Police Records in Highland County
Highland County police records are available through the Sheriff's Office at 130 Homestead Drive in Hillsboro. You can search for incident reports, crash data, arrest files, and jail booking records by contacting the office in person or by phone. Highland County has several police departments beyond the Sheriff, including the Hillsboro Police Department, Lynchburg Police, Leesburg Police, and Mowrystown Police. Each keeps its own records for calls within their jurisdictions. Ohio law gives you the right to ask for police records from any of these agencies without giving a reason.
Highland County Police Records Overview
Highland County Sheriff's Office Records
The Highland County Sheriff's Office is at 130 Homestead Drive in Hillsboro. It is the main source for police records in the county. The office keeps incident reports, accident reports, arrest records, and jail data. Business hours are Monday through Friday during regular hours.
To get Highland County police records, contact the Sheriff at (937) 393-1421 or visit in person during business hours. The office does not have an online portal, so requests are handled by phone, mail, or walk-in. Bring whatever details you have about the case you are looking for. Dates, names, and locations all help. A report number is best if you have one. Standard copy fees apply for paper records.
Highland County has multiple police departments. The Hillsboro Police Department handles city incidents at (937) 393-3411. Lynchburg Police, Leesburg Police, and Mowrystown Police all maintain their own files for calls within their towns. If you are not sure which agency responded to a particular call, start with the Sheriff's Office. They can usually point you in the right direction.
How to Get Highland County Police Records
Ohio law makes this easy. Under ORC 149.43, anyone can request police records. No name needed. No reason required. The Highland County Sheriff must provide copies within a reasonable time. Charges are limited to the actual cost of copies.
For crash reports in Highland County, the Ohio Crash Retrieval System should be your first stop. This free state database holds accident reports from the Sheriff and other agencies. Wait seven business days after the crash before you look. Reports can take up to six weeks to appear. If the report is not posted, try BuyCrash.com or call the Sheriff's Office. For crashes inside Hillsboro, call the Hillsboro Police Department since they handle their own reports for calls within city limits.
Arrest records need a direct request. Call or visit the Sheriff's Office with your case details. The Clerk of Court also handles some records requests for Highland County.
Highland County Police Records Access
Highland County works with state systems for online police records access. The screenshot below shows the Ohio public records system used by agencies statewide, including Highland County.
You can use this tool to look up crash reports filed by the Highland County Sheriff and other local agencies. The state also runs the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction offender search, which covers state prison inmates. For local jail data in Highland County, contact the Sheriff directly.
Highland County Jail Records
The Highland County Jail holds people arrested by the Sheriff and local police departments. Jail records are public. They show custody status, charges, bond amounts, and booking dates.
Booking photos, charge sheets, and bond information are part of the jail file. Medical records and security procedures are not public and get redacted from any release. The Sheriff's Office processes releases and handles transport to court in Hillsboro. The jail serves the whole county, holding people arrested by the Hillsboro PD, Lynchburg Police, and other local agencies. For inmates transferred to state prison, use the Ohio DRC offender search to track their status.
Note: Highland County police records from active investigations may be withheld under Ohio's confidential law enforcement investigatory records exception.
Court Records in Highland County
The Highland County Clerk of Courts keeps records for the Court of Common Pleas in Hillsboro. This court handles felony cases from the Sheriff and local police. Court files include indictments, plea deals, trial transcripts, and sentencing orders.
You can inspect court records at the Clerk's Office for free during business hours. Copies have a per-page fee. The Ohio Supreme Court case management system has records back to 1985 searchable by name or case number. This is useful for looking up Highland County criminal cases from home.
State Resources for Highland County
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation runs the state criminal history database. BCI background checks cost $22 state, $35 FBI, $60 combined. The Ohio eSORN registry tracks sex offenders by name or zip code.
The Ohio Sunshine Laws Manual covers what police records are public and what is exempt. Body camera footage from Highland County agencies falls under Ohio House Bill 315, with fees capped at $75 per hour and $750 per request. The Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services publishes Highland County crime data and Uniform Crime Reports.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Highland and may have records you are searching for.