Adams County Police Records

Adams County police records are maintained by the Adams County Sheriff's Department in Decatur, Indiana. You can search incident reports, arrest logs, inmate data, and warrant information through the sheriff's office or state-level databases. Requests can be filed in person, by mail, or through the online public records portal, giving residents a few ways to get what they need.

Adams County Sheriff's Department

The Adams County Sheriff's Department handles law enforcement for the county and serves as the primary keeper of local police records. Sheriff Daniel Mawhorr oversees the department, which is located at 911 W. Peacekeepers Way, Decatur, IN 46733. The main phone number is 260-724-5345. For non-emergency calls, use 260-724-5300. The fax number is 260-724-5346.

The Adams County Sheriff's Department website provides general information about department services and how to reach staff.

From the department page you can find contact details, links to inmate searches, and information on how the office handles records requests.

The office is staffed around the clock for emergency response. For records-related matters, staff can typically respond in person within 24 hours. Mail requests follow the standard APRA window of 7 days. If you plan to visit in person, it helps to call ahead to make sure the right staff member is available.

How to Request Adams County Police Records

The Adams County Sheriff public records portal outlines the steps for submitting a records request and lists what types of records are available.

Once on the portal page, you can review the fee schedule PDF and confirm what forms of payment are accepted before you submit your request.

There are three ways to request records from the Adams County Sheriff's Department. In person is the fastest option. The office can often respond within 24 hours for straightforward requests. You can also mail your request, which falls under the 7-day APRA deadline. The online portal is a third option for submitting requests without visiting the office.

Payment is cash only for in-person requests. All fees must be paid before records are released. The sheriff's office posts a fee schedule as a PDF on their public records page. Review it before you visit so you know what to bring. Juvenile records are restricted and generally not available to the public regardless of the request method.

Under Indiana Code IC 5-14-3, the Access to Public Records Act, most law enforcement records generated by a public agency are available to any person who asks for them. There are exceptions for ongoing investigations, certain personal data, and records sealed by court order. If your request is denied, the agency must tell you why in writing.

Adams County Inmate Search and Warrant Lookup

Adams County offers an online inmate search tool for checking current jail population data. This is useful if you need to find out whether someone is in custody or has been recently booked. The sheriff's website links to this tool directly.

Warrant searches are also available. If you want to check whether a warrant has been issued for a person in Adams County, the sheriff's office can help with that process. You can call 260-724-5345 and ask the records staff what information they need to run a search.

For victim notification, Adams County is connected to the VINE system. You can call 866-959-8463 to check the custody status of an offender and sign up for alerts when their status changes. VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday and is a free service available statewide in Indiana.

State-Level Police Records Resources

Several state tools supplement what the county sheriff's office provides. These are especially useful when you need a broader search across Indiana law enforcement agencies.

The Indiana State Police runs a statewide criminal history database. You can request a Limited Criminal History (LCH) check through the ISP criminal history portal. The fee is $15.70 by credit card or $7 by mail. This search covers arrests and convictions recorded across Indiana, not just Adams County.

For general public records requests directed at state agencies, use the ISP APRA portal. This is the formal channel for requesting Indiana State Police records under the Access to Public Records Act. The 7-day response deadline applies here as well.

The Indiana Sex Offender Registry is open to the public and searchable by name, county, or zip code. If you need to check for protection orders, visit the Indiana Protection Order Registry. Court case records, including criminal filings and civil matters, are searchable through MyCase Indiana.

Crash Reports and Body Camera Footage

Crash reports from Adams County can be requested through BuyCrash.com. This site handles traffic accident reports filed by Indiana law enforcement. You will need the report number, or the names of parties involved, and the date of the crash to search the system.

Body camera footage is treated as a law enforcement record under Indiana law. Requests for body cam video go through the sheriff's office using the same public records process. Some footage may be withheld if it is part of an active investigation or involves juveniles. The agency will notify you in writing if any portion of the request is denied under IC 5-14-3 exemptions.

IC 10-13-2 governs the Indiana criminal history repository managed by the state police. Records in that system include arrests, charges, and final dispositions reported by local agencies like the Adams County Sheriff. When you run an LCH check, you are pulling from that repository.

Nearby Counties

Adams County borders several other Indiana counties. Each has its own sheriff's office and records process.