Volusia County Police Records

Police records in Volusia County are maintained by multiple law enforcement agencies. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office handles unincorporated areas and operates the county jail. Cities like Daytona Beach, Deltona, and DeBary have their own police departments that keep separate records. You can request police reports from the agency that created them under Florida public records law. Most incident reports, arrest logs, and case files are available to the public once the initial investigation wraps up.

Volusia County Sheriff's Office

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office keeps police records for unincorporated areas and assists city police departments across the county. The Sheriff operates the county jail and manages the inmate booking system. Deputies patrol beach areas, rural communities, and unincorporated neighborhoods throughout Volusia County. Records from these patrols and investigations are stored at Sheriff's Office facilities.

You can request records from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office by calling, mailing a written request, or visiting in person. The main office is in Daytona Beach. Staff process public records requests and provide copies of available reports. Some records may be exempt from disclosure if they involve ongoing investigations or protected victim information under Florida law in Volusia County.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office website has contact information and details on requesting records. You can find phone numbers, addresses, and guidance on how to submit a public records request. Response times vary based on the complexity of your request and the current volume of requests being processed in Volusia County.

City Police Departments in Volusia County

Several cities in Volusia County have their own police departments. These departments handle incidents within city limits and maintain their own records. If an incident occurred in a city with its own police force, you must contact that department for records. The Sheriff's Office cannot release records created by city police in Volusia County.

Daytona Beach has its own police department that serves the city. Other cities with police departments include Deltona, DeBary, Edgewater, Holly Hill, New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach, Port Orange, and South Daytona. Each department has its own process for public records requests. Contact the specific city police department that handled your incident in Volusia County.

For incidents in unincorporated areas or cities without their own police, the Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement. Check the location of your incident to determine which agency to contact. If you are not sure, call the Sheriff's Office and they can direct you to the right department in Volusia County.

How to Request Police Records

Requesting police records in Volusia County starts with identifying the correct agency. Determine whether the Sheriff's Office or a city police department handled your incident. Once you know the right agency, contact them by phone, mail, or in person to request records. Each agency has its own procedures and contact information in Volusia County.

Under Chapter 119 of Florida Statutes, public records must be made available for inspection and copying. You do not need to explain why you want the records. Agencies can ask for your contact information to process the request, but they cannot deny access based on your intended use of the records in Volusia County.

Provide these details when requesting police records:

• Date of the incident
• Type of incident or offense
• Location where it occurred
• Names of people involved if known
• Report or case number if available

Processing times depend on the complexity of your request. Simple reports may be ready within a few days. Requests requiring extensive searching, redaction, or review can take a week or more. The agency will contact you about fees and when your records are ready for pickup or mailing in Volusia County.

Note: Active criminal investigations may have restricted access until the case closes in Volusia County.

Statewide Records Through FDLE

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement serves as the central repository for criminal records statewide. FDLE collects arrest data, criminal history, and case information from all law enforcement agencies in Florida including Volusia County. If you need statewide criminal records or background checks, contact FDLE directly instead of local agencies.

FDLE operates an online public records portal at fdle.justfoia.com/publicportal. This system handles requests for FDLE documents and statewide databases. It does not provide local police reports from Volusia County. For incident reports created by Volusia County agencies, you must contact the Sheriff's Office or the relevant city police department. The FDLE portal is for FDLE records and statewide searches.

Criminal background checks are processed by FDLE. The fee is $24 per background check in Florida. Call (850) 410-8161 for information about submitting a request. Processing takes 5 to 10 business days by mail. You can request your own criminal history or submit requests for employment, licensing, or volunteer purposes. Visit FDLE's criminal history contact page for detailed instructions from Volusia County.

Traffic Crash Reports in Volusia County

Crash reports in Volusia County are filed with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. When law enforcement responds to a traffic crash, they complete a state crash report form. You can order copies online through the Florida Crash Portal. The cost is $10 per report plus a $2 convenience fee per transaction.

Florida law makes crash reports confidential for the first 60 days after the crash. During that time, only parties involved in the crash, their legal reps, insurance agents, and certain other authorized parties can get copies. After 60 days, crash reports become public and anyone can order them. This is set in Florida Statute 316.066 for all crashes in Volusia County.

Order crash reports at www.flhsmv.gov/traffic-crash-reports/. You need the crash date, county name, and either the report number or the names of drivers. Once you pay, the report is available for download within 48 hours. You must download it during that time or it expires. You can also request crash reports by mail or at Florida Highway Patrol stations near Volusia County.

