Find Lake County Police Records

Lake County police records are kept by the Lake County Sheriff's Office and several city police departments. With over 380,000 people, this Central Florida county has active law enforcement across cities like Clermont, Leesburg, and Eustis. The Sheriff handles unincorporated areas while city police serve their jurisdictions. You can access arrest records, incident reports, crash reports, and booking logs from these agencies. Public records requests follow Florida Chapter 119 guidelines. Most police records are available to anyone who asks unless specific exemptions apply.

Lake County Sheriff's Office

The Lake County Sheriff's Office serves as the primary law enforcement agency for the county. They patrol unincorporated areas, operate the county jail, and respond to emergencies. All arrest records and incident reports from the Sheriff are public under Florida law. The main office is in Tavares.

Lake County Sheriff maintains records for arrests, incidents, crashes, and calls for service. These documents include names, dates, locations, and details about what happened. Most are available once a case is closed. Active investigations may have limited access under Florida statute exemptions.

For public records, contact the Lake County Sheriff's records division. Staff can help you locate specific reports. You need details like names, dates, case numbers, or locations. Requests can be made by phone, mail, or in person. The Sheriff follows Florida public records law for all requests.

Search Lake County Police Records

Police records in Lake County come from multiple agencies. The Sheriff covers most of the county. Cities like Clermont, Leesburg, Eustis, Mount Dora, and Mascotte have their own police departments. Check which agency handled your case before requesting records.

To find police records, you need:

• Full name of the person involved
• Date or approximate date of the incident
• City or area where it happened
• Case number or report number if available
• Type of record (arrest, incident, crash)

The Lake County Sheriff does not have a public online search portal for police records. Call the records unit to request copies. Provide as much detail as you can. Staff will search and tell you if records exist and what the cost will be. Florida law allows reasonable fees for search time and copies.

City police departments in Lake County have their own processes. Contact Clermont PD, Leesburg PD, or other agencies directly for records from their jurisdiction. Each department handles requests according to state law but may have different procedures and fees.

Arrest and Booking Records

Lake County Sheriff operates the county jail in Tavares. Anyone arrested in Lake County gets booked at this facility. Booking records are public immediately under Florida law. These records show name, photo, charges, bond amount, and booking date.

The jail roster updates daily. It shows current inmates and recent bookings. You can request copies of booking records from the Sheriff's Office. These are separate from full arrest reports, which include more details about the incident.

Arrest reports contain the officer's narrative, witness statements, and evidence collected. Both Sheriff deputies and city police file arrest reports in Lake County. Get these from the agency that made the arrest. The jail only has booking info.

Note: Mugshots and booking details are part of the public record in Florida and cannot be withheld from the public.

Traffic Crash Reports in Lake County

Traffic crashes in Lake County are investigated by the Sheriff's Office, city police, or Florida Highway Patrol. Any crash with injury, death, or property damage over $500 must be reported. The investigating agency files the crash report.

Order crash reports online through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Visit www.flhsmv.gov/traffic-crash-reports/ to search and purchase reports. You need the crash date and county. The site charges a fee per report.

For crashes on major highways like US-27, SR-50, or Florida's Turnpike, the Florida Highway Patrol likely handled it. For local roads, check with Lake County Sheriff or the city police where it happened. The FLHSMV database includes all reports regardless of which agency investigated.

Florida State Police Records

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement collects criminal records from all counties. FDLE maintains a statewide database of arrests and convictions. This includes data from Lake County agencies. Background checks pull from this central system.

Submit public records requests to FDLE through their online portal at fdle.justfoia.com/publicportal. Create a free account and describe what you need. FDLE responds within a few business days. This is for FDLE documents, not local Lake County records.

For criminal background checks, contact FDLE at (850) 410-8161. Mail requests to FDLE, P.O. Box 1489, Tallahassee, FL 32302. Include fingerprints and $24 fee. Results take 5 to 10 business days. Walk-in service is available at the Tallahassee office.

Florida Public Records Law

Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes grants public access to government records. Police records fall under this law unless exempted. Agencies must allow inspection and copying. You do not need to explain why you want records. You do not need to be a Florida resident.

Lake County law enforcement must respond to public records requests promptly. Most agencies respond within a few business days. If records require extensive search time, the agency can charge hourly fees. Copy fees are set by statute. Agencies must provide a cost estimate before fulfilling large requests.

Some records are exempt. Active criminal investigations can be withheld. Confidential informant identities are protected. Personal information like social security numbers gets redacted. Juvenile records have additional privacy rules in Florida.

If Lake County denies your request, they must cite the specific exemption. You can challenge denials in circuit court. Florida courts favor public access. The burden is on the agency to prove an exemption applies.

Criminal History Records

Statewide criminal history records come from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. They compile arrest and disposition data from Lake County and all other Florida agencies. Background checks search this central database.

Call FDLE Criminal History Records at (850) 410-8161 for assistance. The fee is $24 per background check. Include fingerprints with your mail request. Electronic fingerprinting is available at many locations in Lake County and across Florida.

Visit the FDLE Tallahassee office at 2331 Phillips Road for in-person service. Bring photo ID and payment. Same-day results may be possible for walk-in requests. Hours are Monday through Friday during business hours.

Employment and licensing background checks require the subject's consent. These go through authorized channels. Contact FDLE for information on becoming an authorized requester in Florida.

FDLE Public Records

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement serves as the state's central law enforcement agency. They assist local agencies, maintain databases, and process background checks. The public records unit handles requests for FDLE documents and information.

Contact FDLE Public Records at (850) 410-7676. Email publicrecords@fdle.state.fl.us with questions. Mail requests to FDLE, P.O. Box 1489, Tallahassee, FL 32302. Office hours are Monday through Friday.

FDLE provides resources for Lake County residents including crime statistics, missing persons alerts, and sex offender registry searches. Visit www.fdle.state.fl.us for statewide law enforcement information and services.

Florida Highway Patrol

The Florida Highway Patrol patrols major highways in Lake County. This includes Interstate routes, US highways, and state roads. FHP investigates serious crashes and provides traffic enforcement. Their reports are public records.

For FHP records, visit the FHP contact page or call *FHP (*347) from a cell phone. This connects to the nearest FHP dispatch. Use this for questions about highway crashes or road conditions in Lake County.

Crash reports from FHP are available through the FLHSMV online system. The process is the same as for local agency crash reports. All Florida crash reports go through this central ordering system.

Cities in Lake County

Lake County has several cities with their own police departments. Each handles police records for incidents within city limits. The Sheriff's Office serves unincorporated areas and provides county jail services.

Major cities in Lake County include Clermont, Leesburg, Eustis, Mount Dora, Tavares, Mascotte, Minneola, Groveland, and Umatilla. Contact the specific police department for records from their city. None of these cities meet the 75,000 population threshold for dedicated pages on this site.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lake County. Each has its own law enforcement agencies and records systems. If you are unsure which county has the records you need, check the exact location where the incident occurred.