Protecting your personal data and the integrity of police investigations is a core obligation of the Malta Police Force. For this reason, access to police reports is carefully controlled. This guide explains how you can obtain a printed copy of a report and what to expect when you make a request.
When you file a new police report, the officer records it directly in the National Policing System (NPS). Once the report is completed, you will be given a printed acknowledgment that includes:
If, for technical reasons, the report cannot be printed immediately, you may receive it as a PDF by email at the address you provide. This also applies when reports are filed by telephone, email, or online.
It is assumed that the person requesting a copy of the report via email is aware of the risks involved in such communication methods.
This first document is based only on what you yourself told the Police and does not usually require any redaction.
If you need a more up to date or full version of a report, for example for court, an insurance claim, or another official purpose, you must submit a request through a Police District Office.
This applies when:
In these situations, data protection rules require the report to be reviewed and, where necessary, redacted before it is released. Information about third parties, confidential investigative details, and other restricted content may be blacked out in the printed copy you receive.
The final printed copy is produced directly from the NPS. Every page is stamped and signed by the issuing officer so that you can present it as an official document to third parties such as insurers, lawyers, or the courts.
You may request a copy of a report if you are directly connected to it, for example:
In all cases, the Police must verify your identity before releasing any information. This is necessary to safeguard your privacy and to ensure that personal data is not disclosed to unauthorised persons.
For reports involving minors, a person who holds parental authority or legal custody may, request a copy of the child’s report. This is subject to the same checks and to the need to protect the child’s safety, wellbeing, and other interests.
If you cannot attend in person, you may authorise another person to request or collect a copy of your report on your behalf.
To do this, you must:
The authorised person must bring the original signed form and their own identification when they attend at the police office.
Alternatively, a legally recognised form of power of attorney may be presented.
A person may need information from a police report to handle a civil claim or other legal process.
In these cases:
In line with the laws regulating insurance, copies of reports concerning road vehicles, including traffic collisions, accidents, theft or damage, may be provided to insurers as part of the insurance claims process. These requests are submitted directly by insurers to the Police through the established official channels.
There are situations where the Malta Police Force may not be able to provide a copy of a report, or may only provide a brief summary instead. This may occur when:
In such cases, you may be given a written summary that confirms the basic subject of the report and your involvement in the incident. The summary may also include the details of the Inquiring Magistrate or relevant officer, so that you can address any further request to the competent authority.
Throughout this process, your personal data is handled in line with the Malta Police Force’s Data Protection Policy and the applicable laws.
In practice, this means that: