Hendry County police blotter records are the official written logs of deputy calls, arrests, crashes, and incidents handled by the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. These records are public under Florida law and cover all law enforcement activity in LaBelle, Clewiston, Labelle, and every unincorporated area in the county.
Anyone can ask for a copy of these records for personal, legal, or business reasons. This page explains what these records contain, how to get them, what they cost, and which laws apply to the release of these documents in 2026.
What Hendry County Police Blotter Records Are
Hendry County police blotter records are written accounts of every call for service, arrest, traffic stop, crash, and criminal complaint that deputies respond to in the county. The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office creates and stores these records at its main office in LaBelle. The records serve as the official paper trail for daily law enforcement work across the county.
Who Creates These Records
The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office is the main agency that creates police blotter records for the entire county. The sheriff’s office serves LaBelle, Clewiston, Felda, Port LaBelle, Harlem, and all rural parts of Hendry County. City police departments in Clewiston and LaBelle also keep their own records, but most of the county is covered by the sheriff’s office.
What the Records Show
Each blotter record includes the date and time of the call, the location, names of people involved, the type of incident, the deputy who responded, and a written summary of what happened. The records also list any charges filed, property taken or damaged, injuries reported, and the final case status.
Difference Between Blotter and Full Report
The blotter is a short daily summary that lists basic facts about each call. A full incident report contains much more detail, including witness statements, officer narratives, diagrams, and evidence logs. The blotter is often the first place people look when they want a quick snapshot of recent activity in a neighborhood or city.
How to Request Hendry County Police Blotter Records
You can request Hendry County police blotter records in person, by mail, by phone, or by email. Each method has its own steps, processing time, and cost. The records division of the sheriff’s office handles all public records requests for the agency.
Request Records In Person
Visit the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office at 101 South Bridge Street in LaBelle, Florida 33935. Go to the records window during business hours. Fill out a public records request form. Bring a photo ID. Staff will look up the records, tell you the cost, and prepare the copies. Most simple in-person requests are ready the same day or within a few business days.
Request Records by Phone
Call the sheriff’s office at (863) 674-5600. Ask to speak with the records division. Give the staff member the date of the incident, location, and names of people involved. Staff will tell you if the records exist and how much they will cost. Phone requests work best for simple, dated incidents.
Request Records by Mail or Email
Send a written request to the records division at 101 South Bridge Street, LaBelle, FL 33935. Include your name, address, phone number, and a clear description of the records you want. You can also email the public records contact listed on the hendrysheriff.org website. Mail and email requests take longer because staff need time to process the request and arrange payment.
Information You Need to Provide
The more details you give, the faster the search goes. Helpful facts include the case number, date of the incident, exact address or location, full name of the person involved, and the type of report you need. Vague requests can take weeks because staff must search through many records to find the right one.
Types of Police Blotter Records Available
Hendry County keeps many types of police records, and each one serves a different purpose. Knowing which record you need saves time and money. Below are the main types of records the sheriff’s office releases to the public.
Incident Reports
Incident reports are the most common type of police blotter record. They cover crimes, suspicious activity, disturbances, and other calls. Each report includes the deputy narrative, witness names, victim information, evidence collected, and the final outcome. Reports for active criminal investigations may have certain details removed before release.
Arrest and Booking Records
Arrest records show when someone was taken into custody, the charges filed, and the arresting deputy. Booking records from the Hendry County Jail show mugshots, physical descriptions, bond amounts, and court dates. Most booking records are public within 24 to 48 hours of the arrest.
Traffic Crash Reports
Crash reports document vehicle accidents on public roads in Hendry County. Each report includes driver information, vehicle details, a diagram of the crash, weather and road conditions, injuries, and the deputy’s findings. Crash reports are sealed for 60 days after the crash and only released to authorized people during that time.
Calls for Service Logs
Calls for service logs list every call the sheriff’s office responds to in a given day. These logs include the time, location, and type of call but do not include personal names. They are useful for seeing overall police activity in a neighborhood or area.
Field Contact and Deputy Activity Logs
Field contact records show routine deputy activity like traffic stops, business checks, and community contacts. These records are public but often have personal details removed to protect privacy.
