St. Johns County Police Blotter Information

St. Johns County police blotter records come from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Robert A. Hardwick and headquartered at 4015 Lewis Speedway in St. Augustine. The agency provides law enforcement services throughout the county and processes all public records requests through their main office. You can search police blotter information by submitting online records requests through sjso.org or calling (904) 824-8304 during regular business hours. These records include incident reports, arrest documents, booking logs, traffic crash reports, and daily law enforcement activity across St. Johns County. The city of St. Augustine operates its own police department at 151 King Street with phone number (904) 825-1070, maintaining separate records for incidents within city limits.

How to Get Police Records

Visit the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office at 4015 Lewis Speedway in St. Augustine to request police blotter records in person. The main office handles all records requests for incidents involving sheriff's deputies. Staff can help you locate specific reports and explain what information is available. Bring identification and details about the incident you're researching.

Online records requests are available through the sheriff's website at sjso.org. The site includes forms and instructions for electronic submission. Provide as much detail as possible: incident dates, locations, names of people involved, case numbers if known, and descriptions of what occurred. Detailed requests are processed faster than broad searches.

Call (904) 824-8304 to reach the main office and ask about public records. Staff will direct you to the appropriate department based on your request. Phone requests work well for simple inquiries but complex searches may require written submission or in-person visits.

If an incident occurred within St. Augustine city limits, contact the St. Augustine Police Department directly. Their office is at 151 King Street and the phone number is (904) 825-1070. Cities with their own police departments maintain separate records systems from the county sheriff.

Sheriff's Office vs City Police

St. Johns County has two primary law enforcement agencies. The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office serves unincorporated areas and provides contract law enforcement to some cities. Sheriff Robert A. Hardwick oversees operations from the main office at 4015 Lewis Speedway. All reports filed by sheriff's deputies are stored in the county records system.

The St. Augustine Police Department operates independently within city limits. Their headquarters sits at 151 King Street in St. Augustine. The city police handle law enforcement inside St. Augustine and maintain their own records. For incidents within the city, contact the St. Augustine Police Department at (904) 825-1070 rather than the sheriff's office.

Knowing which agency responded to an incident helps direct records requests to the right place. If you're not sure which agency handled an incident, start with the sheriff's office. They can tell you if the incident falls within their jurisdiction or if you need to contact a city police department instead.

Types of Police Blotter Records

Incident reports document calls for service and law enforcement responses throughout St. Johns County. Each report includes the date, time, and location of the incident along with names of involved parties, witness statements, and officer narratives. Reports cover crimes, traffic crashes, disturbances, welfare checks, and other police activities.

Arrest records show booking information for people taken into custody by sheriff's deputies. They contain personal details, charges filed, arresting officer, booking date and time, bond amounts set by magistrates, and booking photos. Arrest records become public once booking is complete, though portions related to active investigations may be temporarily withheld under Florida law.

Traffic crash reports filed by deputies include driver information, vehicle details, crash diagrams, contributing factors, and detailed narratives. Deputies complete long-form crash reports for accidents meeting specific criteria. Under Florida Statute 316.066, crash reports with injuries remain confidential for 60 days. After that period, anyone can purchase them through the Florida Crash Portal.

Call logs show when people contact the sheriff's office and what type of assistance was requested. Booking logs document daily arrests. Warrant information shows active warrants issued by county courts. All these record types are subject to Florida's public records law with specific exemptions for protected information.

Records Request Process

Public records requests should include specific details to help staff locate documents. Provide incident dates, locations, names of people involved, and case numbers if you have them. Vague or overly broad requests take longer to process and may cost more.

The sheriff's office reviews all requests to determine what records exist and whether any exemptions apply. Active criminal investigations are often partially or fully exempt from disclosure. Personal information about law enforcement officers is redacted. Victim names in certain cases are protected. The agency explains any denials or redactions in writing.

Simple requests are usually provided at no cost or minimal fees. Complex requests requiring extensive staff time are billed based on actual costs. Copy fees are $0.15 per single-sided page and $0.20 per double-sided page. Electronic delivery may reduce costs. Payment must be made before records are released.

Processing times vary based on request complexity and staff workload. Simple requests for specific reports may be fulfilled quickly. Broad searches covering long time periods or multiple incidents take longer. The sheriff's office provides estimates when possible.

Note: Same-day fulfillment is not guaranteed for most records requests.

Florida Public Records Law

All St. Johns County police blotter records fall under Chapter 119 of Florida Statutes, which establishes the right of every person to inspect and copy public records. Government agencies must respond to requests promptly and provide access unless specific exemptions apply. The law favors public disclosure with limited exceptions.

Several exemptions protect certain information from disclosure under Florida Statutes Section 119.071. Active criminal investigative information remains confidential until investigations close or become inactive. Victim identities in sexual offense cases are protected. Home addresses and personal phone numbers of law enforcement officers are exempt. Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and other sensitive personal data are removed from public records.

Agencies must provide written justification for denying access to records. Requesters can challenge denials through legal action. Florida courts have consistently interpreted the public records law broadly to favor access.

The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office website serves as the primary portal for submitting public records requests and accessing information about the agency. The site includes contact details for various departments, forms for requesting records, and updates on law enforcement activities throughout St. Johns County. Online request forms allow residents to submit detailed information about the records they need without visiting the office in person.

Nearby Counties

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