Open Records

Ask the City of Abilene for public records

Pick a request type, fill in what you know, and CIVILIAN writes a Texas Public Information Act request for you. Copy it, open the City's own records portal, paste it in and submit it yourself. CIVILIAN never sends requests for you and never sees what the City sends back.

Published CIVILIAN cases City records portal ↗

1. What do you want?

Video from officers' body-worn and in-car cameras for one incident.

Texas law says a body-camera request must give the date and approximate time, the specific location, and the name of at least one person known to be in the recording (an officer does not count). Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 2B.0112, formerly Occ. Code §1701.661. If one is missing the request can be refused, but you can send a new one.

2. Details (fill what you know)

Which video

Incident date *

Approximate time *

Location (block or intersection) *

Person(s) involved (you, if it was your stop) *

APD case or report number (if known)

Officer name and/or badge number

Anything else that helps them find it (optional)

3. Delivery and cost

Delivery format

Send me an estimate if it will cost more than ($)

Ask for a fee waiver?

Sign with your name (optional)

4. Your request (live preview)942 characters

Still needed for this type: Incident date, Approximate time, Location (block or intersection), Person(s) involved (you, if it was your stop).

To the Public Information Officer, City of Abilene:

Under the Texas Public Information Act (Texas Government Code chapter 552), I request copies of the following records:

1. All body-worn and dash (in-car) camera recordings made by Abilene Police Department officers in connection with the incident.
2. Any audit trail, log, or index showing which officers' cameras recorded the incident and the start and end time of each recording.

Format: Electronic copies by email or through NextRequest (PDF; video in its original digital format).

If the cost of this request will exceed $40, please send me an itemized estimate before doing the work.

If you believe any part of these records is not public, please release the parts that are, and tell me which parts were withheld and the exception relied on. If you cannot provide the records within 10 business days, please tell me in writing the date and hour they will be available.

Thank you.

On the City portal, paste this into the request description, add your contact details, and press Submit yourself. CIVILIAN never submits requests for you.

Where to send it

City of Abilene NextRequest portal (fastest; you can track it there)
Email [email protected]
In person: City Secretary, 555 Walnut St., Abilene TX 79601
Police records in person: APD Records Division, 4565 S. 1st St., Abilene TX 79605

The City says these are the only ways it accepts requests. Fax and other email addresses are not accepted.

What happens next

The City must give you the records promptly. If it can't within 10 business days, it must tell you in writing the date and time they'll be ready (Gov't Code §552.221).
If the City wants to keep something back, it generally has to ask the Texas Attorney General for a ruling within 10 business days of getting your request, and tell you (§552.301).
The Act covers records that already exist. The City doesn't have to create a new document, do research, or answer questions.
Records about open investigations are often withheld or redacted.

Cost

If the charge will be over $40, the City must send you an itemized estimate first (§552.2615).
The City lists $0.10 per page, $3 per DVD, $1 per CD, and $15/hour for staff time plus 20% overhead when that applies.
You can ask for a waiver or reduction when releasing the records mainly benefits the public (§552.267). The City decides.

Tips

Be specific. A date, a block or intersection, a case number, or an officer's name gets you the right records faster.
Police reports: APD's records policy (D-21) says the public release version of a case report (“page 1”) is routinely released. Anything more is reviewed by the City Attorney and may need an Attorney General ruling.
The portal's two redaction questions (“Mandatory” and “Discretionary Exceptions to Disclosure”) ask whether you agree to the City blacking out information in the listed categories. Read the wording on the portal before you choose.
Crash reports are requested separately, not through this form.
The portal doesn't support pre-filled links, so the button copies your letter and opens a blank request. Paste it into the description box.

Request types

Body-cam / dash-cam video: Video from officers' body-worn and in-car cameras for one incident.
Incident / offense report: The written police report for an incident.
Arrest report: The arrest report and booking information for one arrest.
Use-of-force reports: Use-of-force (response to resistance) reports for an incident, an officer, or a period.
Officer complaints, IA records & discipline: Complaints, internal affairs findings and discipline for a named officer.
911 / CAD call logs: Dispatch (CAD) records and 911 call logs for an incident or address.
Policies / general orders: APD policies, general orders or procedures on a topic.
Officer training / employment records: Training, certifications and employment history for a named officer.
Settlements / claims: Lawsuits, claims and settlements involving the police department.

Not legal advice. These are general templates and plain-language notes, not legal advice. CIVILIAN is not a law firm and is not part of the City of Abilene. Sources: City of Abilene Public Information page, APD policy D-21, and the Texas Attorney General's open government resources.