Crash reports may take up to 10 days to appear in the system after the incident. If you try to order a report too soon, it may not be available. Wait at least 10 days before requesting recent crash reports from Volusia County.

What Police Records Contain

Police records in Volusia County include several types of documents. Incident reports are the most common. These document crimes, accidents, and calls for service. An incident report includes the date, time, and location of an event. It names people involved and describes what the officer or deputy observed. Most incident reports are public once the initial investigation is complete in Volusia County.

Arrest records show when someone is taken into custody. The Volusia County jail creates booking records with photos, fingerprints, charges, and bond information. Booking logs are often posted online and updated daily. You can search by name to find recent arrests in Volusia County. Arrest reports from officers include the probable cause for the arrest and details about the incident.

Case files may include multiple documents. An investigation might produce witness statements, evidence logs, photos, and supplemental reports. Not all of this is public while a case is active. Florida law exempts active criminal investigative information from disclosure. Once an investigation ends, most records become available with redactions for protected information in Volusia County.

Police records in Volusia County typically show:

• Report number and date filed
• Incident classification and type
• When and where it occurred
• Names and roles of involved parties
• Officer narrative and observations
• Witness statements
• Evidence collected

Some information is redacted from public copies. Crime victim names in certain cases like sexual offenses are kept confidential. Social security numbers, bank account info, and other personal data are removed to prevent identity theft. Juvenile names are often protected in Volusia County records.

Fees for Police Records

Volusia County agencies charge fees for public records based on Florida law. The standard rate is up to 15 cents per page for regular copies. Certified copies can cost up to $1 per page. If a request takes more than 15 minutes of staff time, agencies may charge for labor at the actual hourly cost of the employee handling the request in Volusia County.

Simple requests often have low fees. If you ask for one police report and it is easy to find, you might pay only for a few pages. Larger requests or those needing extensive searching or redaction can result in higher costs. Agencies should provide a cost estimate before processing a complex request in Volusia County.

Payment is required before records are released. Most offices accept cash, checks, and money orders. Some may take credit cards with a service fee. Call the specific agency to confirm accepted payment methods. All fees must be paid in full before you receive the records in Volusia County.

Florida Public Records Law

Florida has broad public records laws. Chapter 119 of Florida Statutes gives the public access to government documents including police records in Volusia County. The law presumes all records are public unless a specific exemption applies. Agencies must release records or explain why they cannot under an exemption.

Active criminal investigative information is exempt while an investigation is ongoing. This means police reports for open cases may be withheld until the case closes or charges are filed. Once an investigation becomes inactive, records must be released with only necessary redactions in Volusia County. The law defines "active" as having a reasonable, good-faith expectation of making an arrest or filing charges soon.

Other exemptions protect victim privacy and law enforcement operations. Body camera footage from inside private homes is confidential. Information that would reveal a confidential informant or compromise an ongoing operation can be withheld. Personal information about officers and their families is also exempt. Read Chapter 119 for the full list of exemptions for police records in Volusia County.

If you believe your records request was wrongly denied, you can challenge the decision in court. Florida courts favor public access to records. Agencies that improperly withhold records may have to pay your attorney fees if you win your case in Volusia County.

Related Records in Volusia County

The Clerk of Court in Volusia County maintains criminal case files once charges are filed. After an arrest, the State Attorney decides whether to prosecute. If charges move forward, the case file is kept by the Clerk. Court records include charging documents, motions, orders, and final judgments. You can search court records online or request copies from the Clerk's office in DeLand.

The Volusia County jail posts inmate information online. These rosters show who is in custody, their charges, bond amounts, and booking dates. Jail records are updated regularly. You can search by name to find current detainees. For information about past inmates, contact the jail records office in Volusia County directly.

The Florida Department of Corrections maintains records for state prison inmates. If someone was convicted of a felony in Volusia County and sent to state prison, their records transfer to DOC. The DOC inmate database is searchable online. You can find details about offenses, sentences, and release dates for people convicted in Volusia County and sent to Florida state prisons.

Cities in Volusia County

Volusia County includes 16 cities, many with their own police departments. For incidents within city limits, contact the city police department. For incidents in unincorporated areas, contact the Sheriff's Office. Major cities in Volusia County include Daytona Beach, Deltona, and DeBary.

Other cities in Volusia County include DeBary, DeLand, Edgewater, Holly Hill, New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach, Port Orange, and South Daytona. Each city may have its own police department. Contact the appropriate agency for police records based on where the incident occurred in Volusia County.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Volusia County. If you need police records from a neighboring area, contact the sheriff's office or police department for that county. Verify which county had jurisdiction over the incident before submitting your request.