Destruction of Fingerprints and Photographs

If you were arrested, fingerprinted, photographed and charged with a crime that resulted in a non-conviction finding in court, you can ask that the identification documents relating to your criminal record history be destroyed.

Eligibility

The following conditions must be in place in order to be eligible to make a request:

Must be an adult (18 years of age or older at date of arrest)
Cannot have any criminal convictions
Cannot have any outstanding charges before the courts
The alleged offence(s) cannot be listed as a primary designated offence or secondary designated offence as defined in section 487.04 of the Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46
Any Peace Bond must have expired for one (1) year before applying for destruction. In cases where spousal assault or domestic crime is involved, three years must have passed from the expiration of the Peace Bond
Disposition of all charges must fall into one of the following categories: withdrawn, acquitted, dismissed, quashed, discharged or stayed (Judicial or Crown Attorney Stay) – one (1) year waiting period
Absolute Discharge – one (1)-year expiry must have passed prior to application
Conditional Discharge – three (3)-year expiry must have passed prior to application

Making a Request

Requests only apply to files held by the Lethbridge Police Service (LPS). If you have non-convictions from other police agencies, separate requests will need to be sent to each agency.

For law firms or third-party companies

To act on behalf of your client, provide a signed Authorization to Release Information/Consent to the Disclosure of Individually Identifying Information or a letter on your company letterhead
- Authorizations must be dated within 90 days of the request
To request that a client's identification file held by LPS be reviewed for destruction, complete the Record Purge Request Form
Mail the completed forms with a certified cheque or money order payable to "The City of Lethbridge," to the following address:

Forensic Identification Services Section
Lethbridge Police
135 1 Avenue South
Lethbridge, AB T1J 0A1

Requests are processed once forms and supporting documentation are received in good order and applicable fees are paid-in-full

For individuals submitting their own request

To request your own identification file held by the Lethbridge Police Service be reviewed for destruction, complete the Record Purge Request Form
Arrange for proof of identification by showing or photocopying one (1) valid piece of government-issued photo identification
- Examples of photo identification (this list is not exhaustive):
  - Driver’s Licence or Identification Card
  - Passport
  - Nexus Card
  - Permanent Residence Card
  - Indian/Metis Status Card
Submit the completed package using one (1) of the following options:
- Attend the front desk at the Lethbridge Police Service (135 1st Avenue South) during business hours (Monday to Friday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. Closed weekends and statutory holidays)
- Mail the package to:
  Forensic Identification Services Section
  Lethbridge Police Service
  135 1 Avenue South
  Lethbridge, AB T1J 0A1
Requests are processed once forms and supporting documentation are received in good order and applicable fees are paid-in-full

Fee Information

All fees must be paid-in-full before the request is processed.

Fee Schedule

Record Purge Request - $40 per file

Costs are listed in Canadian dollars and include taxes and processing fees, when charged.

Accepted Forms of Payment

Requests made in-person:
- Cash or debit
Requests made via mail:
- Certified cheques or money orders made payable to "The City of Lethbridge."

Please note that personal cheques CANNOT be accepted.

Reviewing Requests

Each request is looked at on a case-by-case basis.

It is our procedure to deny fingerprint destruction if there are mitigating circumstances such as a risk to public safety, if the charges are of a serious nature or if the applicant is part of an ongoing investigation.

If your request is granted:

The LPS will make a recommendation to the RCMP for the destruction of records in possession of the National Repository in Ottawa (CPIC). Please note that fingerprint and photograph destruction does not remove the event from the LPS database. All investigative files are maintained in accordance with the LPS Retention Schedule
Once confirmed, the LPS will notify of the date that the identification documents were destroyed
A receipt for the processing fee will be provided

If your request is not granted:

LPS will send a letter advising of the reason for the denial
The processing fee will be returned

Appeals

If you have been notified in writing that your request for destruction has been denied and the reason why, you have the right to ask for a review of this decision.

Within 30 days of the date of refusal, write a letter outlining why your request should be reconsidered and attach any documentation supporting your position (e.g. court transcripts).

Submit this information by mail to:

Chief of Police
Lethbridge Police Service
135 1 Avenue South
Lethbridge, AB T1J 0A1

Once received, the appeal will be reviewed and a decision will be communicated in 30 business days.

Should the appeal be denied, an individual may seek redress through the Courts.

More Information

For more information, visit the RCMP's Managing Your Criminal Record webpage.

Contact

Lethbridge Police Service
135 1 Avenue South
Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 0A1

Non-Emergency Phone: 403-328-4444
General Inquiries Phone: 403-327-2210
Email: General Inquiries
(not monitored 24/7)

Hours for public access:
Monday to Friday - 7:30 am to 4:00 pm
Closed weekends and statutory holidays

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