Administration

Crime Statistics

Prospective residents or current residents responding to a neighborhood call for information often request statistics on the occurrence of crime in a particular area. These statistics are available through the Crime Prevention Section. A phone call is all that is required to receive data on the types, frequency, and areas where specified crimes have occurred. To request crime statistics, contact the Crime Prevention Section at (248) 871-2750.

Vacation Notice

Vacation notice is designed to provide responding officers with contact information should they be called to an emergency at the house while the resident is on vacation. It does not provide for special attention or extra patrol. The preferred way to notify us is through the Vacation Notice Request Form below. 

Scheduling a Presenter or Tour

Tours of the police facility may be scheduled by contacting the Crime Prevention Section. Tours are available to school groups, scouting troops, and other organizations and include a view of Operations, Records, Communications, the detention area, and the firing range.

Tours may be requested through the Crime Prevention Section at (248) 871-2750.

Landscape Design Principles for Crime Prevention

Stopping crime before it happens is an important goal for the City of Farmington Hills. The City believes that a safe community is a desirable community. The Farmington Hills Police Department has established a Crime Prevention program designed to help members of the community identify practical and meaningful methods to address safety concerns in their environments. Often, the methods involve simply re-thinking the way we place things in the environment.

Below are some guidelines and suggestions to consider when designing new landscapes or preparing maintenance plans:

1. Avoid planting evergreen shrubs beneath windows and around entrance ways. If evergreen shrubs are present already, prune them at the bottom so that objects or people can be seen beneath and behind them.
    
2. Keep shrubs pruned to no more than 4 1/2 feet in height around entrance ways and windows, where possible. Trim them up from the ground and keep them below window level.
    
3. If shrubs are planted beneath windows, consider planting shrubs that are ‘prickly’ or have thorns to discourage people from hiding behind them.
    
4. Police officers in vehicles can patrol the City more efficiently if they can see into developments from the street. When designing landscapes in apartment or condominium complexes, consider the following:

• Solid walls provide concealment. Although they offer privacy, they also create a security risk. Use walls cautiously. A see-through fence (i.e. wrought iron with decorative brick pillars) can provide the separation desired without blocking important views.
• Trim the bottom branches of evergreen trees around doorways, carports and between public thoroughfares and parking lots.
• Carports provide good protection for cars. They also provide a great place for people to hide. If carports are part of a development, make sure the inside of the carport can be seen from the street.

Neighborhood Watch

The Neighborhood Watch Program is an effective means of crime control and neighborhood cohesiveness. It is a program that informs citizens how to help themselves by identifying and reporting suspicious activity and utilizing crime prevention best practices in their neighborhoods. Neighborhood Watch is a national program that has proven to help make neighborhoods safer and improve quality of life. For more information on Neighborhood Watch in your subdivision, please contact Crime Prevention at (248) 871-2750.

Security Surveys

The Crime Prevention Section offers free security surveys to Farmington Hills residents and businesses. The survey identifies potential security risks and recommends cost effective solutions. Appointments may be made by calling (248) 871-2750.

FH ALERT

The Police Department utilizes FH Alert, a community information system that facilitates the delivery of timely public safety information to residents via e-mail and text messaging. FH Alert has proven to be a valuable tool to inform residents of certain crime occurrences, missing or endangered persons, and hazardous conditions. Residents can subscribe to this free service by visiting here.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

In compliance with Michigan law, the City of Farmington Hills has a FOIA policy. For more information, click here.

Property Release

Hours for property release are each Monday, Wednesday and Friday (except holidays) from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.  Property will only be released to the person who is named on the property record.  The individual must have identification at the time of release.  If the person named is unavailable to pick up their property, they can name an alternate person to pick it up.  That person must have a letter signed and notarized by the owner of the property, authorizing that individual to pick up their property.  That person must also provide proper identification at the time of release.
 

Release of Firearms

Firearms cannot be released to persons with felony conviction records.  Persons picking up handguns must provide a valid gun registration for those weapons at the time of release.  Prior to release of any firearm, the owner must receive authorization from the officer in charge of the case.  Call the Investigations Division at (248) 871-2770 to speak with the officer in charge of your case.

All property must first be authorized for release by the officer in charge of the case.  Any questions regarding release of property may be directed to the Property Section at (248) 871-2743.
 

Pistol Purchase Permits  (License to Purchase – LTP)

Pistols may be purchased directly from a licensed gun dealer without obtaining a License to Purchase (LTP). You MUST apply for a license to purchase a pistol if any of the following apply:

• Purchase of a pistol from an individual who is not a licensed gun dealer
• A pistol is registered in another state, but the owner of the pistol is moving to Michigan
• The pistol is inherited

Requirements to obtain a LTP:

• 18 years of age (to purchase from a private citizen in Michigan) or 21 (to purchase from a federally licensed dealer)
• Valid picture identification
• US citizen or Resident Legal Alien (must show I-551 card)
• Must not be otherwise legally prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm (i.e. felony conviction, assault conviction, etc.)

