West Lafayette Police Records

Police records in West Lafayette are maintained by the West Lafayette Police Department, which serves this Tippecanoe County city across the Wabash River from Lafayette. Incident reports, arrest records, and other law enforcement documents are available under Indiana's Access to Public Records Act, and anyone can submit a request without explaining why they want the records. This page covers how to request West Lafayette police records, what to expect from the process, and which county and state resources are available for searches that go beyond the city.

West Lafayette Police Department

The West Lafayette Police Department is headquartered at 711 W. Navajo St., West Lafayette, IN 47906. The main number is 765-775-5200. Chief Adam S. Ferguson leads the department. You can find department information at westlafayette.in.gov/government/police-department, which also links to services and the records request process. For emergencies, call 911.

West Lafayette is home to Purdue University, one of the largest public universities in Indiana. This shapes the city's law enforcement environment considerably. The WLPD handles all city law enforcement matters, including incidents on and around the Purdue campus when the campus happens to be within city limits. Purdue also has its own campus police. If you need records for an incident on Purdue property, confirm whether WLPD or Purdue Police responded before you request records from the wrong agency.

West Lafayette and Lafayette sit across the Wabash River from each other and share some regional services, but both cities operate their own police departments. The Tippecanoe County Sheriff covers unincorporated county areas. All three agencies operate independently and maintain their own records systems, though all report to the Indiana State Police criminal history repository.

West Lafayette Police Records Request Process

Indiana Code IC 5-14-3, the Access to Public Records Act, gives any person the right to inspect and copy public records from Indiana public agencies. No reason is needed. Agencies must respond within seven days. Written requests are the best approach. They start the formal clock and create a paper trail showing when you filed and what you asked for.

To request records from the West Lafayette Police Department, use the Police Records Request Form at westlafayette.in.gov/services/public-records-request. The department also offers a separate services page at westlafayette.in.gov/government/police-department/services that covers what records are available and how to proceed. You can also request records in person at 711 W. Navajo St. during regular business hours.

When submitting a request, include the date of the incident, the location, a description of the record type you want, and the names of any parties involved. If you have a case number, include that too. The department will notify you of any applicable fees before releasing records. All fees must be paid before records are provided. For non-police city records, a separate form is available through the city's general public records portal.

Note: Investigatory records from open cases, juvenile records, and body camera footage have additional restrictions under IC 5-14-3-4 and IC 5-14-3-5.1. Body camera requests require date, time, location, and at least one non-officer name to initiate a search.

Crash Reports and Court Records

Traffic accident reports from West Lafayette are available through BuyCrash.com. Indiana State Police manages this statewide crash report repository. Search by report number, party names, or the date of the incident. A nominal fee applies. Reports are typically available within a few business days of the incident being filed by the responding officer.

Court cases from West Lafayette are handled in Tippecanoe County courts, which are located in Lafayette. Use MyCase Indiana to search criminal and civil case records from Tippecanoe County. This free tool covers all 92 Indiana counties and needs no account. You can search by name, case number, or filing type. Criminal filings from West Lafayette PD and Purdue Police will both appear in Tippecanoe County court records.

Tippecanoe County Resources

West Lafayette is in Tippecanoe County, which has a population of about 191,650. The county seat is Lafayette, just across the river. The Tippecanoe County Sheriff handles law enforcement in unincorporated county areas and operates the county jail. For county jail records, inmate searches, and sheriff department contact information, see the Tippecanoe County page.

The VINE victim notification system is available for Tippecanoe County. Call 866-959-8463 to check an offender's custody status or sign up for status change alerts at no cost. Tippecanoe County courts handle criminal matters from both the city police and the county sheriff. Court records for all Tippecanoe County cases are searchable through MyCase Indiana.

State Police Records Tools

The Indiana State Police operates the Limited Criminal History search portal at in.gov/ai/appfiles/isp-lch. This covers felony and Class A misdemeanor arrests statewide, not just Tippecanoe County or West Lafayette. The fee is $15.70 by credit card or $7.00 by mail. Search by name and date of birth. Results show whether a record is on file, not on file, or inconclusive. Inconclusive results may need a fingerprint-based follow-up to confirm.

For state police APRA requests, use the ISP APRA portal. Sex offender searches are free at icrimewatch.net/indiana.php. The Indiana Protection Order Registry is also free and covers active protection orders statewide. The criminal history central repository is established by IC 10-13-2 within the Indiana State Police, and West Lafayette PD arrests are reported there when properly submitted.

Residents who need a fingerprint-based criminal history can contact IDEMIA (IdentoGO) at 1-877-472-6917 to schedule an appointment. The state fingerprint check costs $21.95 total. A national check covering all U.S. jurisdictions costs $38.20 for employees. This level of search is typically used when a name-based LCH result comes back inconclusive and a definitive answer is needed.

The Indiana State Police Limited Criminal History portal is the primary statewide tool for West Lafayette residents who need to check Indiana criminal records beyond local police files.

This portal allows name-based criminal history searches for any Indiana person and can be accessed online with a credit card payment or by mail for a lower fee.

Nearby Qualifying Cities

Other Indiana cities near West Lafayette with their own police departments and public records resources.

Tippecanoe County Police Records

West Lafayette is in Tippecanoe County. The county sheriff covers the unincorporated county areas and maintains the county jail and its records.