Elkhart Police Blotter Database
Elkhart police blotter records are maintained by the Elkhart Police Department, the primary law enforcement agency for the city of Elkhart in Elkhart County, Indiana. This page explains how to access incident reports and public safety records through the city's mandatory online portal and other official tools available in the Elkhart area.
Elkhart Quick Facts
Elkhart Police Department Records
The Elkhart Police Department is the city-level law enforcement agency for Elkhart, Indiana, and is separate from the Elkhart County Sheriff's Office. The department website is at cityofelkhartin.gov/departments/police-department. The Records Department is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. All police blotter records, incident reports, and background check requests for incidents within city limits go through this department.
The Records Department also maintains a Facebook presence at the Elkhart Police Department Facebook page, which posts public safety updates and news from the department. For specific records requests, the online portal is the required method. EPD does not accept walk-in requests for all record types. The department's records page at cityofelkhartin.gov/departments/police-department/reports-records-and-permits outlines what types of records are available and how to get them.
One important note about Elkhart: the city of Elkhart and Elkhart County are two separate jurisdictions. The city police handle incidents inside city limits. The Elkhart County Sheriff handles the rest of the county. If you are not sure which agency responded to an incident, contact either one and they can direct you to the right office.
| Department | Elkhart Police Department |
|---|---|
| Website | cityofelkhartin.gov/departments/police-department |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Records Method | City of Elkhart Public Record Request Portal (required) |
| Crash Reports | BuyCrash.com only (as of December 1, 2022) |
| Fingerprinting | Ink only, $5.00 for two cards |
How to Request Elkhart Police Blotter Records
Indiana's Access to Public Records Act (APRA), Indiana Code § 5-14-3, governs all public records requests from the Elkhart Police Department. However, Elkhart has a specific and mandatory process: all records requests must be submitted through the City of Elkhart Public Record Request Portal. There is no alternative method for standard requests. Walk-in requests for records are not the standard process at EPD.
To request Elkhart police blotter records, go to the EPD reports and records page and follow the link to the Public Record Request Portal. Fill out the form with as much detail as possible, including the incident date, location, type, and any report number you have. Background check requests and juvenile records also go through this same portal. Each request type is handled separately within the system.
Once submitted, EPD will process your request under APRA timelines. Written requests must be acknowledged within seven days. You do not need to explain your reason for requesting records. Agencies may withhold investigatory records for open cases if release would harm an ongoing investigation. Personal data is redacted from public copies before release.
For crash reports, note that as of December 1, 2022, EPD no longer provides accident reports in person or through the Records Department. All crash reports must now be purchased online at buycrash.com. The online fee is $12 through BuyCrash. EPD has no control over BuyCrash pricing.
Note: Fingerprinting at Elkhart PD uses ink impressions only. They do not process electronic or digital fingerprints. No large bills ($50 or $100) are accepted.
Online Portals for Elkhart Records
The City of Elkhart Public Record Request Portal is the primary online tool for all EPD records requests. Access it through the reports and records page on the city website. This portal handles incident reports, background checks, and other public records from the Elkhart Police Department. Submit requests online rather than in person for most record types.
The Elkhart Police Department's public portal and records process are shown above. All records requests for the city of Elkhart must go through this system. For court records related to Elkhart cases, the Indiana court system uses the Odyssey Case Management system, accessible through MyCase at public.courts.in.gov. This free tool lets you track Elkhart County cases from filing through resolution.
Elkhart Police Department online resources provide a range of public safety information including how to submit records requests, what records are available, and what fees apply. The BuyCrash portal at buycrash.com handles all crash report requests since the department stopped in-person crash report sales in December 2022.
Elkhart County Sheriff Records
The Elkhart County Sheriff's Office at sheriff.elkhartcounty.com covers all law enforcement for unincorporated Elkhart County outside city limits. If an incident happened in a township or rural area of Elkhart County rather than inside the city of Elkhart, the Sheriff's Office holds the report. The Sheriff's Office also maintains a separate records request process from the city police.
To request records from the Elkhart County Sheriff, you can download the Public Records Request Form (fillable PDF) from the Sheriff's website. The Sheriff's Office also uses a NextRequest portal for some request types. For full details on Elkhart County blotter records including the Sheriff's Office contact information, visit the Elkhart County police blotter page.
Elkhart Court Records
Arrests from Elkhart police blotter entries that result in charges appear in Elkhart County court records. The MyCase system at public.courts.in.gov is a free search tool for Indiana courts. It covers Elkhart County Superior Court and Circuit Court cases. Search by name or case number to find cases tied to specific Elkhart blotter entries.
The Elkhart Police Department and Elkhart County court system work through the Odyssey Case Management platform, which feeds public data into MyCase. This means arrests logged in the police blotter flow into the court system and become searchable in MyCase once charges are filed. Court records and blotter records are separate documents from different agencies, but MyCase lets you see how a blotter entry ended in court without visiting the courthouse.
Accident Reports in Elkhart
As of December 1, 2022, all crash reports from the Elkhart Police Department must be purchased online at buycrash.com. The online fee is $12. Crash reports are no longer available for purchase through the EPD Records Division in person. This change was made permanent and covers all accidents handled by Elkhart city police. For crashes on US-20, Indiana-19, or other state routes through Elkhart, the Indiana State Police may hold the primary report, also accessible through BuyCrash.
BuyCrash covers both EPD and ISP accident reports for the Elkhart area. Search by report number, date, or parties involved. Once you find the report, you can pay online by credit or debit card. If a report does not appear, the officer may not have submitted it yet. Reports can take several days after the incident to appear in the system.
Indiana State Police Resources for Elkhart
The Indiana State Police patrols US-20, Indiana State Road 19, and the Indiana Toll Road through the Elkhart area. ISP holds records for incidents on those roads. For highway crashes and major incidents on state-maintained routes near Elkhart, ISP may hold the primary report alongside or instead of the city police.
Use the ISP APRA portal at in.accessgov.com/isp-apra to submit ISP records requests online. The portal is fast and covers all ISP incident types including crash reports, incident reports, and other public documents. Crime data for the Elkhart area is also available through the ISP NIBRS initiative, which publishes crime statistics from local agencies across Indiana.
Indiana Public Records Law in Elkhart
Indiana Code § 5-14-3 gives Elkhart residents and the general public the right to access police blotter records from the Elkhart Police Department. Under this law, blotter information including names, dates, locations, and incident types is generally public. The Elkhart Police Department must acknowledge written requests within seven days. You do not need to provide your name or a reason for your request.
Open investigatory records can be withheld to protect an active investigation. Personal data like Social Security numbers is removed from public copies before they are released. Elkhart's mandatory online portal process still follows APRA timelines, and the city must respond within the legally required window even when processing requests through the digital system. If you believe a request was wrongly denied or delayed, the Indiana Public Access Counselor at 317-233-9435 provides free informal opinions and dispute resolution. Visiting in.gov/pac explains all of your options.
Note: The $12 BuyCrash fee for crash reports is set by BuyCrash and EPD has no control over it. For incident reports through the city portal, contact EPD directly for current fee information.
Nearby Indiana Cities
Elkhart is close to several cities in northern Indiana with their own police records offices. These pages cover local blotter request procedures for each city.