Frequently Asked Questions

As with all governmental agencies, documents recorded need to be processed and screened efficiently and accurately to be of the most service to the public. In general, most reports or police documents will take at least 3 days to process. It is highly recommended that you call ahead in situations requiring urgent release of reports. You may contact our Records Division for the status of your report at (205) 664-7401 during business hours (Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.) or leave a message to have someone call you back.

When your report or document is ready, you may visit the Alabaster Police Department (100 11th Ave SW) during business hours to pick up your report or complete the online report request located on the Department’s page.  There is no charge to the reporting party for incident reports. Major case files that include copies of media, photographs etc., will be handled on a case by case basis and in person only.

If you have a situation, a question or problem that you feel is not being addressed, we need to know so that we can help you. There are issues that individuals may experience which cannot be addressed through law enforcement channels; however, if your problem is regarding our employees, our system or our performance, we can most likely resolve it. Please feel free to contact Captain J. Anthony at (205) 664-7401 or email janthony@alabasterpolice.org for assistance. If your question is regarding our website, please contact our I.T. Department at support@cityofalabaster.com

The Alabaster police department averages 100 calls a day, 365 days a year.  We average 1 written report for every 7 calls for service. Our report screening process necessitates placing priority on those events that require immediate attention and/or are of the most serious nature. Every report is important to us.  Please refer to the information pamphlet you received at the time of your report for important instruction and process information.

You may contact the Criminal Investigations Division for questions concerning criminal cases at (205) 664-6850. With the high volume of reports received, our screening criteria is qualitative and we are happy to explain it on a case by case basis.  In some cases, our best service to you is to document and file a report for future reference.

There is a lot of misunderstanding about what to do when you are involved in a traffic accident. Here are a few important guidelines you should remember:

• Always contact Law Enforcement when you are involved in an accident; it is never a bad thing to have a report available if needed at a later date.
• If you choose not to contact Law Enforcement about the wreck, swap identifying information related to the other driver to include: Name, Address, Phone Number, Insurance Company Name and Policy Number.
• Obtain any witness information, and if you are filing a police report, encourage the witnesses to remain at the scene until Law Enforcement arrives.
• The driver of the vehicle may be required to fill out an SR-31 form (PDF) for the State of Alabama. This form should be filled out ONLY if the accident caused death, personal injury, or property damage to any one owner in excess of $500 by an uninsured motorist. You can only file this form if you have not been compensated for your injuries or losses.
• Wait 3 business days after filing the accident report before contacting the Alabaster Police Department to obtain a copy of your report. You may visit the Records Unit at the Department or complete the online accident report request located on the Department’s page. The Records unit is available Monday – Friday, 8AM to 4PM and their contact phone number is (205) 664-7401.  The cost of each report copy is $5. This fee is waived if you are 55 years old or older, a student, or involved in a private property accident. Insurance companies may sometimes obtain copies on your behalf.
• Alabama State Law requires that all crash vehicles be moved from the roadway, if this can be done safely and without causing further property damage. If it is dangerous or impossible to remove the vehicles from the roadway, advise Law Enforcement of that fact, and remain clear of traffic flowing around you to prevent further accidents or injuries.