Cecily Zamora
The Texas Department of Public Safety's Crime Records Division (CRD) is responsible for providing operational data to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies in Texas. The CRD is made up of the Crime Records Services, the Criminal Justice Information Service (CJIS) Security Office, and the Texas Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) program. The CJIS Security Office ensures compliance with FBI policies and regulations, while the LESO program assists law enforcement agencies with applications for excess U.S. Department of Defense property to aid in counterdrug/counterterrorism efforts. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) also plays a role in providing public information, with requests for information handled by the Open Records Unit. Requests for information can be made online, by mail, fax, or in person, with fees associated with obtaining certain records.
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What You'll Learn
Criminal records are considered public information
In Texas, criminal records are considered public information and are accessible to the general public. The Crime Records Division (CRD) of the Texas Department of Public Safety manages these records and offers services to help individuals search for their Texas criminal records. The CRD acts as the Texas State Control Terminal for eight state and national criminal justice programs, providing critical operational data to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies.
The CRD is comprised of the Crime Records Services, the Criminal Justice Information Service (CJIS) Security Office, and the Texas Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) program. The Crime Records Services collect information submitted by local criminal justice agencies throughout the state, which is then compiled into statewide databases and forwarded to national criminal justice databases at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The CJIS Security Office ensures compliance with FBI policies and regulations, while the LESO program assists law enforcement agencies with acquiring excess U.S. Department of Defense property for counterdrug, counterterrorism, and daily law enforcement missions.
The Texas Public Information Act outlines the process for requesting public information from governmental bodies, including law enforcement agencies. The Act prohibits the governmental body from asking the reason for the request but allows them to seek clarification. The body must "promptly" respond to requests and can withhold information by seeking an attorney general decision within fifteen business days.
While most criminal offenses in Texas are maintained in the DPS database, Class C misdemeanors are an exception. These are considered less severe and may not be included in Texas criminal court records or tracked by DPS. However, they can still be found in local agencies' records and may appear in background checks.
To obtain a criminal history record in Texas, individuals can visit the IdentoGO website or call their hotline. A name-based record check costs $10 offline, while a fingerprint-based check is $15. The process may involve fingerprinting and a small fee, and results may take up to 10 business days.
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Requesting records from the Houston Police Department
In Texas, the public can access law enforcement records, and the process is outlined by the Public Information Act. The Houston Police Department (HPD) accepts requests for information via mail, phone, and in person.
To request records from the Houston Police Department, you must specify that you are requesting a "public information report" and include your name and postal mailing address. Requests can be made by mail, phone, or in person. The Records Division of the HPD provides customer service to the general public, HPD staff, and other criminal justice agencies by providing police offense reports and crash reports. The division includes the Criminal History Section, which updates records for arrested suspects, and the Public Counter, which responds to call, mail, and walk-in requests from the public seeking copies of crash and incident reports.
If you are requesting a criminal offense report, it is important to note that these are not considered public information and will not be released unless the case was closed by conviction (someone was arrested, convicted, and received jail time, deferred adjudication, and/or a fine). If the case was not closed by conviction, your request will be forwarded to the Texas Attorney General's Office for a ruling, a process that takes around 60 business days.
There is a fee for requesting records. The fee for a name-based record check is $10 if done offline. There is also a processing convenience fee for using the online system, which goes to the processing center and not the Houston Police Department.
If you are looking for information regarding a Texas law enforcement licensee’s employment, license status, or training courses, you should reach out directly to the responding/local law enforcement agency/department(s) for further assistance.
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Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) is a regulatory state agency that establishes and enforces standards to ensure that Texas's law enforcement, corrections, and telecommunications personnel are highly trained and ethical. TCOLE is licensed as a training academy and offers practice licensing exams.
TCOLE is governed by the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, which conforms key elements of the Commission's licensing and enforcement functions to commonly applied licensing practices. The Sunset Commission continues the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education for 12 years. It also establishes standards for creating new law enforcement agencies and requires annual firearms proficiency for peace officers in law enforcement agencies with one or more peace officers.
