Records

Policy: Records

Author: Chief Joseph M. Hallman

WILEAG Standard: 10.1.1, 10.2.2 

Issue Date: June 9, 2012

Reviewed Date: April 6, 2026

Revised Date: April 6, 2026

Purpose:

The purpose of this policy is to establish procedures to ensure that the records of the UW-Platteville Police Department are gathered and maintained, retained, and destroyed in a lawful manner and that all traffic citation records are maintained properly.

Policy:

It is the policy of the UW- Platteville Police Department that the Chief of Police or the Chief’s designee has the responsibility for ensuring the integrity and security of the records system.  This responsibility includes:

• The University Police will generate records to document all police activity, whether originated by a member of the department or a citizen;
• Account for all traffic citations issued and to maintain their security, distribution, and a full accounting of each citation through the Badger TraCS system;
• Maintaining a secure record repository;
• Maintaining a records retention schedule, following the Universities of Wisconsin Records Schedules, specifically “Police and Security”;
• Providing records access to Department personnel;
• Handling requests for release of information contained in Department records (Reference “Open Records & Release of Information” policy). (10.2.2)
• Destruction of records in accordance with Wis. Stat. §19.35(5). (10.2.2)

Definitions:

1. Hold- refers to a status ensuring a record may not be destroyed even though the retention period has concluded.

 

2. Indefinite- refers to a term used in record retention schedules to indicate the retention period for certain records that cannot be determined and these records must be reviewed periodically to determine whether or not they can be destroyed.

 

3. Public Record- under Wis. Stat. §16.61(2)(b) means all books, papers, maps, photographs, films, recordings, optical discs, electronically formatted documents, or other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by any state agency or its officers or employees in connection with the transaction of public business, and documents of any insurer that is liquidated or in the process of liquidation under Wis. Stat §645.

Procedures:

