Phoenix City Council Approves New Public Records Fees and Staffing Boost to Tackle Police Records Backlog

In a move that addresses mounting delays and improves transparency, the Phoenix City Council has voted to approve a comprehensive overhaul of public records fees and staffing for the Police Public Records & Services Bureau. The changes are designed to speed up the fulfillment of records requests, reduce a backlog that has reached nearly 40,000 outstanding requests, and ensure sustainable service levels for residents.

Demand Outpaces Capacity

The Police Public Records & Services Bureau expects to receive nearly 140,000 public records requests this year, almost 30% more than 2024. The unprecedented demand for documents, video footage, and other records far outpaces current capacity. Wait times for traffic crash reports can take as much as 6 weeks, while requests for video footage which require time-consuming review and redactions can take two years or more.

Staffing Plan to Eliminate Backlog

To tackle the backlog and improve turnaround times, the Council authorized the addition of 10 permanent non-sworn staff positions. Six more permanent roles will be filled through internal transfers, and 19 temporary staff will be deployed to eliminate the backlog within a year following training. This staffing surge is expected to dramatically reduce wait times and restore timely access to public records.

“The Police Department’s public records backlog is unacceptably long,” Mayor Kate Gallego said. “New full-time employees to help fulfill these requests will go a long way to make sure we are better serving our residents, who expect and deserve timely access to important records.”

New Fee Structure

Effective November 1, 2026, the new fee schedule introduces modest increases, focused largely on commercial users who are making profits off the records. It also clarifies costs for both commercial and non-commercial requests:

• Non-commercial document requests: Electronic copies will be provided free of charge printed copies will increase slightly from $0.24 to $0.25 per page.
• Commercial document requests: A $10 flat fee plus $0.25 per page.
• Video requests: The first video with medium blur is free; supplemental requests requiring standard redactions will be charged $23 per 30 minutes reviewed, in line with state law.
• Crime victims or their representatives: Receive one free copy of police records upon request
• Other fees: Charges for 911 recordings, photographs, and other media remain unchanged.

Financial Impact

The increased fees are projected to fully fund the ongoing costs of new personnel. Temporary staffing will be funded through one-time savings in the Police Department budget.

You can request records through the Phoenix Police Public Records Portal.