Walton County Police Records

Police records for Walton County are maintained by the Walton County Sheriff's Office in DeFuniak Springs. This Panhandle county along the Emerald Coast handles law enforcement through the Sheriff's Office. Deputies patrol beach communities, rural areas, and unincorporated neighborhoods throughout Walton County. Records from these patrols, investigations, and arrests are kept at the main facility and available for public inspection under Florida law.

Walton County Sheriff's Office

The Walton County Sheriff's Office keeps all police records for the county. This coastal county is known for beach towns like Seaside and Rosemary Beach. The Sheriff handles law enforcement for both beach areas and inland communities. Deputies patrol throughout Walton County and investigate crimes across the region. All records from these activities are stored at the Sheriff's Office in DeFuniak Springs.

Public records requests in Walton County go through the Sheriff's Office. You can call to ask about a specific report or submit a written request for documents. Staff will search for the records you need and provide copies of available reports. Some records may be exempt from disclosure if they involve active investigations or protected victim information under Florida law in Walton County.

Contact the Walton County Sheriff's Office at (850) 892-8111 to inquire about police records. Call during business hours to speak with staff about your request. You can also mail a written request to the Sheriff's Office in DeFuniak Springs. Include as much detail as possible about the incident to help staff locate the correct records in Walton County files.

How to Request Police Records

Getting police records from Walton County starts with contacting the Sheriff's Office. The fastest way is to call and ask about your specific report. If the report is available and easy to locate, staff can tell you how to get a copy. For more detailed requests or multiple documents, you may want to submit a written request by mail or in person at the DeFuniak Springs office.

Florida law gives you the right to inspect and copy public records. Under Chapter 119 of Florida Statutes, agencies must make records available unless a specific exemption applies. You do not need to explain why you want the records. The agency can ask for contact information to respond to your request, but they cannot deny access based on your intended use in Walton County.

In-person visits work well for simple requests. Go to the Sheriff's Office in DeFuniak Springs with details about the incident. Bring identification with you. For basic reports, staff may be able to search and provide copies while you wait. More involved searches may take longer and require a follow-up visit or mailing of the records to you in Walton County.

Include these details when requesting police records:

• Date the incident occurred
• Type of incident or offense
• Location in Walton County
• Names of people involved if known
• Report number or case number if available

Processing times vary based on the request. Simple reports may be ready the same day or within a few days. Requests needing extensive searching or redaction can take a week or more. The Sheriff's Office will contact you about fees and when your records are ready in Walton County.

Note: Active criminal investigations may have restricted access until the case closes in Walton 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 including Walton County. If you need statewide criminal records or background checks, contact FDLE directly instead of the local Sheriff's Office.

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 Walton County. For incident reports created by Walton County deputies, you must contact the Sheriff's Office in DeFuniak Springs. 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 Walton County.

Traffic Crash Reports in Walton County

Crash reports in Walton County are filed with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. When deputies or highway patrol respond 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 60 days after the crash. During that time, only people involved in the crash, their legal representatives, insurance agents, and certain other authorized parties can get copies. After 60 days, crash reports become public and anyone can order them. This rule is in Florida Statute 316.066 for all crashes in Walton 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 Walton County.

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

What Police Records Include

Police records in Walton County include several document types. 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 deputy observed. Most incident reports are public once the initial investigation is complete in Walton County.

Arrest records show when someone is taken into custody. The Walton County jail creates booking records with photos, fingerprints, charges, and bond information. Many sheriff offices post booking logs online. You can search by name to find recent arrests in Walton County. Arrest reports from deputies 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 Walton County.

Police records in Walton County typically contain:

• Report number and date created
• Incident type and classification
• When and where it occurred
• Names and roles of involved parties
• Deputy narrative and observations
• Witness accounts
• Evidence collected at scene

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 Walton County records.

Records Fees in Walton County

Walton County charges fees for public records based on Florida law. The standard cost 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, the agency may charge for labor at the actual hourly cost of the employee handling the request in Walton County.

Simple requests often have minimal 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. The Sheriff's Office should provide a cost estimate before processing a complex request in Walton County.

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

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 Walton 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 Walton 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 Walton 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 Walton County.

Related Records in Walton County

The Clerk of Court in Walton 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 DeFuniak Springs.

The Walton County jail posts inmate information for current detainees. 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 out if someone is detained. For information about past inmates, contact the jail records office in Walton County directly.

The Florida Department of Corrections maintains records for state prison inmates. If someone was convicted of a felony in Walton 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 Walton County and sent to Florida state prisons.

Cities in Walton County

Walton County includes several beach communities and inland towns. DeFuniak Springs is the county seat. Law enforcement throughout Walton County is provided by the Sheriff's Office. Most areas are unincorporated, so the Sheriff handles police services. All police records for incidents anywhere in Walton County are maintained by the Sheriff's Office in DeFuniak Springs.

Communities in Walton County include DeFuniak Springs, Freeport, Paxton, Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Sandestin, Miramar Beach, and Inlet Beach. For police records from any location in the county, contact the Walton County Sheriff's Office. Deputies patrol all areas including beach towns and rural communities.

Nearby Counties

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