Search Evansville Police Records

Evansville police records include incident reports, arrest logs, crash reports, and other law enforcement documents generated by the Evansville Police Department and Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office. As Indiana's third largest city, Evansville handles a significant volume of public records requests each year. You can get police records in person at the department, by mail, or through state-level portals. The process follows Indiana's Access to Public Records Act, which gives any person the right to request and receive public law enforcement records.

Evansville Police Department

The Evansville Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for the city. The department handles patrol operations, criminal investigations, and records management for incidents that occur within city limits. You can reach the records division directly at (812) 436-7956. For non-emergency matters, call that same line. The main department website is evansvillepolice.com, where you can find contact information, press releases, and department news.

The records division processes requests for incident reports, arrest documents, and related case files. In-person visits are typically the fastest way to get records. Staff can often pull straightforward reports within one business day. Written requests sent by mail fall under the standard 7-day APRA deadline. If you are unsure what type of document you need, calling the records line first can save time and help you prepare the right request.

The Evansville Police Department serves a city that spans much of the Vanderburgh County core. Some incidents near city limits may involve either city police or the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office, depending on jurisdiction. If you request a record and city police say they don't have it, check with the sheriff's office as well.

The Evansville Police Department's website links to the department's current news and public safety resources. The page shown below is the main public entry point for the department.

From this page you can find contact details for the records division, read recent department press releases, and navigate to community programs the department runs throughout the city.

How to Request Evansville Police Records

Evansville follows Indiana's Access to Public Records Act, found at IC 5-14-3. This law gives any person the right to inspect and copy public records held by a government agency. You don't need to say why you want the record. The agency must respond within 7 days. If they need more time, they must tell you in writing. Silence is treated as a denial.

You can submit a request in person, by mail, or by email. In-person requests at the records division on (812) 436-7956 are typically processed the fastest. Mail requests should include your name, a clear description of the record you want, the date of the incident, the case number if you have it, and a return address. Email requests are also accepted. Put your request in writing even when you call, since written records are easier to track.

Fees apply for copies. Indiana law allows agencies to charge reasonable fees for copying public records. The agency must tell you the fee before releasing documents. Some records, like body camera footage, may carry higher fees if redaction work is required under IC 5-14-3-5.1. Agencies can charge up to $150 in many jurisdictions for redacting video.

Certain records are not public. Ongoing investigations, confidential informant information, and juvenile records are exempt under IC 5-14-3-4. If your request is denied in whole or in part, the agency must put that in writing and explain which exemption applies.

Note: If your records request is denied and you believe that denial was improper, you can seek guidance from the Indiana Public Access Counselor at in.gov/pac.

Crash Reports in Evansville

Traffic accident reports filed by Evansville police are available through BuyCrash.com. The Indiana State Police maintains a central repository for all crash reports filed by Indiana law enforcement, and BuyCrash is the public access portal for that system. You will need the report number, the names of the parties involved, and the date of the crash.

Crash reports are a separate record type from incident reports. They are generated any time police respond to an accident. If Evansville police responded to the crash, the report should be available through BuyCrash. If the incident happened on a state highway and ISP responded instead, you would still use BuyCrash since it pulls from the same statewide database.

State Police Records Resources for Evansville

Several state tools can supplement what you find locally. The Indiana State Police runs the Limited Criminal History (LCH) search at in.gov/ai/appfiles/isp-lch. This covers felony and Class A misdemeanor arrests statewide. The fee is $15.70 by credit card or $7 by mail. Results show either "ON FILE," "NOT ON FILE," or "NO RECORDS FOUND." An "inconclusive" result means a fingerprint check may be needed for a definitive answer.

For records requests directed at state agencies rather than city police, use the ISP APRA portal. This handles requests for Indiana State Police documents. The same 7-day response window applies.

Other useful state resources include the Indiana Sex Offender Registry, searchable by name, county, or zip code, and the Indiana Protection Order Registry for active restraining orders. Court case records from Vanderburgh County and across Indiana can be searched through MyCase Indiana, which is free and does not require an account.

Vanderburgh County Resources

Evansville is the county seat of Vanderburgh County. The Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement outside the city limits and also runs the county jail. For incidents that may fall under county jurisdiction, or for jail and inmate records, contact the sheriff's office or visit the Vanderburgh County police records page.

The county handles some records that city police do not. Property-related incidents, rural calls, and jail bookings may be in county systems even if city police were involved. Checking both agencies is good practice when you're not sure which one handled the case.

Evansville Body Camera and Investigatory Records

Body camera footage from Evansville police falls under IC 5-14-3-5.1 and IC 5-14-3-5.2. These statutes set specific rules for how departments handle recording requests. You must provide the date, approximate time, location, and the name of at least one non-officer involved in the incident. Agencies must keep recordings for a minimum of 190 days.

Footage may be withheld if releasing it would harm an ongoing investigation, affect a fair trial, or involve protected parties such as confidential informants or juveniles. When partial redaction is possible, agencies must release the redacted version rather than withhold the entire recording. Fees for redaction work can apply, and the department must notify you of the estimated cost before proceeding.

Investigatory records, meaning documents tied to an active criminal investigation, are exempt from disclosure under IC 5-14-3-4(b)(1). Once a case is closed, much of that material may become available. The agency must still tell you in writing if it denies any part of your request, and it must cite the specific exemption used.

Nearby Cities

Other Indiana cities near Evansville with police records pages are listed below.