Thursday, September 18, 2014

Free Public Police Records Online Access

By Claire Dowell


When it comes to the process of obtaining comprehensive copies of New York police records, there are a couple of ways to go about it. One way is to go for the more conventional of the two, through official channels such as government information services and law enforcement agencies. Every county, city, and state has an assigned office that is tasked with the proper treatment of these types of data. Through these government agencies, any member of the public can access open records and documents as it was intended in the passing of the Freedom of Information Act in 1966.

By opting for the conventional method, you are essentially subjecting yourself to a lengthy and meticulous procedure that is normally associated with government agencies, not to mention the explicit requirements that are necessary in order to have your request entertained. But due to the sheer number of requests and the relatively understaffed offices, a single request can take several working days, sometimes weeks, before it can be processed. Not a very practical method, it seems.

The alternative to the conventional method is the commercial approach. If you want to acquire police reports and criminal history accounts in a more efficient and less time consuming manner, then this is the appropriate way to get the information you want. These days, the Internet is filled with commercial data retrieval websites that are becoming more and more prominent by the day. Unlike government information services, such websites are capable of providing accurate and comprehensive data in a relatively short amount of time.

There are two basic types of online data providers, one is free and the other is not. The main goal for data search websites that offer free service is to increase the site's online traffic. The more hits a website gets, the better the earnings. That is how they make profit. With that said, one cannot expect to get the best service from these types of data providers. Just because you found an ad that promises you free access to New York police records and other vital information dossiers doesn't mean that you are going to get comprehensive, or even accurate, data.

On the other hand, paid data retrieval websites are obligated to provide the best quality service available. Since most of these types of service are membership-based, the site's survival depends on the number of registered members. And they earn their income through a one-time joining fee that gets a premium member unrestricted access to the site's all-inclusive database of vital information and criminal history profiles. This is not exactly free of charge; but if you really want the most accurate and comprehensive information, this is the type of service you should go for.

Now, why would anyone spend money on a service that may or may not be necessary at all? Well, we live in an information-driven society where everyone is susceptible to serious scrutiny and examination; especially those who have a criminal past that they want to keep from others. These days, employers are quite adamant in performing background checks and accessing police reports as a major part of the job screening process. This is how they can ensure the safety of the other employees and the business as a whole. You yourself may not have an official reason for wanting access to such information, but don't tell me that you are not the least bit curious as to what the government has on you! Who knows? You may even find discrepancies in your records that you will want to correct!




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