Fort Lauderdale Police Blotter

Fort Lauderdale police blotter records track daily law enforcement activity in Broward County's county seat. Fort Lauderdale Police Department maintains incident reports, arrest records, and crash documentation for city limits while Broward Sheriff's Office serves county areas. The police blotter includes arrests made by FLPD officers, traffic crashes investigated within Fort Lauderdale, case files from criminal investigations, and responses to calls across the city from the beach to downtown and residential areas. Request police blotter records from the Records Unit at 1515 West Cypress Creek Road or call 954-828-5465 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Under Florida's Chapter 119 public records law, most police documents are available to anyone.

Fort Lauderdale Police Department Records Unit

Fort Lauderdale Police Department serves a population over 190,000 within city boundaries. The department operates from 1515 West Cypress Creek Road and handles patrol, investigations, and traffic enforcement for Fort Lauderdale. FLPD maintains all incident reports and police blotter records for incidents in their jurisdiction. The Records Unit processes public information requests from residents, attorneys, insurance companies, and researchers.

Call 954-828-5465 to reach the Records Unit during business hours Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Records are available by mail or in person only. The department does not accept requests by phone, email, or fax. This policy ensures proper documentation of all records requests and accurate processing.

For accident reports, you must provide a notarized sworn statement proving you are an authorized party. The fee is $0.15 per single-sided page, $0.20 per double-sided page, and $1.00 per certified page. Fort Lauderdale PD follows strict procedures to comply with Florida's public records law and crash report confidentiality requirements.

How to Request Fort Lauderdale Police Records

Contact the Records Unit at 954-828-5465 during business hours to learn about the request process. Staff can explain what information you need to provide but cannot accept requests over the phone. You must submit requests in person or by mail to ensure proper documentation and processing.

In-person visits to FLPD Records Unit allow you to submit requests directly to staff. Bring all information that helps identify the incident or arrest including dates, locations, names, and case numbers. For accident reports, bring a notarized sworn statement on the required form. Staff will process your request and provide available documents according to public records law.

Mail requests to Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Records Unit, 1515 West Cypress Creek Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. Include a detailed description of the records you want with dates, locations, and names. For crash reports, include your notarized sworn statement. Provide your contact information and preferred delivery method. Include payment or payment information if prepayment is required.

For crash reports after the 60-day confidentiality period, use the Florida Crash Portal at services.flhsmv.gov/CrashReportPurchasing. The state system charges $10 per report plus $2 online fee. This option provides faster service than requesting directly from police departments for crashes more than 60 days old.

Types of Police Records Available

Incident reports document police responses across Fort Lauderdale. Officers write reports after handling crimes, accidents, disturbances, and other events. Each report includes date, time, and location. It lists people involved and witnesses. Officer narratives describe what occurred. Incident reports are public unless exemptions apply.

Arrest records show when FLPD arrests someone. Booking information includes name, mugshot, charges, bond, and booking date. Broward County jail maintains booking records and posts arrests online. You can search by name or date to find arrest information through the Broward Sheriff's Office website.

Case files contain multiple documents. Supplemental reports add details as cases develop. Detective notes track investigations. Witness statements provide testimony. Evidence logs list collected items. Active cases remain confidential. Closed cases become public with redactions.

Accident reports require a notarized sworn statement to obtain. Fort Lauderdale PD enforces the 60-day confidentiality rule strictly. Only authorized parties can access crash reports during the confidential period. After 60 days, reports become publicly available through proper request channels.

Broward County and Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale is the county seat of Broward County. Broward Sheriff's Office serves unincorporated areas and many municipalities under contract. If an incident occurred outside Fort Lauderdale city limits, contact Broward Sheriff's Office instead of FLPD.

Broward Sheriff's Office operates a public records portal using GovQA at the sheriff's website. For information on police blotter records throughout Broward County, visit the Broward County Police Blotter page. Understanding jurisdiction helps you request records from the correct agency.

Fees and Processing

Fort Lauderdale charges $0.15 per single-sided page, $0.20 per double-sided page, and $1.00 per certified page. These rates follow Florida's standard fee schedule. Service charges may apply for requests requiring extensive staff time exceeding 15 minutes.

Payment methods include cash, money order, business check, or credit card with a processing fee. Personal checks may not be accepted. Confirm payment types when submitting requests. Processing times vary by complexity. Simple requests take days while complex requests take weeks.

Public Records Law

Chapter 119 of Florida Statutes governs public records. The law establishes rights to inspect and copy police documents. Some records are exempt under Florida Statutes Section 119.071 including active investigations and victim identities in certain crimes.

You do not need to identify yourself or state why you want records. If FLPD denies a request improperly, contact the Attorney General's mediation program at 850-245-0140. Visit myfloridalegal.com/open-government for guidance.

Additional Resources

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement at fdle.state.fl.us maintains statewide criminal records. For crash data, visit flhsmv.gov/traffic-crash-reports. The Sunshine Manual at myfloridalegal.com/open-government/sunshine-manual explains public records law in detail.