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Police Reports
Ohio public record law (ORC 149.43), often referred to as Ohio Sunshine Laws, gives all citizens the right to broad access to government records and meetings. For the police division, this includes criminal reports, crash reports and all other administrative records normally kept by the police division. Ohio law provides for exceptions to what information is releasable when requested.
Responsibilities
The Records Bureau is responsible for maintaining all Police Department records, including arrest reports, incident reports and motor vehicle accident reports. The bureau is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm (excluding holidays).
Obtaining Records
Copies of records can be obtained in person at the Records Bureau during normal business hours. To request a copy of a record, complete a Records Request Form and mail, fax or deliver it to the Records Bureau: 6555 Worthington-Galena Rd.,Worthington, OH 43085, Fax: (614) 436-8794. You may also submit an online Records Request.
Fees
The Division of Police will provide copies of up to 25 pages of records at no cost to the requestor. This includes postage costs. Most accident reports and incident reports fall within this limit. Costs may apply for any record in excess of 25 pages or for the duplication of other media forms, such as CDs, photographs and video tapes. Contact the records secretary at (614) 436-8740 if you have any questions about fees.
Availability
Most accident and incident reports will be made available within 24-72 hours after they were taken. It is suggested that you call the Records Bureau to see if your record is available for release prior to coming to headquarters. If making a request by mail or fax, the record will be sent to you after it becomes available.
Records Not Released to the Public
The Records Bureau complies with the Ohio Public Records Act when fulfilling requests for public records. While there are many different circumstances that may prevent a request from being filled, the following list identifies the most common reasons for certain records not to be released to the public.
- Pending Litigation / Trial Preparation Records
- Case is Under Investigation
- Confidential law enforcement Records
- Uncharged Suspects
- Juvenile Information