View Hernando County Police Blotter

The Hernando County Sheriff's Office at 18900 Cortez Boulevard in Brooksville maintains police blotter records for the entire county. These records include incident reports, arrest records, traffic crash reports, and daily booking logs documenting law enforcement activity across Hernando County. You can request police blotter information by contacting the sheriff's office or visiting their facility in Brooksville. The sheriff's office provides online records request options and maintains databases for arrest searches, crime mapping, and warrant searches. Records contain deputy responses to calls, investigations, arrests, crash reports, and other public safety documentation from throughout the county. Florida public records law grants any person the right to inspect and copy these documents unless they contain information protected by a specific exemption.

Accessing Hernando County Police Records

Call the Hernando County Sheriff's Office at (352) 754-6830 to request public records. Explain what type of record you need and provide all details you have about the incident. Include the date, location, names of people involved, and a case number if available. The more specific your request, the faster staff can process it.

The sheriff's office offers online records requests through their website at hernandosheriff.org. This system allows you to submit requests electronically and track their status. Online requests are often processed faster than phone or in-person requests because they go directly to the records division.

You can also visit the sheriff's office at 18900 Cortez Boulevard in Brooksville. Bring photo ID and fill out a public records request form. Staff will review your request and provide an estimate of processing time and cost. Most requests take a few days to complete because staff must locate records, review for exempt information, and redact confidential data.

The sheriff's office maintains online databases for public use. The arrest search database shows recent bookings. The crime mapping tool displays incident locations. The warrant search database lists active warrants. These tools provide free access to some police blotter information without submitting a formal records request.

For traffic crash reports less than 60 days old, only authorized parties can get copies. After 60 days, anyone can purchase crash reports through the Florida Crash Portal for $10 per report plus $2 online fee.

Hernando County Sheriff's Office Details

The sheriff's office is located at 18900 Cortez Boulevard in Brooksville. This central facility handles all law enforcement operations for Hernando County including patrol, investigations, records management, and jail operations. Sheriff Al Nienhuis leads the agency.

Call (352) 754-6830 to reach the main office. This number connects to dispatch and administrative staff who can direct your call to the right department. For public records requests, you can use the online portal or ask to speak with someone in the records division.

The official website at hernandosheriff.org provides extensive online services. You can search for arrests, view crime maps, check for warrants, and submit records requests electronically. The website is a primary tool for accessing police blotter information in Hernando County.

What Information Police Blotter Records Contain

Police blotter records in Hernando County document all law enforcement activity. Incident reports are the core record type. These reports detail calls for service, crimes reported, investigations, and arrests. Each incident report includes the date and time, location, people involved, witness statements, evidence collected, and the deputy's narrative of what happened.

Arrest records show who was taken into custody. When someone is arrested and booked into the Hernando County Jail, a booking record is created with their name, date of birth, physical description, booking photo, charges filed, arresting officer, and bond amount. You can search arrest records online through the sheriff's office website.

Traffic crash reports filed by Hernando County deputies contain driver information, vehicle details, crash diagrams, contributing factors, weather conditions, road conditions, injuries, and the deputy's analysis of the crash. These reports are used by insurance companies, attorneys, and others involved in crash-related matters.

Note: Active criminal investigative information remains confidential until investigations conclude or become inactive.

Types of Police Blotter Records Available

Daily booking logs show who was arrested and booked into jail. These logs include names, booking times, charges, and custody status. The sheriff's office provides an online arrest search tool that displays recent bookings. This free database lets you search by name or date without submitting a formal records request.

Offense reports document specific crimes and incidents. Burglary reports, theft reports, battery reports, and other crime documentation are maintained in the records system. Each offense report contains victim information, suspect descriptions, witness statements, property descriptions, and investigative findings. Some details may be redacted to protect victim identities.

Crime mapping data shows incident locations across Hernando County. The sheriff's office provides a crime mapping tool that displays recent incidents on a map. You can filter by date, location, and incident type. This tool gives you a visual overview of police blotter activity without requesting individual reports.

Public Records Fees

Hernando County charges fees based on Florida public records law. Copy fees are $0.15 per single-sided page and $0.20 per double-sided page. These are the statutory maximum rates. The sheriff's office cannot charge more than these amounts for standard paper copies.

Labor fees apply when requests require extensive staff time. The first 15 minutes of search and review time are often free. Requests taking longer are charged at the hourly compensation rate of the employee performing the work. This includes time locating records, reviewing for exempt information, redacting confidential data, and preparing copies.

Payment is due before records are released. Cash is typically accepted. Money orders and business checks may be accepted. Personal checks might not be taken. Some agencies accept credit cards but charge a processing fee. Ask about payment methods when you submit your request.

Florida Public Records Law

All police blotter records in Hernando County are subject to Chapter 119 of Florida Statutes. This law grants every person the right to inspect and copy public records. The sheriff's office must acknowledge requests promptly and respond in good faith. Agencies cannot unreasonably delay or deny access to non-exempt records.

Exemptions exist for certain information. Florida Statutes Section 119.071 lists exemptions including active criminal investigative information, social security numbers, bank account numbers, home addresses of law enforcement officers, and other sensitive data. The sheriff's office must identify the specific exemption and redact only the exempt portions.

Traffic crash reports follow Florida Statute 316.066. Crash reports are confidential for 60 days after filing. Unauthorized disclosure during this period is a third-degree felony. After 60 days, reports become public and can be purchased through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for $10 per report plus $2 online convenience fee.

Nearby Counties

Hernando County borders several other Florida counties, each with their own sheriff's office and records systems: