Tallahassee Police Records

Tallahassee police blotter records document law enforcement activity in Florida's capital city. Tallahassee Police Department maintains incident reports, arrest records, and crash documentation for city limits while Leon County Sheriff's Office serves county areas. The police blotter includes arrests made by TPD officers, traffic crashes investigated within Tallahassee, case files from investigations, and responses to calls across neighborhoods from Midtown to downtown and residential areas. Request police blotter records from the department at 234 E. 7th Avenue or call 850-891-4200 during business hours. Under Florida's Chapter 119 public records law, most police documents are available to anyone who submits a request.

Tallahassee Police Department Records

Tallahassee Police Department serves the capital city with a population over 205,000. The department operates from headquarters at 234 E. 7th Avenue and handles patrol, investigations, and traffic enforcement for Tallahassee. TPD maintains all incident reports and police blotter records for incidents in their jurisdiction. The records division processes public information requests from residents, attorneys, insurance companies, and researchers.

Call 850-891-4200 to reach TPD's main phone line. Staff can direct you to the records division or appropriate unit for your request type. Phone calls help clarify what documents are available and what information you should provide. Some requests can be handled by phone while others require in-person visits or written submissions.

Tallahassee PD maintains incident reports, arrest records, case files, and traffic crash reports. These documents form the core of the police blotter for the city. Each record type has different access rules under Florida law. Active investigations remain confidential until cases close or become inactive. Closed cases become public with limited exemptions for victim privacy.

How to Request Tallahassee Police Records

Contact Tallahassee PD at 850-891-4200 to start the records request process. Explain what type of record you need and provide details like dates, locations, names of people involved, and any case or incident numbers you have. Records staff will tell you how to submit a formal request and estimate costs. The more specific your request, the faster staff can locate documents.

In-person visits to TPD headquarters allow you to speak directly with records division staff. Bring all information that helps identify the incident or arrest you're researching. Staff search their database and provide documents that are publicly available under Florida law. Simple requests may be filled the same day while complex requests requiring review take longer.

For traffic crash reports, use the Florida Crash Portal at services.flhsmv.gov/CrashReportPurchasing after the 60-day confidentiality period ends. The state system charges $10 per report plus $2 online fee. You need the crash date, location, and at least one driver name to search the database.

Within the first 60 days after a crash, only authorized parties can access reports under Florida Statute 316.066. This includes drivers involved, their attorneys, and insurance representatives. You must prove authorization with a sworn affidavit on form HSMV-94010. Unauthorized disclosure during this period is a third-degree felony with serious criminal penalties.

Types of Police Records in Tallahassee

Incident reports document police responses to calls throughout Tallahassee. Officers write reports after handling crimes, accidents, disturbances, and other events. Each report includes date, time, and location information. It lists people involved, witnesses, and victims. Officer narratives describe what occurred and what actions were taken. Incident reports are public unless specific exemptions apply.

Arrest records show when TPD arrests someone. Booking information includes the arrestee's name, mugshot, charges filed, bond amount, and booking date and time. Leon County jail maintains booking records and posts recent arrests online. You can search by name or booking date to find arrest information.

Case files may contain multiple documents beyond the initial incident report. Supplemental reports add details as investigations progress. Detective notes track investigative steps. Witness statements provide testimony. Evidence logs list collected items. Active case files remain confidential. Closed cases become public with redactions for protected information.

Traffic crash reports are confidential for 60 days after filing under Florida Statute 316.066. After the confidentiality period expires, anyone can purchase crash reports through the state portal or request them from the investigating agency. Long-form reports include detailed crash diagrams and contributing factors.

Leon County and Tallahassee Police Records

Tallahassee is located in Leon County, which operates its own sheriff's office for unincorporated areas. Leon County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement outside city police department jurisdictions. If an incident occurred outside Tallahassee city limits, contact the sheriff's office instead of TPD for records.

The sheriff's office maintains separate records from city police departments. For comprehensive information on police blotter records throughout Leon County, visit the Leon County Police Blotter page. Understanding which agency responded to an incident helps you request records from the correct department.

Fees and Processing Times

Tallahassee follows Florida's standard fee schedule for public records. Paper copies cost $0.15 per single-sided page or $0.20 per double-sided page. Certified copies add $1 per page for official verification. Electronic records on CD or DVD typically cost $1 per disc. These basic fees apply to most record requests.

Service charges apply when requests require extensive staff time exceeding 15 minutes. Agencies calculate labor charges based on employee hourly rates including benefits. Large requests involving searches through multiple files generate higher service charges. You receive cost estimates before staff begins work on time-consuming requests.

Payment methods typically include cash, money order, business check, or credit card with a processing fee. Personal checks may not be accepted. Call ahead to confirm accepted payment types before visiting to pick up records.

Processing times vary by request complexity. Simple incident reports may be available within days. Requests requiring legal review or extensive redaction take longer. Complex requests can take several weeks during busy periods.

Florida Public Records Law

Chapter 119 of Florida Statutes governs all public records including police blotter documents. The law establishes that every person has the right to inspect and copy public records. Agencies must provide access during regular business hours. They can charge reasonable fees but cannot deny access based on inability to pay.

Exemptions from disclosure appear in Florida Statutes Section 119.071. Active criminal investigations remain confidential until cases close. Victim identities in sexual offense cases are protected. Personal information about law enforcement officers is exempt. Tallahassee PD must redact exempt information and release non-exempt portions.

You do not need to identify yourself or explain why you want public records. Florida law protects anonymous access to government information. Agencies cannot require you to state how you will use records. This ensures broad public oversight of police operations.

If TPD denies a records request improperly, contact the Florida Attorney General's mediation program at 850-245-0140. The AG provides voluntary mediation to resolve disputes. Visit myfloridalegal.com/open-government for guidance.

Additional Resources

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement at fdle.state.fl.us maintains statewide criminal records. FDLE serves as Florida's central repository for arrest histories and criminal charges. For crash data, visit Florida Highway Safety at flhsmv.gov/traffic-crash-reports. The Government in the Sunshine Manual at myfloridalegal.com/open-government/sunshine-manual explains public records law comprehensively.

Note: Contact information provided to Tallahassee PD becomes a public record under Florida law.