1. Records Repository and Security
   1. UW-Platteville designates the Public Information Officer or designee as the legal records custodian for the University.  The Police Chief has been designated the records custodian for the police department.
      1. The Police Chief or his/her designee has the responsibility for ensuring the integrity and security of the records system, which includes processing records; maintaining a secure repository; maintaining a records retention schedule; providing records access to department personnel; and handling requests for release of information contained in department records.
         1. The administrative assistant shall be responsible for the processing and storage of all original records except Intelligence files and evidence forms which shall be the responsibility of the evidence officer.
         2. Computerized records can be accessed from any department work station; however, access is allowed only by those personnel who have been granted security to enter the department computer system. (10.1.1.3)
         3. Paper records can be accessed from department file cabinets by authorized personnel only. Doors to the police department will remain closed and locked with access allowed only to those personnel who have been granted security access to the department. (10.1.1.3)
         4. Authorization for inspection of department records shall come from the Police Chief or his/her designee. (10.1.1.3)
      2. Employees shall treat as confidential all information which they gain through their employment; safeguarding the information as privileged. Employees shall disseminate information within the established guidelines contained in Department policies and applicable Wis. Stat. §938.396). (10.1.1.3)
      3. All person(s) requesting the release of records containing juvenile information in accordance with Wisconsin State Statute(s) must take possession of records in person from the UW-Platteville Police Department. (10.1.1.2)
   2. Police department personnel shall have access to records 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
      1. Official records will not be removed from the UW-Platteville Police Department by any member of the organization, unless directed by this policy or with the express permission of the Police Chief. (10.1.1.3)
      2. If a record is pulled from a file, the record shall be returned to the administrative assistant for re-filing.
   3. Juvenile information, including but not limited to, incident reports, photographs, fingerprints and other methods of identification, criminal history, and contact history shall be maintained separately from adult records in conformance with the juvenile code requirements. (10.1.1.1)
      1. All records involving juveniles contained in the computerized records management system will be prominently marked. (10.1.1.2)
      2. All records involving juveniles contained in the paper file system will be prominently marked. (10.1.1.2)
      3. Access to these records will be allowed only to sworn personnel of the department and those non-sworn records personnel designated by the Police Chief. (10.1.1.2)
   4. All paper reports with the exception of citations are filed in the appropriate file in the records storage area by their respective unique incident number. Citations are filed alphabetically by the violator’s last name.
   5. All dispositions on cases shall be entered into the department’s computer system as soon as practicable.
   6. All records generated by the UW-Platteville Police Department are the property of the UW-Platteville Police Department and their release will be handled in accordance with policy “Open Records & Release of Information”. (10.1.1.3)
2. Incident Reporting
   1. All calls for service handled by the Department, whether in response to a request from a citizen or resulting from self-initiated activity, will be documented in the Department’s records management system. These calls include, but are not limited to:
      1. Citizen reports of a crime.
      2. Criminal and non-criminal cases initiated by department employees.
      3. Any incident involving an arrest, citation, or summons.
      4. Citizen reports of incidents other than crimes.
      5. Any incident resulting in an employee being dispatched or assigned.
      6. All calls for service
   2. If two or more persons report the same activity, it should be documented only once, with the other person completing a supplement within the primary officer’s incident.
   3. All reports shall be completed using the standardized Department forms, the UW-Platteville Police Department records management reporting software or the Traffic and Criminal Software (TraCS). Reports include, but are not limited to:
      1. Incident Report narrative;
      2. Supplemental Report narrative;
      3. Wisconsin State Traffic Accident Form;
      4. Wisconsin Non-Traffic Citations;
      5. Wisconsin Uniform Traffic Citations;
      6. Parking Tickets;
      7. Lockouts / Motorist Assists
      8. Non-Consent / Property Form
      9. Statement Form
   4. Officers shall type narrative reports within the records management system.
   5. All reports shall be completed prior to the end of an officer’s shift, if any of the following circumstances apply:
      1. All death investigations;
      2. All investigations that result in the incarceration of a suspect held for charging;
      3. All major crimes, serious incidents, and serious motor vehicle crashes:
      4. Any report that the officer is unable to complete on the next consecutive calendar day (prior to days off or vacation).
   6. All reports shall be reviewed by the Police Chief or his/her designee to ensure accuracy and completeness. If changes or corrections are required, the Police Chief or his/her designee shall refer the report back to the appropriate officer for the necessary corrections.
3. Master Name File
   1. The Department maintains a master name file in the Department’s computer records management system. This function checks all files, with the exception of intelligence files, for the name or business specified.
   2. All contacts with persons or businesses that are documented through the use of incident/offense field reports, accident reports, or citations will be entered into the master name file. These include, but are not limited to: arrestees, victims, complainants, suspects, witnesses, etc.
   3. The master name file contains:
      1. Basic name information including: name, address, and date of birth for all entries. Other information on individuals may include but is not limited to telephone numbers, driver’s license numbers, and physical descriptions.
      2. The history of all documented Department contacts with each person/ business in the system.
      3. The in-house criminal history file for each person arrested by the Department.
         1. The Department maintains juvenile and adult in-house criminal history files separately in the Department’s computer system. (10.1.1.1)
         2. Booking information is done by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office staff per their policy.
   4. The Department maintains an index of stolen, found, recovered, and evidentiary property in the Department’s computer system.
4. Traffic Citation Records Maintenance
   1. All traffic forms are stored in the computer Badger TraCS system.
   2. All completed parking citations are stored in the T2 Flex Parking Portal.
   3. The Police Chief or designee will review any citations issued prior to transmitting the citation through the Badger TraCS system.
   4. Citations are filed numerically by the citation number in the Badger TraCS system.
      1. The Police Chief shall conduct a monthly review of all citations distributed and account their disbursal and entry into the Badger TraCS system.
5. Records Retention Program (10.2.2)
   1. Official records shall be maintained and/or destroyed in accordance with provisions established by the Universities of Wisconsin Records Schedules, specifically “Police and Security”
   2. The Chief of Police or designee shall be responsible for the retention and disposal of the following department records:
      1. Citations
      2. Motor vehicle traffic collision reports
      3. Audio recordings
      4. Video recordings
      5. Ride-along records
      6. Schedules
      7. Offense/incident reports
      8. Parking permit and enforcement related materials
      9. Cash receipts
6. Legal Considerations
   1. According to Wis. Stat. §16.61(4), all public records made or received by or in the custody of a state agency shall be and remain the property of the state.
   2. Any public record may be kept and preserved by the use of microfilm or any other reproductive device. A photographic reproduction shall be deemed an original record for all purposes if it meets the applicable standards of Wis. Stat. §16.61(7). Once reproduced by photographic reproduction, the original document may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of.
7. Destruction Procedure (10.2.2)
   1. When the destruction period specified ends, records meeting the criteria shall be destroyed as soon as practical.
   2. Any record for which there is reason to believe litigation may be pending, shall not be destroyed, regardless of whether the retention period had concluded. Such records shall be placed on hold status until all litigation has concluded.
   3. In instances in which records destruction is noted as part of the retention instructions, the Department shall destroy confidentially all personnel-related records that contain confidential or personally identifiable information.