic of interest to learn more. If the answer to your question isn’t found here, please contact us.

  • Address and Hours

    Where are you located?
    The Salt Lake City Police Department is headquartered in the Public Safety Building (PSB), 315 E. 200 S., Salt Lake City, UT 84114. Our mailing address is: PO Box Box 145497, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-5497.

    What are your hours?
    Lobby hours at the PSB are Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. You must have a number by 4:30 p.m. for an impound release.

  • Background Checks

    Does the SLCPD do background checks?
    We do background checks for our jurisdiction only. Forms are available in the lobby or downloadable through the link below. The cost is $5. If you need a statewide background check, you need to go to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), which is located at 3888 W. 5400 S., Kearns, UT 84118.

    Background Check Form, Adult
    Background Check Form, Juveniles

  • Evidence/Property

    What do I need to obtain my property from the police department?
    To obtain a police report, you need:

    • Police department case number or property owners full name
    • Description of property and serial number (if known)
    • Government issued picture identification

    What if I do not have government issued picture ID?
    You will need a copy of a booking sheet or some other means to confirm your identity.

    Should I call before coming in to pick up my property?
    You will need a copy of booking sheet or some other means to confirm your identity.

    Should I call before coming in to pick up my property?
    Calling before allows us to confirm your property is available for release and to schedule an appointment for timely releases.

    Can I pick up property for a friend or relative?
    Yes. You must have a notarized letter from the owner stating the owner has asked you to pick up their property.

    May I claim property that I found? How?
    Yes. You must petition the Chief of Police after 90 days from the day you turned in the property. A letter petitioning the return of the property should be directed to the Chief of Salt Lake City Police, Attention Evidence Room.

    How can I find out if you have my property?
    The easiest way to identify your property is by the manufacturer’s serial number. You may call (801) 799-3041 with the details of your property and we will search the database. Without a serial number, it is difficult to clearly identify the property as yours due to the manufacture of many similar items, e.g.: a scratch on a car does not identify the car, but the manufacturer’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) does.

    What kind of information do I need to keep in case my property is lost or stolen?
    Keeping a description of the make and serial numbers of your valuables in a safe place will assist in identifying your property if your property is taken. It also allows us to enter your stolen property into a national database allowing recovery when observed outside Salt Lake City Jurisdiction. SLPCD has created a sample home inventory tracking sheet for this purpose. Using it does not register your property with us.

  • Expungements

    How can I get a record expunged?
    You must begin with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). They have forms on their website, www.bci.utah.gov, that you can print off and either mail into them or take to them in person. Their address is 3888 W. 5400 S., Kearns, UT 84118. Follow their procedure. Once you have gone through the courts, you must bring in an original Certificate of Expungement for us to begin the process here.

  • Fingerprinting

    Does Salt Lake City Police Department do fingerprinting?
    Yes. We do it on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. – noon. You must either live in Salt Lake City jurisdiction or be applying for or working within the Salt Lake City jurisdiction for us to do your fingerprints. The only exception to this is for adoption or foster care purposes in which you must go to the jurisdiction in which you live regardless of where you work. Young children are not permitted in the fingerprinting area. You need to provide your own fingerprint cards.

    Please note: The service window will be unable to offer fingerprinting services Tuesday, February 5, 2013, due to the installation of a new live scan system. Full services will resume Wednesday.

    Where can I get fingerprint cards?
    If you do not have cards, you can be fingerprinted at the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), 3888 W. 5400 S., Kearns, UT 84118.

    Is there a fee to be fingerprinted at the SLCPD?
    Yes, the fee is $5 a card. All cards must be filled out in black ink only. You must also have current picture ID. Accepted forms of ID include: State Driver’s licenses, ID cards and US Passports.

  • Impound

    Where do we get our car out of impound?
    To obtain entrance to the Salt Lake City Impound yard, you must obtain the proper release form from the Salt Lake City Police Department service desk. The impound lot is located at 2150 W. 500 S., SLC.

    It is my car, but someone else was driving it and it has a hold. Can I get it out?
    You will need to talk with the follow-up detective. We cannot release a vehicle when it is on hold.

    Can someone else pick up my car?
    We can only release a vehicle to the registered owner. If not listed as the register owner, a notarized letter from the registered owner stating who they are and allowing you to pick up the vehicle is required. You must have proper ID, too. You also must have a Salt Lake City Police Department case number, a vehicle identification number (VIN) or a license plate number.

    What ID does SLCPD accept?
    We only accept current State Driver’s licenses, ID cards and US Passports to release a vehicle. We do not accept Driver Privilege Cards or expired IDs listed above. However, when you go to pick it up at the impound lot, you must have a current State Driver’s license or someone with you that does, otherwise it will need to be towed out.

    What do you accept for payment on an impound?
    We only accept cash, credit and debit cards. We accept Master Card, Visa, Discover and American Express. The cardholder of the credit or debit card must be present and have proper ID.

    What are the fees?
    There is a one-time towing impound fee, which varies depending on the condition of the vehicle, and storage fees, which increase daily (including weekends and holidays). Currently it is $17 a day, including the day it was impounded and the day it is picked up.

    My vehicle was improperly impounded. What do I do?
    You will need to set up an impound hearing at the Salt Lake City Justice Court, (801) 535-6321. You will need paperwork from us to do this. You can go about this two ways. You can pay upfront and take the paperwork with your receipt to the hearing (this way if the hearing is a couple days out, you have no more storage fees added and you can get your car) or you can just get the paperwork from us and wait for your hearing, although storage fees will continue to accumulate. If you pay and the court decides to reimburse you with partial or full payment, they can issue a check at the time of the hearing, although sometimes they may need to mail it to you.

    I do not want my vehicle, but I have some property inside that I want to get. How do I go about this?
    You will need to be the registered owner or have a notarized letter from the registered owner and bring proper ID to the SLCPD service desk to get the paperwork to go to the impound lot for a property release only.

  • Requesting a Report (GRAMA)

    How do I request a police report?
    You must fill out a Government Records Access Management Act (GRAMA) request form. They are available in the lobby of the Public Safety Building as well as on our website through the link below. All information on the form must be filled out completely. You must request a copy of your report in person or by mail at 315 E. 200 S., (PO Box 145497) SLC, UT 84114-5497. If by mail, put ATT: Service Desk and a notarized copy of your current driver’s license must be attached. We cannot accept e-mail, fax or phone requests.

    View additional GRAMA information and download forms

    What is the cost?
    There is a $5 processing fee per report requested. We accept cash, credit or check. Make your check or money order payable to Salt Lake City Corporation.

    Can someone else get the report for me?
    According to GRAMA law, certain people get certain information but everyone can get the public information. However, if you are a victim or subject of a record, etc., you may be able to get more information. To have someone request a report on your behalf, they must submit a notarized letter giving them that permission.

    Will I get the report when I request it?It depends on the type of report and other variables. Most likely you will not get it that day. GRAMA law gives us 10 days to get the information back to you. Through GRAMA law there are reasons reports can be denied and sometimes they are. If denied, you will receive a denial letter stating the reason and your appeal options.