Roanoke Police Records

Roanoke police records include arrest reports, incident files, crash data, license plate reader data, and criminal court documents maintained by the Roanoke Police Department, Sheriff's Office, and Circuit Court. This independent city in western Virginia made headlines with a landmark FOIA ruling about Flock license plate reader records. Searching for police records in Roanoke involves working with city agencies and state-level tools. This page covers how to request records through FOIA, the contact information for each office, and the best ways to search Roanoke police records and court cases online.

Roanoke Police Department Records

The Roanoke Police Department provides law enforcement for the city and has a dedicated police records request form. To request records from the department, you can use the online FOIA request form, call the city's FOIA officer, or submit your request by email. The city FOIA officer can be reached at (540) 853-2433. For police-specific records, use the department's own form, which requires a signed release from the requesting party if the records are being sought by a third-party company.

If you are requesting records on someone else's behalf, attach a signed release from your client to the request form. The department will not release records to third parties without that authorization. For your own records, bring valid identification. The Virginia FOIA Council can be reached at foiacouncil@dls.virginia.gov or toll-free at 1-866-448-4100 if you have questions about the process.

Roanoke Police Records FOIA Ruling

Roanoke was the subject of a major FOIA case involving Flock license plate reader (LPR) data. A court ruled that running a report from the Flock database does not constitute creating a "new record" under FOIA. The data already exists in raw form, and compiling it into a report is not the same as making something new. The ruling had broad implications for how police departments handle technology-based records requests across Virginia.

The judge found that Roanoke violated the FOIA statute by refusing to provide the requested LPR data. The court stated that local policy and third-party contracts cannot restrict the flow of information available under the Freedom of Information Act. In the court's words, any local policy "to the extent that policy prevents the Roanoke Police Department from releasing documents that would otherwise be obtained in a FOIA request" is void. This means that even if a police department has a contract with a technology vendor like Flock Safety, that contract cannot override Virginia FOIA law.

Note: This ruling sets an important precedent for police records requests involving automated license plate reader systems and other surveillance technology data in Virginia.

Roanoke Sheriff's Office Records

The Roanoke Sheriff's Office provides court security and civil process services for the city. It is a separate office from the police department. For records held by the sheriff's office, contact the FOIA officer Tameka Paige directly. The sheriff's office handles its own FOIA requests independent of the police department. You can reach them through the sheriff FOIA page on the city website.

Under Virginia Code Section 2.2-3700 et seq., both the police department and sheriff's office are public bodies subject to FOIA. The five-day response timeline applies to both. Common exemptions include criminal investigative files under Section 2.2-3706, victim and witness identities, and records from active investigations.

Roanoke Circuit Court Records

The Roanoke Circuit Court sits in the 23rd Judicial Circuit. It handles felony criminal cases, civil cases over $25,000, and family law matters. Court records can be searched online through the Virginia Circuit Court Case Information System. Misdemeanors, traffic offenses, and preliminary hearings go through the Roanoke General District Court, searchable on the General District Court system.

In-person requests go through the clerk's office at the courthouse. Copy fees are $0.50 per page with an extra $2.00 for certification under Virginia Code Section 17.1-208. The Virginia Judicial System website is the starting point for online court record searches. Both databases are updated regularly and cover all Virginia courts, not just Roanoke.

Virginia State Police Records

For a statewide criminal history check beyond Roanoke, submit Form SP-167 to the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange. The fee is $15. The form must be notarized. Mail it to Virginia State Police, CARE, 7700 Midlothian Turnpike, North Chesterfield, VA 23235. Results take about 15 business days. Under Virginia Code Section 19.2-389, only authorized recipients can access these records.

The Virginia State Police FOIA portal handles state-level records requests. The Virginia Sex Offender Registry is searchable by name or location. Crash reports from state police investigations go through the Virginia DMV at $8 per copy. The Department of Corrections offender locator shows inmate data statewide.

Roanoke Police Records Expungement

If you were acquitted or had charges dismissed in Roanoke, Virginia Code Section 19.2-392.2 allows you to petition for expungement. File with the circuit court. A judge weighs whether the record causes manifest injustice. Virginia's automatic sealing under Section 19.2-392.6 covers some misdemeanors and deferred dismissals without a petition.

For legal assistance in Roanoke, the Virginia State Bar Lawyer Referral Service is at 1-800-552-7977. The Virginia Legal Aid Society at 1-866-534-5243 also provides free help to qualifying residents.

The screenshot below shows the Roanoke Police Department website, which includes links to the police records request form and FOIA information.

Visit this page to access the FOIA request form and learn about the records request process.

Below is the Roanoke Sheriff's Office page, which handles FOIA requests separately from the police department.

Contact the sheriff's office FOIA officer directly for records held by that department.

Nearby Cities

These independent cities are near Roanoke. Each has its own police department and court system for police records.