Incident Reports/Public Records

Overview 

The City of Salinas strives to support the public's right to access the public records. Use of the NextRequest platform is intended to facilitate public access to public records. Official records are held by City departments and the Clerk pursuant to governing documents and retention schedules. The public can inspect or receive a copy of any record unless the record is exempted from disclosure under the California Public Records Act (CPRA).

The following records are available by request through the Salinas Fire Department and its bureaus: 

• Fire Public Records 
• Fire Reports or Incident Reports
• Property Reports 
• False Alarm Billing 
• Fireworks Evidence 
• Other

How to Request

1. To request a public record, the request must come through the public records online portal called NextRequest
2. Enter a detailed description of your request, be as specific as possible with the types of records that you are requesting. 
3. Select the department - Fire 
4. Provide a date range for the records you are seeking.
5. Provide your name, phone number, email address, and mailing address. 
6. Once you submit your request, you will receive email notifications regarding the status of your request. If you are not receiving the email notifications, check your spam/junk folder.

Note:

• The Salinas Fire Department promptly addresses all requests for public records and delivers any responsive documents as soon as they become accessible.
• Generally, the Department has 10 calendar days to respond to a request to inspect or receive copies of records. In certain circumstances, the Department may extend its time to respond, especially if the record is not yet available. 

Fees 

The department will not charge for access to data that is readily accessible without significant cost. However, there may be charges for the actual costs of duplicating paper copies of records and postage, consistent with the amounts set forth in City’s Schedule of Fees and Charges. Similarly, duplication costs for other formats, like copying video or cassette tapes, may also be subject to charges according to the Schedule of Fees and Charges. Prior to incurring any fees, the City employee tasked with handling the request must inform the requester of the anticipated cost for responding.