Public Records Fees in Hendry County
Hendry County follows the fee limits set by Florida law. You will pay for copies, staff time, and any special handling. The sheriff’s office will give you a cost estimate before doing the work so there are no surprises.
Copy and Printing Fees
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Single-sided paper copy | $0.15 per page |
| Double-sided paper copy | $0.20 per page |
| Certified copy | $1.00 extra per document |
| Crash report (after 60 days) | $10.00 per report |
| Online crash report fee | $2.00 extra |
Staff Time and Labor Fees
The first 15 minutes of staff time to pull records are usually free. If the request takes longer, labor fees apply at the hourly pay rate of the staff member doing the work. The fee covers searching for records, reviewing for exempt details, and redacting protected information. You will get a written estimate before the heavy work begins.
Payment Methods Accepted
The sheriff’s office accepts cash, money orders, and business checks. Personal checks may not be accepted for some requests. Credit and debit cards may be accepted for online or phone payments, with a small processing fee added. Ask about payment options when you submit your request.
Florida Public Records Law for Police Blotters
Florida has one of the strongest public records laws in the country. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes gives every person the right to see and copy public records made or kept by government agencies. The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office must follow this law when responding to requests for police blotter records.
What Chapter 119 Covers
Chapter 119 gives the public the right to inspect and copy records made or received by any Florida public agency. The law applies to police blotter records, arrest logs, crash reports, and most other law enforcement documents. The sheriff’s office cannot deny a request just because the requester does not live in Florida or has no direct connection to the case.
Records That Are Exempt
Some details are removed before records are released. Section 119.071 of the Florida Statutes lists these exempt details, which include social security numbers, bank account numbers, home addresses of law enforcement officers, active criminal investigative information, and details about juvenile suspects. The sheriff’s office redacts these items but must release the rest of the record.
Confidentiality of Crash Reports
Florida Statute 316.066 makes crash reports private for 60 days after the date of the crash. During that 60-day window, only people involved in the crash, their lawyers, insurance companies, and government agencies can get a copy. Sharing a crash report with anyone else during this time is a third-degree felony under Florida law. After 60 days, the reports become public records and can be purchased online through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Hendry County Sheriff’s Office Contact Details
The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office is the main agency that holds all county police blotter records. The office is open to the public during regular business hours for records requests and other services.
Main Office Address and Phone
The sheriff’s office is located at 101 South Bridge Street, LaBelle, FL 33935. The main phone number is (863) 674-5600. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The dispatch center operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergency and non-emergency calls.
Official Website
The official website is hendrysheriff.org. The site has contact information, office hours, agency news, and basic instructions for submitting public records requests. The website does not have a full online search tool for police blotter records, so requests must still go through the records division.
Other Helpful Phone Numbers
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| Records Division | (863) 674-5600 |
| Non-Emergency Dispatch | (863) 674-4060 |
| Jail Inmate Information | (863) 674-5600 |
| Clewiston Police Department | (863) 983-1474 |
How Long It Takes to Get Records
Processing time depends on the type of record, the age of the incident, and the current workload of the records staff. Simple requests often come back fast. Large or old requests take much longer.
Standard Processing Times
Simple in-person requests for recent blotter entries are often ready the same day or within two business days. Mail and email requests usually take five to ten business days. Requests that need redacting of exempt information can take two to four weeks. Crash report requests through the Florida portal are processed online within minutes.
Delays and Complex Requests
Requests involving many records, old cases, or active investigations take longer. Staff must locate the records, pull the files, review each page, redact protected details, and prepare copies. Florida law allows agencies to charge for this extra time, so large requests can cost more than simple ones.
Records From City Police Departments
Hendry County has two city police departments that keep their own police blotter records. These records are separate from the sheriff’s office records and must be requested directly from each city.
Clewiston Police Department
The Clewiston Police Department handles law enforcement inside the city limits of Clewiston. The department is at 919 West Sugarland Highway, Clewiston, FL 33440. The phone number is (863) 983-1474. Police blotter records for incidents inside Clewiston must be requested from this office, not the sheriff’s office.
LaBelle Police Operations
LaBelle does not have a separate city police department. Law enforcement inside LaBelle city limits is handled by the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. All police blotter records for LaBelle go through the main sheriff’s office in LaBelle.
