Of the over 500,000 arrests executed in Florida annually, Broward County accounts for 29,685 arrests (6%). The state's Sunshine Law allows members of the public to access records created and maintained by government agencies, including arrest records. State law permits agencies to charge between $1.00 and $30.00 to produce copies of arrest records upon request.
However, certain arrest records are exempt from public access for security, sensitivity, or privacy reasons. Arrest records of juveniles, records that might compromise public or individual safety, and records involving ongoing investigations are typically closed to the public. Only authorized persons such as law enforcement officers, judicial officers, the Broward County Attorney's Office, and persons named on the records with their legal representatives can access confidential records in Broward County.
Broward County arrest records are accessible through some organizations, including the state's law enforcement agencies, municipal police departments, and the county sheriff's office.
The Broward County Sheriff's Office allows the public to submit arrest record requests online through their Online Public Records Portal. The Public Records Unit processes the requests and returns the result through the requestor's preferred delivery method. Alternatively, a requestor may visit the unit in person and use the kiosk in the lobby to request records between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm from Monday through Thursday. They can also mail the request to:
Broward County Sheriff's Office
Public Records Unit
Attn: Records Management Liaison Officer
Public Records Unit Supervisor
P.O. Box 9507
For-Lauderdale, FL 33310
The unit charges $25 for requests that take more than 15 minutes of research. There are additional charges to obtain copies of the records.
Record seekers can access arrest records from local police departments in Broward County. They will typically need to provide an arrestee's name and arrest date. In addition, some police departments allow the public to access their incident logs and arrest records online. The police departments in the county include the following:
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is the agency that compiles and maintains criminal records from all law enforcement agencies in the state. Anyone can find Broward County arrest records through the FDLE's Criminal History Record Check Systems at a cost of $25 per record. They can also submit a public records request to the FDLE for specific Broward County arrest records for a fee.
Records of arrests that lead to formal charges in Broward County can be found in the county's criminal court records. The Broward County Clerk of Courts is the custodian of all court records in the county. Record seekers can use the Case Search - Public portal to search for criminal court records. They can also request by mail or in person at:
Broward County Clerk of Courts
201 South East 6th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-6565
Furthermore, record seekers can use trustworthy third-party websites such as InfoTracer to access arrest records from Broward County. These platforms offer users faster and more convenient access to the county's arrest records.
Broward County has an arrest rate of 1,536 per 100,000 population. Some arrest figures (adult and juvenile) recorded in Broward County during this period are shown below:
| Arrest Type | Number of Arrests |
|---|---|
| Murder | 52 |
| Manslaughter | 5 |
| Robbery | 414 |
| Rape | 53 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1,595 |
| Simple Assault | 3,259 |
| Burglary | 758 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 626 |
| Larceny | 3,263 |
| Arson | 12 |
| Kidnap/Abduction | 11 |
| Total Number of Arrests | 29,685 |
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement
| Department | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Coconut Creek Police Department | 4800 West Copans Road | 954-973-6700 |
| Coral Springs Police Department | 2801 Coral Springs Dr | 954-344-1800 |
| Fort Lauderdale Police Department | 1300 W. Broward Boulevard | (954) 828-5700 |
| Hollywood Police Department | 3250 Hollywood Boulevard | 954.967.4357 |
| Lighthouse Point Police Department | 3701 NE 22nd Avenue | 954-942-8080 |
| Margate Police Department | 5790 Margate Blvd | 954-764-4357 |
| Pembroke Pines Police Department | 9500 Pines Blvd. | 954-431-2200 |
| Plantation Police Department | 451 NW 70th Terrace | 954-797-2100 |
| Name | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Broward Juvenile Detention Center | 222 Northwest 22nd Avenue | 954-467-4563 |
| Broward Transition Center | 3900 North Powerline Road | 954-973-4485 |