Search Frederick Police Records

Frederick police records come from two main sources in this part of Maryland. The Frederick Police Department handles law enforcement within city limits, while the Frederick County Sheriff covers areas outside the city. You can search for Frederick police records by submitting a public information request to either agency or by looking up court cases through the state judiciary system. The city has its own records process, and most requests can be started online or by phone.

Frederick Police Department Records

The Frederick Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency within city limits. Their office is at 100 West Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701. The main number is (301) 600-2100. For records questions, contact Dana Kelly at (301) 600-2136. Frederick is one of the few cities in Maryland with its own police department, which means city police records come from this office rather than the county.

The Frederick Police Department page is shown below.

This page has contact information, department divisions, and links to request police records from the Frederick PD.

The Frederick County Sheriff's Office also serves parts of the Frederick area. If an incident happened outside city limits but near Frederick, the sheriff's office may hold the record instead. Knowing which agency took the report is the first step in getting the right Frederick police record. The sheriff and the city police operate as separate departments with their own records systems.

How to Request Frederick Police Records

The City of Frederick has an online form for public information requests. You can find it on the Request Public Records page. This form lets you describe the records you want and submit your request from home. You can also mail a written request to the Frederick Police Department at 100 West Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701, or visit the office in person.

The Frederick public records request page walks through the process.

Use this page to start a formal request for police records from the City of Frederick.

Under the Maryland Public Information Act at §4-201, you have the right to ask for any public record. You do not need to explain why. The law at §4-203 says the Frederick PD must respond within 10 working days and provide records within 30 days. Copy fees are typically $0.25 per page. The first two hours of search time are free under MPIA §4-206. Reasonable search and preparation fees may apply after that initial free period, based on staff time.

Types of Frederick Police Records

The Frederick Police Department creates incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and investigation files. An incident report is filed each time an officer responds to a call within the city. These reports include the date, time, location, and a summary of the event. Arrest records show charges and booking information. Accident reports document vehicle crashes on Frederick roads.

Frederick police records also include CAD data and body camera footage. CAD records show the dispatch information for each call. Body camera footage is available through a formal MPIA request. Court records tied to Frederick cases can be looked up through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search for free. That tool covers both Circuit and District Courts in Frederick County and shows case details without full document images.

Some records that people associate with Frederick police are actually held elsewhere. Motor vehicle crash reports from state highways go through the Maryland State Police Central Records Division at (410) 281-2700. Those cost $4 each. Criminal history checks run through the CJIS Central Repository for $38.

Public Records Rights in Frederick

The MPIA covers all government agencies in Maryland, including the Frederick Police Department. Under §4-101, a public record is any document made or received by a government office. Some records may be held back under the act's exemptions. Ongoing investigations, juvenile cases, and certain personnel files can be withheld. But the default under Maryland law is that records are open.

Anton's Law at Public Safety Article §3-101 changed the rules for police disciplinary records in Frederick and across the state. Before October 2021, internal affairs files were treated as sealed personnel records. Now they are classified differently. Agencies like the Frederick PD may release them upon request. The law also created Police Accountability Boards in each county, including Frederick County, to review complaints against officers. Expungement under Criminal Procedure Article §10-101 lets people remove certain police records if charges were dropped or they were found not guilty. Shielding under §10-306 seals older misdemeanor convictions from public searches in Frederick.

Frederick Criminal History Checks

State criminal history checks go through the CJIS Central Repository. The fee is $38. Their office is in Baltimore at 6776 Reisterstown Road, Suite 102. Call (410) 764-4501 for information. The Maryland Sex Offender Registry lets you search for offenders by name, zip code, or city. It covers the Frederick area along with every other part of Maryland. These tools pull from statewide databases that include records from the Frederick Police Department.

The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services also runs an inmate locator tool. If someone from Frederick was sentenced to state prison, you can look them up there. For local jail records, contact the Frederick County detention center. These records are separate from the police records held by the Frederick PD but are still part of the broader criminal justice system in the area.

Nearby Maryland Cities

Frederick is in the western part of central Maryland. If you need police records from a nearby area, these city pages may help.