The Crime Records Division (CRD) acts as the Texas State Control Terminal for eight state and national criminal justice programs and is responsible for administering these programs. It provides critical operational data, including biometric identification and access to criminal justice information, to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies in Texas and nationwide. The Crime Records Services, part of the CRD, collects information from local criminal justice agencies across Texas, compiles it into statewide databases, and forwards it to national criminal justice databases at the FBI.
The Texas Public Information Act governs requests for information from TCOLE. TCOLE is under no legal obligation to respond if the requirements of the Act are not followed. Requests sent by fax or email are not accepted. A certified copy of a record may cost $0.10 per page, and a business record affidavit may require a $35.00 service fee.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) also provides access to crime records. A name-based record check costs $10.00 if done offline through DPS, while a FAST-printed copy of two hard cards costs $20.00. Law enforcement agencies may charge up to $10.00 per card.
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Texas Crime Records Division
The Crime Records Division (CRD) of the Texas Department of Public Safety acts as the Texas State Control Terminal for eight state and national criminal justice programs. It is responsible for administering these programs, providing critical operational data to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies in Texas and across the nation.
The CRD is made up of three components: Crime Records Services, the Criminal Justice Information Service (CJIS) Security Office, and the Texas Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) program. The Crime Records Services collects information from local criminal justice agencies across Texas, which is then compiled into statewide databases and systems. This information is then forwarded to national criminal justice databases at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The CJIS Technical Security Office is responsible for auditing local agencies to ensure compliance with FBI CJIS Division policies and regulations. The LESO Program assists law enforcement agencies with applications for and access to excess U.S. Department of Defense property to aid in counterdrug, counterterrorism, and daily law enforcement missions, provided at no cost to the agencies.
The CRD provides a range of services to law enforcement agencies and the public, including biometric identification, access to criminal justice information, and technical assistance for CRD programs. The Division is committed to public safety and service, providing accurate and timely information. For instance, the CRD assists in searches for a subject's identifiers, providing a written determination of the existence of a record within the TXDPS Gang Database and identifying the responsible local law enforcement entity.
Individuals can request criminal record checks through the CRD, with name-based record checks costing $10 offline and $20 for two hard copies through FAST. Law enforcement agencies may charge up to $10 per card. The CRD also provides information on registered sex offenders, with restrictions on their proximity to child safety zones, and the procedures for requesting a review of a TXDPS Gang Database entry.
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Texas Public Information Act
The Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) provides a mechanism for citizens to inspect or copy government records. The TPIA generally requires a governmental body to release information in response to a request for information. However, the governmental body must withhold government records from the public in specific instances.
The TPIA prohibits the governmental body from asking why the information is being requested. However, they may ask for clarification on the request. The governmental body must "promptly" produce public information in response to a request. The amount of information requested is relevant to what makes for a reasonable response time. If the governmental body wishes to withhold information, it must seek an attorney general decision within 15 business days of receiving the request. The attorney general will then issue a decision on whether the governmental body is permitted to withhold the requested information or must release it to the requester.
If the governmental body does not send a copy of this letter, the requester may request it from the attorney general by writing to:
Public Information Coordinator
Office of the Attorney General
P.O. Box 12548
Austin, Texas 78711-2548
Fax: (512) 494-8017
The requester may also call the Open Government Hotline toll-free at (877) 673-6839 (877-OPENTEX). If the requester disagrees with the ruling, they can appeal that decision by litigation.
The Texas Department of Public Safety's Crime Records Division (CRD) acts as the Texas State Control Terminal for eight state and national criminal justice programs. It is responsible for providing critical operational data to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies in Texas and nationwide. The CRD supports law enforcement agencies and the people of Texas by providing accurate, timely, and responsive information.
Under Texas law, deferred adjudication and conviction records are considered public information and may be made available to the general public. A name-based record check costs $10 if done offline through DPS.
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Frequently asked questions
You can submit a request for public records from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement online, by mail, by fax, or in person.
The fee for a name-based record check is $10.00 if done offline. The fee to be printed through FAST is $20.00 for two hard cards. Law enforcement agencies may charge up to $10.00 per card.
Once the information is received, it may take approximately 10 business days for the results.
You can search for criminal records through the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) or through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE).
You can submit a request for information about a Texas law enforcement licensee's employment, license status, or training courses through the TCOLE website.
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