Liberty County Police Records

Police records in Liberty County are maintained by the Liberty County Sheriff's Office. This is Florida's least populous county with fewer than 8,000 residents. The county seat is Bristol. The Sheriff handles all law enforcement services including patrol, investigations, jail operations, and records management. You can request incident reports, arrest records, and crash reports from the Sheriff's Office. Florida public records law allows any person to access most police records. Some documents may be exempt during active investigations or due to statutory privacy protections. Contact the Sheriff's Office directly for records requests.

Liberty County Sheriff's Office

The Liberty County Sheriff is the sole law enforcement agency for the county. They patrol all areas, conduct investigations, and operate the county jail. All police records originate from this office. The Sheriff is based in Bristol.

Sheriff records include incident reports, arrest records, crash reports, and booking logs. These documents show names, dates, locations, charges, and what happened. Most records become public once a case closes under Florida law. Active investigations may have restricted access under state statute.

To request police records from Liberty County Sheriff, contact the office by phone, mail, or in person. Provide details like names, dates, case numbers, and locations if you have them. This helps staff locate records faster. The Sheriff follows Florida Chapter 119 requirements for all public records requests.

Liberty County is small and rural. The Sheriff's Office does not have an online records portal. Most requests are handled by phone or in person at the Bristol office. Call ahead to ask about specific records and costs before visiting.

How to Request Records

Public records requests in Liberty County follow Florida law. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes grants every person the right to inspect government records. You do not need to be a resident or explain why you want records.

To request police records, gather this information:

• Name of person involved in the incident
• Date or approximate date when it occurred
• Location where it happened
• Type of incident (arrest, theft, crash)
• Case number or report number if available

Contact the Liberty County Sheriff's Office directly. Staff can tell you if records exist and what the cost will be. Some records can be provided quickly. Complex searches may take several days and incur fees for staff time and copies under Florida law.

Note: Active criminal investigations and confidential informant information can be withheld under Florida statute exemptions until cases close.

Florida State Police Records

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement maintains statewide criminal records. FDLE collects arrest and disposition data from Liberty County and all other Florida jurisdictions. Background checks search this central database.

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

For criminal background checks, call FDLE at (850) 410-8161. The fee is $24 per check. Mail your request to FDLE, P.O. Box 1489, Tallahassee, FL 32302. Include fingerprints and payment. Results take 5 to 10 business days.

Traffic Crash Reports

Traffic crashes in Liberty County are investigated by Sheriff deputies or Florida Highway Patrol. Any crash with injury, death, or property damage over $500 requires a report. The investigating officer files the report with the state.

Order crash reports online through Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles at www.flhsmv.gov/traffic-crash-reports/. Search by date and county. The site charges a fee per report. Most reports are available within a few days of the crash.

For crashes on major highways, Florida Highway Patrol likely investigated. For local roads, the Sheriff responds. All reports end up in the state database regardless of which agency filed them.

Arrest and Booking Records

Liberty County Sheriff operates the county jail. All arrests in the county result in booking at this facility. Booking records are public immediately under Florida law. They show name, photo, charges, bond amount, and booking date.

You can request booking information from the Sheriff's Office. This is separate from the full arrest report. Arrest reports include the deputy's investigation narrative and witness statements. Mugshots and booking details are part of the public record in Florida.

Florida Public Records Law

Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes governs public access to government documents. Police records fall under this law unless exempted. Liberty County Sheriff must allow inspection and copying of public records. You can request records in any format.

Agencies can charge fees for duplication and extensive search time. Copy fees are set by statute. If costs will exceed $200, the agency must give you a written estimate first.

Some records are exempt. Active investigations can be withheld. Confidential informant identities are protected. Personal information like social security numbers gets redacted. If Liberty County denies your request, they must cite the specific exemption.

Criminal History Records

Statewide criminal history records come from FDLE. They compile arrest and court data from Liberty County and all other jurisdictions. Background checks pull from this central system.

Contact FDLE Criminal History Records at (850) 410-8161. The fee is $24 for a Florida background check. Submit fingerprints with your request. Electronic fingerprinting is available at many locations across Florida.

Visit the FDLE office at 2331 Phillips Road in Tallahassee for in-person service. Bring photo ID and payment. Same-day results may be available for walk-ins.

FDLE Public Records

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

Contact FDLE Public Records at (850) 410-7676. Email publicrecords@fdle.state.fl.us. Mail to FDLE, P.O. Box 1489, Tallahassee, FL 32302.

FDLE provides resources for Liberty County residents including crime statistics and missing persons alerts. Visit www.fdle.state.fl.us for statewide law enforcement information.

Florida Highway Patrol

The Florida Highway Patrol patrols major highways in Liberty County. They investigate serious crashes and provide traffic enforcement. FHP reports are public records available through standard channels.

For FHP records, visit the FHP contact page or call *FHP (*347) from a cell phone. Use this for highway crash information in Liberty County.

Crash reports from FHP are available through the FLHSMV online ordering system. All Florida crash reports go into the central state database.

Cities in Liberty County

Liberty County is Florida's least populous county. The county seat is Bristol. There are no cities in Liberty County with a population over 75,000. All areas are served by the Liberty County Sheriff's Office for law enforcement and police records.

Other communities in Liberty County include Hosford, Telogia, and Estiffanulga. All police services come from the Sheriff's Office based in Bristol.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Liberty County. Each has its own Sheriff's Office and police records system. Check the exact location of your incident to determine which county has jurisdiction.