Hi Seal Beach!
Last week marked Records and Support Personnel Appreciation Week, a time to recognize some of the most unsung yet essential members of the Seal Beach Police Department: our Records Division. These dedicated professionals work tirelessly behind the scenes, ensuring the department runs smoothly and efficiently, often without the recognition they deserve.
What Does the Records Division Do?
The Records Division serves as the organizational backbone of the Seal Beach Police Department. They manage a wide range of critical tasks that keep our department functioning seamlessly, including:
• Maintaining police records: Processing, filing, and securely storing all police reports, case files, and other official documents, ensuring they are accurate and accessible when needed.
• Public records requests: Facilitating access to public records while ensuring compliance with confidentiality laws and maintaining privacy for sensitive information.
• Criminal history checks: Conducting checks for authorized parties as part of investigations or legal processes, ensuring compliance with California law.
• Traffic citations and subpoenas: Managing and processing traffic citations issued by officers and ensuring subpoenas are issued and tracked in a timely manner.
• Processing arrests and bookings: Ensuring all documentation related to arrests and inmate bookings is completed, filed, and sent to the appropriate agencies.
• Data entry and management: Accurately entering incident and crime data into state and federal systems like the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System and contributing to crime statistics reporting.
• Providing officer support: Assisting officers with record searches, documentation, and accessing critical information during investigations.
• Managing evidence records: Coordinating with the Property and Evidence Unit to ensure proper documentation and chain of custody for seized items.
• The Records Division also manages Records Release Forms, like the one available on the SBPD website (www.sealbeachpd.com), which allow residents to request access to public records such as incident or crime reports, provided the request complies with state and federal laws.
Why their role matters
The work of the Records Division may not always be visible, but it is vital. Their meticulous attention to detail ensures the accuracy of records, which supports investigations, aids prosecution, and maintains transparency with our community. They ensure compliance with legal requirements, assist officers in the field, and provide residents with access to the information they need.
Every report filed by an officer, every crime statistic reported to the state, and every incident logged into our system passes through their capable hands. Their work directly impacts public safety, accountability, and community trust.
A special thank you
To our Records Division: thank you for your dedication, professionalism, and hard work. You may not be out in the field, but you are just as critical to public safety as the officers on the street. Your work keeps our department organized, compliant, and transparent, and we couldn’t do our jobs without you.
Seal Beach, if you stop by our station lobby, please take a moment to say thank you to those behind the counter. They truly deserve it.
Keep your questions coming, Seal Beach! Email us at askacop@sealbeachca.gov today!
