Cleveland Police Records

Cleveland police records are managed by the Division of Police Records File Section at the Justice Center on Ontario Street. You can get accident reports, crime reports, arrest files, and 911 call logs from this office. Cleveland is the second largest city in Ohio and sits in Cuyahoga County. The city keeps its own police records separate from the county sheriff. Under ORC 149.43, anyone can ask for these files. You do not need to give a reason. Walk-in, phone, and mail requests are all accepted at the Justice Center location.

Cleveland Division of Police Records

The Cleveland Division of Police Records File Section is on the 3rd floor of the Justice Center at 1300 Ontario Street, Cleveland, OH 44113. The office has several phone lines. Public Records: (216) 623-5352. Accident Records: (216) 623-5269. Report Review: (216) 623-5278. The non-emergency line is (216) 621-1234.

Walk-in hours are limited. You can visit in person on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Phone hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The office takes written requests by mail if you cannot come in person. When you visit, bring your ID and any case numbers or report numbers you have. The clerk will pull the file while you wait if it is a recent case.

Cleveland police records include accident and crime reports, department policies, budget data, 911 call recordings, crime statistics, and body camera footage. EMS patient care records cost $5 per patient per day. Other copy fees vary by document type. The office does not post a full fee schedule online, so call ahead if cost is a concern.

Cleveland Accident Reports

Cleveland accident reports have their own process. You can get them online through the Cleveland accident reports page or through the Ohio Crash Retrieval System. The state system is free. Wait at least seven business days after the crash before you search. Reports can take up to six weeks to show up.

BuyCrash.com is another option for Cleveland crash reports. This site pulls from the same state database but offers a different search interface. You can search by name, date, or location. If the report is not in any online system yet, call the Accident Records line at (216) 623-5269. They can check if the report has been filed and give you a timeline for when it will be ready.

Crime Reports in Cleveland

For crime and incident reports, you need to go to the 3rd floor of the Justice Center. These records are not in the state crash system. You must visit in person or send a written request by mail. Include the date of the incident, the location, and any names tied to the case. A report number helps if you have one.

Cleveland also offers online crime reporting for certain non-emergency incidents. This is for filing a report, not for getting copies of existing ones. If your car was broken into or you had property stolen and there are no suspects, you can file online instead of calling. The police will create a report and assign a case number. You can then request a copy of that report through the Records File Section later.

Cuyahoga County and Cleveland Records

Cleveland sits in Cuyahoga County. The city runs its own police department, but the county plays a role in records too. The Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office handles police records for unincorporated parts of the county. If something happened outside Cleveland city limits but still in the county, the Sheriff's Office is the place to call.

Felony cases from Cleveland go through the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. Court records there include indictments, plea agreements, trial transcripts, and sentencing orders. Misdemeanor cases and traffic violations stay in Cleveland Municipal Court. Both courts keep their own records. If you need the original police report, that comes from the Division of Police. If you need court filings, go to the Clerk of Courts for the right court.

Cleveland Police Records Online Tools

The Ohio Department of Public Safety runs a statewide crash report search that covers Cleveland and all Ohio cities. The image below shows the state portal.

Use this tool to search for crash reports filed by Cleveland police. For other record types like incident reports, arrest records, and 911 audio, contact the Cleveland Division of Police Records File Section directly at (216) 623-5352.

State Tools for Cleveland Records

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation maintains the state criminal history database. BCI checks cost $22 for state, $35 for FBI, $60 for both. The WebCheck system processes electronic fingerprints and returns results in three to five business days. This is the route for formal background checks in Ohio.

The Ohio eSORN registry covers sex offenders in the Cleveland area. Search by name, address, or zip code. Tier 2 and Tier 3 offenders appear in the public database. The ODRC offender search shows who is in state prison from Cuyahoga County. It does not cover the county jail or city holding cells.

Body camera and dash camera footage from Cleveland police falls under Ohio House Bill 315 rules. The city can charge up to $75 per hour for redaction work, with a $750 cap per request. A written cost estimate is required before work begins. The Ohio Sunshine Laws Manual covers the full rules on video records and exemptions. Crime victims may be able to get footage from their cases at no charge.

Cleveland Crime Statistics

The Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services publishes crime data for Cleveland. Reports cover violent crime, property crime, drug offenses, and domestic violence. This data gives you context beyond a single police report.

Cleveland also tracks its own crime stats through the Division of Police. Budget data and policy documents are public records too. If you need department-wide data for research or reporting, the Records File Section can point you to the right files.

Nearby Cities

These cities near Cleveland also have police records pages you can search.