The modern criminal justice system is a complex network of different agencies, each tracking events and individuals. Confusion over having multiple “police department numbers” stems from the necessity of assigning separate identifiers to track separate things: the initial event, the person arrested, and the subsequent legal case. Since the incident, the individual, and the court proceedings move through different branches of government and require different forms of record-keeping, a single, all-encompassing number is not practical. These tracking numbers ensure clarity and accuracy as a situation moves from the street to the courtroom.
The Police Incident Report Number
This number is the first identifier generated, marking the moment a situation is officially logged by law enforcement. It is assigned the instant an event is reported, whether the event is a crime, a traffic accident, or a general complaint. This code tracks the specific event and all associated facts, independent of whether an arrest is made or possible.
The Incident Report Number, sometimes referred to as a Complaint Number or a Police Report Number, is permanent for that specific occurrence. It serves as the primary reference point for the initial investigation, documenting details like the location, time, nature of the incident, and names of victims and witnesses. This number is a tool for police internal record-keeping, tracking crime patterns, and resource allocation. If an event involves multiple victims or arrests, all individuals involved share this single Incident Report Number, as it is anchored to the circumstances of the event itself.
The Booking and Arrest Identification Number
The second identifier, the Booking and Arrest Identification Number, is only created when an individual is taken into physical custody. This number is generated during the “booking” process, the administrative procedure that formally inducts the person into the jail or detention facility. It functions to track the individual and their associated administrative records throughout their time in custody.
This identifier manages an individual’s personal information, including fingerprints, mugshots, inventory of personal property, and medical screening records. Unlike the Incident Number, which is tied to one event, the Booking Number tracks the individual’s specific arrest event. If a person is arrested multiple times, they receive a new Booking Number with each new arrest. In addition to the local Booking Number, an individual may also be assigned a unique, permanent State Identification Number (SID) that follows them throughout the state’s criminal justice system, linking all their arrest records together.
The Court Case or Docket Number
Once the police investigation concludes and an individual is charged with a crime, the matter transitions from the police and jail system to the judicial system, requiring a third unique identifier. This new designation is the Court Case or Docket Number. It is the tracking mechanism for the legal proceedings that follow the arrest.
The court assigns this number when the prosecutor formally files charges or an indictment, initiating the legal process. This number organizes all subsequent paperwork, including motions, hearings, orders, and verdicts. The format often contains codes that indicate the year of filing and the type of case, such as ‘CR’ for criminal cases or ‘TR’ for traffic matters. This Docket Number is used by judges, attorneys, and the public to search court calendars and access the chronological log of all actions taken in the case.