Lancaster County Police Records Search
Lancaster County police records are kept by the Sheriff's Office under Marty Shirilla, and by the County Administrator. Both offices respond to FOIA requests for arrest logs, incident reports, and other law enforcement files. You can request records by mail, fax, email, in person, or even over the phone. This page covers all the steps and contacts.
County Seat: Lancaster
FOIA Response Time: 5 working days (12 with extension)
State Background Check: $15 via VSP Form SP-167
Circuit Court: 15th Judicial Circuit
Sheriff's Office Contact
| Office | Lancaster County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| FOIA Officer | Marty Shirilla |
| Address | 8293 Mary Ball Rd, Lancaster, VA 22503 |
| Phone | (804) 462-5111 |
| Fax | (804) 462-7046 |
| shirilla@lancastersheriff.net | |
| County FOIA | Don Gill, (804) 462-5129, dgill@lancova.com |
How to Request Lancaster County Police Records
Lancaster County does not require any single method for FOIA requests. You can use U.S. Mail, fax, email, in person, or phone. FOIA also does not require requests in writing, though writing helps document what you asked for. Identify the records with reasonable specificity. The Sheriff's Office handles its own requests through Marty Shirilla. County records go through Don Gill at the Board of Supervisors office.
Under Va. Code § 2.2-3700 et seq., the agency must respond in five working days. They can extend by seven days. Criminal investigative files allow up to 65 working days under § 2.2-3706. Lancaster may require payment of past-due bills more than 30 days old before working on a new request.
Fees match actual costs incurred. A deposit may be required when the estimate tops $200. Ask for an estimate before any work begins.
Lancaster County Criminal Records Access
Felony incident information must be released. You get the basic facts of a crime: what happened, when and where, who responded, and what was lost or damaged. Adult mugshots are public. Closed unattended death investigation files are also public on request.
What stays sealed? Active investigative files can be withheld. So can witness statements, evidence, and informant identities tied to open cases. Juvenile records are protected. The sheriff's office has the right to hold a record back if release would put anyone at risk.
Lancaster County Court Records
The Lancaster County Circuit Court hears felony cases, civil disputes over $25,000, and family law matters. Clerk Diane H. Mumford handles court records at PO Box 99, Lancaster, VA 22503. Phone: (804) 462-5611. The Commonwealth's Attorney is Anthony Spencer at PO Box 204, Lancaster, VA 22503, phone (804) 462-7240.
Search Virginia court files free online. The Circuit Court Case Information System shows civil and criminal cases. The General District Court system covers traffic and misdemeanor cases. Both pull live data from clerks across the state.
Clerk's office copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies add $2.00 each.
Virginia State Police Criminal History
The Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange runs the statewide database. Submit Form SP-167 with a $15 fee and notarized signature. The report covers all Virginia arrests, pending charges, dismissals, and convictions. Processing takes 12 to 15 business days.
Add a sex offender registry check for $20 total. The Sex Offender Registry is free to search online for violent offenders. National checks for jobs use Form SP-325, $27 paid or $20 volunteer. VSP fingerprinting is $10 for the first card.
Note: Virginia State Police processes over 560,000 background checks each year through the CARE division.
Lancaster County Police Records Privacy and Expungement
Criminal history sharing is set by Va. Code § 19.2-389. Over 50 types of agencies and groups can get records, from courts to schools and hospitals. People can always get their own records.
Expungement petitions go to the Lancaster Circuit Court under § 19.2-392.2. You must show that keeping the record would cause manifest injustice. Only dismissed cases or acquittals qualify. The Commonwealth's Attorney is served and can object.
Other Record Sources
Crash reports come from the Virginia DMV at $8 per copy. Use Form CRD 93. The Department of Corrections Offender Locator shows current state inmates. The Virginia FOIA Council at 1-866-448-4100 helps when a request is denied.
Lancaster County government provides public records access under Virginia FOIA.
Contact Don Gill or Marty Shirilla to start a Lancaster County FOIA request.
Lancaster County Daily Incident Logs
The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office keeps a daily log of calls and arrests. The log lists case numbers, time of call, type of call, and the unit that took it. This is a public record under Virginia FOIA. Ask the records clerk for a copy by date range. Most agencies will email it for free if it is already in digital form.
Arrest reports name the person, age, charge, booking date, and bond. The full case file may stay closed while the case is open. Police investigative files are set out in Va. Code § 2.2-3706.1. The sheriff has up to 65 working days to act on a request for a closed criminal investigative file. Active files can be held back in full.
The 911 dispatch logs and CAD records are also public. Audio tapes from open cases may be withheld. Once the case ends, the audio is open. Fees for 911 audio run by the minute of recording, plus media cost.
Statewide Lancaster County Records Tools
The Central Criminal Records Exchange, run by the Virginia State Police, is the state's main rap sheet. Lancaster County feeds every fingerprintable arrest into the CCRE within days. To pull a state level criminal history, file Form SP-167. The fee is $15 and the form must be notarized. Most reports come back in 12 to 15 working days.
The Online Case Information System, OCIS 2.0, is the state court search portal. It is free. Search by name, case number, or date. The tool covers circuit, general district, and juvenile and domestic relations cases for Lancaster County and the rest of the state. Results show charge, court date, and case status.
The Virginia Sex Offender Registry runs under Va. Code § 9.1-902. Search by name, ZIP, or county. Lancaster County offenders show up with photos, address, and offense type. The registry is free and open to all members of the public.
Juvenile and Expungement Rules
Juvenile records in Lancaster County are not open to the general public. Access rules sit in Va. Code § 16.1-301. The child, the parent, the attorney, and certain state agencies can view the file. The clerk of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court holds these records and will not give them out without a court order.
Some juvenile felony cases are open if the child was 14 or older at the time of the act. The court file in those cases may show up in the public system. Most other juvenile files stay sealed.
Adult expungement runs through the Lancaster County Circuit Court. The law is Va. Code § 19.2-392.2. Only dismissed charges, nolle prosequi outcomes, or full acquittals qualify. A guilty plea does not. The petition fee is $84. The Commonwealth's Attorney is served and can object at the hearing.
Tips for Lancaster County FOIA Filings
Keep your ask short and clear. Name the date, the report number if you have it, and the kind of file you want. Vague asks slow the search and raise the fee. Most Lancaster County offices bill staff time by the 15-minute block at the rate of the lowest paid clerk who can do the work.
Ask for a cost estimate up front. If the work may top $200, the county can ask for a deposit before they start. Get the cost in writing. You can also ask to inspect files in person at no copy fee. The county will set a time and place for the review at the courthouse or sheriff's office.
If your request is denied, ask for the legal cite. The denial letter must name a section of the code. Common cites are § 2.2-3705.1 for personnel files and § 2.2-3706 for police files. You can then call the Virginia FOIA Council at 1-866-448-4100 for free help, or file a petition in the Lancaster County Circuit Court.
Note: Always keep a copy of your request and the reply. Dates matter if the matter ends up in court.