Using Police Blotter Records
People ask for police blotter records for many reasons. Knowing the common uses helps you understand what to ask for and what to expect in the records.
Personal and Legal Reasons
People often request blotter records to check on a car accident, a neighborhood incident, a noise complaint, or a neighbor dispute. Lawyers request them to support personal injury cases, criminal defense, and civil lawsuits. Insurance adjusters also request them to verify claims.
Business and Background Checks
Employers, landlords, and licensing agencies sometimes use police blotter records as part of background screening. These records help confirm a person’s history with law enforcement and verify facts about past incidents.
News and Community Watch
Local news outlets, neighborhood watch groups, and community groups use police blotter records to track crime trends and keep residents aware. These records are a key part of public safety reporting in Hendry County.
What Cannot Be Released in Police Blotter Records
Even though police blotter records are public, certain details are removed before release. The sheriff’s office follows Florida law and removes protected details from every record it gives out.
Personal Information Removed
The following details are typically redacted from released records: social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, bank account and credit card numbers, home addresses and phone numbers of law enforcement officers, and information that could identify a confidential informant. The names of juvenile suspects are also removed in most cases.
Active Investigation Details
Records tied to an active criminal investigation may have investigative details removed. This includes suspect statements, witness identities, surveillance methods, and tips from confidential sources. The release of these details could harm the investigation, so the law allows them to be held back.
Other Public Records in Hendry County
Besides police blotter records, Hendry County keeps many other public records that may be useful to residents, researchers, and businesses.
Court Records
Court records for Hendry County are kept by the Clerk of Courts. The clerk’s office is at 25 East Hickpochee Avenue, LaBelle, FL 33935. Court records include criminal case files, civil case files, marriage licenses, and property records. These records are also public under Florida law.
Jail and Inmate Records
The Hendry County Jail is run by the sheriff’s office. Inmate records show who is in custody, the charges, bond amounts, and court dates. Basic inmate information is available by calling the sheriff’s office or visiting the hendrysheriff.org website.
Fire and EMS Records
Fire reports and EMS records for Hendry County are kept by Hendry County Fire Rescue. These records are also public and can be requested from the fire department during business hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to common questions about Hendry County police blotter records. These questions reflect the most common requests and concerns from residents, attorneys, and researchers in 2026.
Can I see police blotter records for free online?
Hendry County does not offer a free online search for police blotter records. You can see basic call locations through the sheriff’s office community tools, but full records must be requested through the records division. There may be small fees for copies and staff time. Crash reports older than 60 days are available online for $10 plus a $2 fee through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles portal.
How far back do the records go?
Most police blotter records are kept for several years. Active case files stay in the main records office. Closed cases are moved to long-term storage. Older records may take longer to pull because they may be stored offsite. There is no single public online database that lets you search every year at once, so you must request each date range separately.
Can I get the mugshot from a booking record?
Yes, most booking photos from the Hendry County Jail are public record once the booking is complete. You can request a copy of the booking photo through the records division. There may be a copy fee and staff time charge. Photos of people whose cases are still under active investigation may be held until the case is closed.
Are 911 call recordings public record?
No, 911 call recordings are not public record in Florida. They are kept by the dispatch center and are only released to law enforcement, the caller, and the people involved in the emergency. The written log entry from the 911 call is public, but the audio recording is exempt under Florida law.
What if my request is denied?
If the sheriff’s office denies your request, they must give you a written reason based on a specific Florida statute. You can challenge the denial by contacting the sheriff’s office legal advisor, filing a complaint with the Florida Attorney General, or speaking with an attorney. Many denials are reversed once the agency reviews the request again and confirms the records are not tied to an active investigation.
Do I need to be a Florida resident to request records?
No, Florida’s public records law does not require residency. Anyone in the United States can request police blotter records from the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. The requester does not need to be a citizen, a resident, or connected to the case. The sheriff’s office must respond the same way it would for a local resident.
Can I get records for a case that was dropped or dismissed?
Yes, even if charges were dropped or dismissed, the police blotter record still exists. The record will show the original arrest or incident, the charges filed, and the final case status. You can request a copy through the records division. Some details may be redacted if the case is still tied to an open investigation, but most records are released once the case is fully closed.