Akron Police Records

Akron police records are managed by the Akron Police Department Records Room at 217 South High Street. The department has an online lookup tool that lets you search offense reports and crash reports without visiting the office. Akron sits in Summit County in northeast Ohio and is the fifth largest city in the state. Ohio's public records law, ORC 149.43, gives anyone the right to ask for police records held by the department. No reason is needed. You can search online, call, email, or walk in to get what you need.

Akron Police Department Records Room

The Akron Police Department Records Room is at 217 South High Street, Room 208, Akron, OH 44308. The main phone for the Records Room is (330) 375-2950. The department's main line is (330) 375-2552. You can also email apdrecordsroom@akronohio.gov with questions or requests.

Walk-in visits are welcome during business hours. Bring your ID and any report numbers or case details you have. The clerk can pull recent files while you wait. For older records, it may take a day or two. The department has a public records request policy posted on its website that spells out the process and your rights under Ohio law. Copy fees apply but contact the office for current pricing since the department does not list exact amounts online.

Available records include offense reports, crash reports, and general offense reports. The term "general offense report" is what Akron uses for incident reports covering crimes like theft, burglary, assault, and other offenses. These are public records unless they fall under an active investigation exemption.

Akron Police Online Lookup Tool

Akron has a free online lookup tool at online.akronohio.gov/APDOnline/Lookup. The screenshot below shows the search page.

This tool lets you search offense reports and crash reports by report number, date, name, or address. It is one of the better online search tools offered by an Ohio city. You can see basic report information without leaving your house. If you need a full copy of the report, the lookup gives you the details you need to request one from the Records Room.

Crash reports are also available through the Ohio DPS Crash Retrieval System and BuyCrash.com. Wait at least seven business days after the crash before searching. Some reports take up to six weeks to show up in the state database. If you cannot find your report online, call the Akron Records Room at (330) 375-2950.

Summit County and Akron Records

Akron is the county seat of Summit County. The city runs its own police department and keeps its own records. The Summit County Sheriff's Office handles records for areas outside Akron's city limits. If an incident happened in an unincorporated area of the county, the Sheriff is the one to contact.

Felony cases from Akron go through the Summit County Court of Common Pleas. The Clerk of Courts keeps court records separate from the police department. Misdemeanor cases and traffic violations stay in Akron Municipal Court. If you need the police report, go to the Akron Police Records Room. For court records like indictments and sentencing orders, contact the Summit County Clerk of Courts. These are two different offices with two different sets of files.

Body Camera Footage in Akron

Akron police body camera and dash camera footage is available under Ohio public records law. Ohio House Bill 315 sets the rules. The department can charge up to $75 per hour for reviewing and redacting video before release. The maximum charge is $750 per request. They must give you a written cost estimate before starting.

Crime victims can often get footage from their own cases at no cost. Marsy's Law protections require that victim identifying information be redacted from video before public release. The Ohio Sunshine Laws Manual covers the full rules for body camera footage requests, including what counts as a mandatory exemption versus a discretionary one. The 2024 edition of the manual added new guidance on law enforcement video records.

State Tools for Akron Police Records

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation runs the state criminal history database. BCI checks cost $22 for state, $35 for FBI, $60 for both. Results come through the WebCheck system in three to five business days. This is the formal background check route in Ohio.

The Ohio eSORN registry shows sex offenders in the Akron area. Tier 2 and Tier 3 offenders are in the public database. The ODRC offender search covers state inmates from Summit County. It does not cover the county jail or the Akron city holding facility. The Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services publishes crime data for Akron covering violent crime, property crime, and drug offenses.

Nearby Cities

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