Public Records Request

• Please describe the records you are seeking as specifically as possible. If you do not know the record name(s), describe the information you believe they contain. Include a date range to help staff respond efficiently to your request.
• If you do not have or do not wish to provide an email, check the box below the "Email" field. Also, specify in your request how you would like to receive our response (e.g., in person, by mail, etc.).
• Requests made through the online portal may be publicly visible. Your name will be displayed with your request, but your contact information will not be made public. Do not include sensitive personal information, such as date of birth or Social Security Number, as any information in your request may be publicly disclosed.
• Police record requests and associated documents will NOT be made public.
• Yellow alert notifications may appear as you type a record description. These notifications provide information, links to available resources, and other useful information. We recommend you review these notices before you submit your request.

When requesting Sitka Police Department records:

• Include the case number (if known). If not known, please include the date, time, and location of the incident.
• Include your involvement in the case (e.g., victim, defendant, attorney, media, witness).
• Include the type of records you are seeking (e.g., criminal, traffic/accident).

The following are not City and Borough of Sitka records:

• Vital Records: For vital records (birth, death, marriage records), visit Health Analytics and Vital Records.
• Court Records: Court records (including divorce records) can be searched or requested through the Alaska Court System.

Please visit the City's public records portal to make your request. Requests by mail, phone, fax, email or in-person are also accepted, but will be entered into the portal for processing.

A "public record" is defined in SGC 1.20.110 as books, papers, files, accounts, writings, including drafts and memorializations of conversations, and other items, regardless of format or physical characteristics, that are developed or received by the municipality or by a private contractor for a municipality, and that are preserved for their informational value or as evidence of the organization or operation of the municipality; “public records” do not include proprietary software programs.

Transitory records which are not required to be preserved or are properly destroyed according to retention requirements are not considered public records. Information that does not already exist is not considered a public record. This means the Municipality may not create a document based on a request for information.

The Clerk's Office can only retrieve records. They cannot conduct research, perform analysis of the record content, or create new records or compilations.

SGC 1.20.040 and SGC 1.20.042, provide that a number of document types and information are prohibited from being disclosed or are exempt. Please note that records pertaining to juveniles are exempt under applicable law, unless disclosure is authorized by law.

As described in SGC 1.21.040(C)(4) the Municipality will respond to the request within 10 working days, unless an extension is deemed necessary dependent on the nature and scope of the request. A "response" may include acknowledging receipt of the request, requesting additional information or clarification, providing the record(s) or link to the record(s), or denying the request.

It depends. If a requester’s cumulative requests for the month require more than five staff hours, the department may impose charges for the time spent locating and duplicating the records. The charge will cover the actual salary and benefits of the staff doing the work and payment may be required in advance. See SGC 1.20.010(C) for details. Before fulfilling a request, the Municipality will determine if payment is required and notify the requestor before proceeding.

For the most current fee schedule, see SGC 1.21.040(F).