Me Share You

According to the recent data shown by the United States Census Bureau, Lone Star state has an estimated population of almost 25,674,681 for the year 2011. In United States of America, Texas State is the second most highly populated state in the country. With this great population, Texas State also offers citizens and tourists exciting locations and enjoyable activities they make to attract people from different state and other countries as well. The state government of Texas allows its people to gain access to their personal files including birth certificates, death records, Texas Police Records and other vital documents.

In United States of America, every citizen has a privilege to request their own criminal record anytime and can be kept private under the privacy act law made by the government. Criminal record is one of the major requirements for every individual who is applying for a job, getting a license, identification, security clearance, applying for immigration, visa applications, when entering a school and for possible criminal investigations. Police record, known as Criminal record, is a type of record that is considered as a primary source of information. It contains the criminal history offense and current status of the person convicted of a certain crime.

Violent crimes including murder, attempted murder, assault, battery, rape and sexual assault, abuse, animal cruelty is being made by a person will appear in the record file. If a firearm is being used or present during the crimes scene it will be listed recorded. Other crimes like traffic crimes, property crimes, tax evasion, perjury, fraud, disorderly conduct and drugs are also listed in a criminal record. Law enforcement agencies often share information regarding the record with other similar enforcement agencies and this information is usually made available to the public.

The Texas Public Information Act is intended to guarantee public access to governmental information in the interest of providing transparency in government. Texas Government Code gives the citizens the right to access records at various levels of Texas Government without having to declare the purpose. Public information includes any information that is collected, assembled or maintained by or for a governmental entity in connection with the transaction of official business. It includes information that is maintained in book, document, paper, tape, microfilm, video, photograph, map, electronic data held in a computer memory, as well as other mediums specified under law.

The Texas Public Information Act allows the government agencies to charge all costs associated with making copies of public information, including the cost of materials, labor, and overhead costs. It is the attorney general of Texas who maintains an Open Records Division. They play the role of mediator and sometimes a judge in open records disputes. Information held in the custody of a private contractor doing business with the government may be considered public under the said act, if it relates to government official duties and for whom the private contractor is consulting is entitled to the information.

Freedom of information act has given each citizens of America and residents of each state the right to access public records including getting copies of the record requested such as Police Records. Submission of requests of getting copies of the record are through mail, fax or in person according to the procedures of the handling agency. In order to get a copy the requester should give the complete and detailed information of a person in order to get accurate and easily locate the information requested. The information can be viewed for free, but in order to obtain copies it will cost no more than $40. However, when charges exceed, the requester will received a written statement of estimated charges. Texas allows ten working days for public records requests.