All applicants will have a clearance check completed, regardless of the number of times they have applied previously.  LTP applications will be processed, and permits issued, with due speed and diligence, as required by state law.

There is no fee for a License to Purchase (LTP).  One permit is needed for each weapon.

Fingerprinting

Non-criminal/applicant fingerprinting is done by the Police Department’s Records Section. A fee of $20 is charged for the first two cards; additional cards are $5 each. A fee of $63.25 is charged for applicant fingerprints that are required to be submitted to the Michigan State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation electronically via LiveScan. Appointments are encouraged. Fingerprinting services are available Monday through Friday 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM. Oakland County residents only. All fingerprint services are done electronically. Ink fingerprinting services have been discontinued.

Fees are cash or check only. No debit or credit cards are accepted at this time.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Office in Detroit requires that prints be taken by them for U.S. immigration purposes (follow instructions given in packet).  

Obtaining Copies of Reports

Copies of incident reports and traffic accident reports may be obtained through the Records Section, Monday through Friday 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM. Reports are generally available 48 to 72 hours after the incident or accident occurred.

In order to obtain a copy of a report, either the requestor’s name must appear in the report or a notarized authorization must be presented.  Depending on the nature, some reports must be obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Please click here for more information regarding FOIAs.

Fees:   
$5 for each report given over the counter.

Fees are cash or check only. No debit or credit are accepted at this time.
 

Accident Reports Online

Copies of traffic reports (UD-10s) are available online for a small fee and can be purchased using a debit or credit card. To obtain an online traffic accident report, visit https://payments.clemis.org/extservices.
 

Record Clearance

Records/Police clearances are conducted on adults only and will identify arrests with the City of Farmington Hills. A person requesting a clearance on anyone but themselves must have a notarized authorization from that person.  The fee for a Records/Police clearance is $10, Monday through Friday 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM.

A request for a Criminal Conviction History can be made through the Michigan State Police. Visit the Michigan State Police website and click on the Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) for more information.
 

Alarms

The Alarm Billing Ordinance is designed to hold accountable the relatively small percentage of businesses and homeowners that were responsible for generating approximately 20% of the Police Department’s annual calls for service. False alarm response continues to be a significant drain on Department resources. Without this ordinance, the vast majority of Farmington Hills citizens would have to subsidize this alarm response, without benefit.

The Alarm Billing Ordinance provides for levying fees, based upon the number of false activations at a location during a calendar year.

See the City Charter/Code of Ordinances and refer to Section 17.95 for False Alarm Fee Assessments.

These fees are designed to cover the cost of sending two uniformed officers in two marked patrol cars to a false alarm. They do not consider the administrative costs of maintaining the billing system. Fee waivers are possible if strict ordinance compliance measures are met.

The Alarm Billing System is managed by a Records Section employee, dedicated to that task, who monitors the alarm registrations, false alarm tracking by account, waiver requests, verification of emergency information, correspondence and other duties required to keep the system operating efficiently and effectively. There are currently in excess of 11,500 alarms registered.

The Alarm Billing System Ordinance requires that all alarm users register their system with the Police Department. A registration form can be completed and printed from the link below. The completed form may either be mailed or hand delivered to the Police Department Records Section. A $15 registration fee must be paid at the time of registration. Contact the Records Section at (248) 871-2720.

 Alarm RegistrAlarm Registration Formation Form
 Alarm Registration Form Instructions

9-1-1 Dispatch

The City of Farmington Hills’ 9-1-1 center is located in the Communications Section of the Police Department and is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Communications Section personnel are specially trained in expediting emergency response through the use of sophisticated call taking and computer-aided dispatch equipment. In addition, 9-1-1 operators are skilled in the techniques of Emergency Medical Dispatching. They have been trained to provide potentially life-saving medical advice, such as the application of CPR or choking-victim techniques, via telephone, to callers before the arrival of emergency units.

Due to the limited number of incoming 9-1-1 telephone lines, use of this system is restricted to true emergencies. Department policy requires that emergency operators, who determine that an incoming 9-1-1 call is not an emergency, instruct the caller to re-dial on a non-emergency phone line and terminate the connection.  Use of the 9-1-1 system is reserved, in general, to report a serious crime in progress or one that just occurred, or a life threatening situation such as a medical emergency, fire, or car accident involving personal injury.

Other appropriate uses of 9-1-1 include:

• Smoke or flames in or around a structure or vehicle
• Gas leaks
• Serious car accidents, or those car accidents involving a known or suspected injury
• Any call for police/fire/EMT service which requires an immediate response
• Any call originating from a coin-operated pay phone