The Victoria Police Department supports and encourages open and transparent communications with the public. We understand that from time to time, Freedom of Information requests are made with the implication that the information being requested is in the public interest and important for the public to know. In that spirit, the Department will further facilitate that goal by placing F.O.I. requests for information other than personal information on this website, in order to ensure that the information is more widely available to the public.

The Act is intended to be an avenue of last resort. It is to be used when the information is not available through other access procedures.

FOI Request

How to make a Freedom of Information Request

A request to access information under the Act must be made in writing. You can use a Victoria Police Department Request Form and email the signed copy to [email protected]

The information and privacy section does not accept or acknowledge requests for information or other correspondence by e-mail or the internet.

If you would like to make a request for information, please write to the following address:

Victoria Police Department
850 Caledonia Avenue
Victoria, BC V8T 5J8
Canada ATTENTION: Information and Privacy Section

Please make your request as specific as possible. If available, please provide case numbers, exact dates and addresses as well as names or numbers of the officers involved. This will assist us in conducting an accurate search for the requested information. Under the Act public bodies have 30 business days to respond to your request and in certain circumstances a 30 day business day extension may apply.

Personal Information

If you request personal records about yourself, your identity will have to be verified to ensure that access is being provided to the right person. You will be asked to produce personal identification such as a driver’s license or a passport. This can be done either when you submit your request or when picking up our response.

Information That Will Not Be Provided

If the record you request contains personal information about someone else, and it would be an unreasonable invasion of that person’s personal privacy to provide that personal information, access to that information will not be granted without written consent or a Court Order.

The Act contains other exemptions that may have to be considered depending on the nature of the request, including exemptions that protect certain types of law enforcement information.

Fees

The FOIPP Act provides individuals with access to their own personal information free of charge. Access to other information may be subject to a fee. If you are not satisfied with the Department’s response to your request you can ask the BC Information and Privacy Commissioner to review the Victoria Police Department’s decisions about your request.