Highlands County Police Blotter Access

The Highlands County Sheriff's Office at 400 South Eucalyptus Street in Sebring maintains police blotter records for the county. These records include incident reports, arrest documentation, traffic crash reports, and daily booking logs from law enforcement activity across Highlands County. You can request police blotter information by contacting the sheriff's office or visiting their Sebring facility during business hours. The sheriff's office provides online records request options and maintains databases for inmate searches and crime reports. Police blotter records document deputy responses to calls, investigations conducted, arrests made, crash reports filed, and other public safety activity throughout the county. Florida public records law allows any person to inspect and copy these documents unless they contain information protected by a specific legal exemption.

Requesting Police Blotter Records

Call the Highlands County Sheriff's Office at (863) 402-7200 to start a public records request. Tell staff what type of record you need and provide all details you have. Include the date of the incident, location, names of people involved, and a case number if available. Specific requests are processed faster than broad searches.

The sheriff's office offers online records requests through their website at highlandssheriff.org. This electronic system allows you to submit requests and track their progress. Online requests often get processed more quickly because they go directly to the records division without phone or walk-in delays.

Visit the sheriff's office at 400 South Eucalyptus Street in Sebring to submit a request in person. Bring photo ID and complete a public records request form. Staff will review your request and provide an estimate of how long it will take and what it will cost. Most requests take several days because staff must locate records, review for exempt information, and redact confidential data.

The sheriff's office maintains online databases for public use. The inmate search database shows current jail population and booking information. The crime reports database provides access to some incident information. These free tools let you access certain police blotter data without filing a formal records request.

Traffic crash reports are confidential for 60 days after filing. During this period, only authorized parties can access them. After 60 days, anyone can purchase crash reports through the Florida Crash Portal for $10 per report plus $2 online fee.

Highlands County Sheriff's Office

The sheriff's office is at 400 South Eucalyptus Street in Sebring. This central facility handles all law enforcement operations for Highlands County including patrol, investigations, records management, and jail operations. Sheriff Paul Blackman leads the agency.

Reach the main office at (863) 402-7200. This number connects to dispatch and administrative staff who can direct your call to the appropriate 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 highlandssheriff.org provides online services including inmate search, crime reports, and records requests. The website is a primary resource for accessing police blotter information in Highlands County.

Online Sheriff's Office Resources

The Highlands County Sheriff's Office website serves as the main online portal for agency information and services.

Use the website to access online databases, submit records requests, and find contact information for different divisions within the sheriff's office.

What Police Blotter Records Include

Police blotter records in Highlands County document all law enforcement activity. Incident reports are the primary 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 Highlands 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 inmate records online through the sheriff's office website.

Traffic crash reports filed by Highlands 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 legal and insurance matters.

Note: The sheriff's office must redact exempt information before releasing records to the public.

Types of Police Blotter Information

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 inmate search tool that displays current jail population and recent bookings. This free database lets you search for arrest information without submitting a formal records request.

Offense reports document specific crimes and incidents. Burglary reports, theft reports, battery reports, and other crime documentation are stored 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 in sensitive cases.

Crime reports available through the online database provide summary information about incidents. These reports show basic details like date, location, and incident type. For complete reports with full narratives and details, you need to submit a formal records request to the sheriff's office.

Public Records Fees

Highlands County follows Florida statutory fee limits. Copy fees are $0.15 per single-sided page and $0.20 per double-sided page. These are the maximum rates allowed under state law. The sheriff's office cannot charge more than these amounts for standard paper copies of records.

Labor fees apply when requests require extensive staff time. The first 15 minutes of search and review time are typically 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. You will receive a cost estimate before extensive work begins.

Payment is due before records are released. Cash is usually 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 so you are prepared when records are ready.

Florida Public Records Law

All police blotter records in Highlands County are governed by 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. The rest must be released.

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

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