Columbia Police Records Lookup
Columbia police records are maintained by the Columbia Police Department and are available to the public under Missouri's Sunshine Law. This page explains how to request incident reports, accident reports, and arrest records from the Columbia PD Records Unit, what fees apply, and how to use the city's online public records portal.
Columbia Police Records Quick Facts
Columbia Police Department Records Unit
The Columbia Police Department headquarters is at 600 East Walnut Street, Columbia, MO 65201. The non-emergency line is 573-874-7652. For records questions, call 573-874-7416. The Information Center Supervisor is Kerri Severson, reachable at 573-874-7418. For general public records questions, contact Community Relations at 573-874-2489. The records office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Columbia is the county seat of Boone County and home to the University of Missouri. Criminal cases from city incidents are filed in the 13th Judicial Circuit. For county-level records and court filings, see the Boone County police records page. For incidents on University of Missouri property, contact the MU Police Department separately at 573-882-7204.
How to Request Columbia Police Records
The Columbia Police Department provides an online Open Records Request form for the public. You can also log into the city's public records portal at cityofcolumbiamo.nextrequest.com and submit your request there. The portal lets you track the status of your request and receive documents electronically once they are ready. Requests can also be submitted by mail addressed to Records Custodian, 600 E. Walnut Street, Columbia, MO 65201.
For questions about obtaining copies of police reports or accident reports, call the Information Center Supervisor at 573-874-7418. For public records process questions, contact Community Relations at 573-874-2489. All media requests for incident and accident reports must go through the Public Information Officer at 573-825-4022 or PolicePIO@CoMo.gov and not through the Records Unit directly.
Police dispatch activity is available online with a six-hour delay through the city's 911 dispatch page. This can help you confirm incident dates and locations before submitting a formal records request.
Fee Schedule for Columbia Police Records
Incident report fees depend on when you request and your involvement. Victims can get incident reports within 14 days at no cost. All other requesters pay $3.00 for reports within 14 days of the incident. For reports older than 14 days, victims still pay nothing, but other requesters must submit a formal FOIA request with fees set by the request form. Accident reports cost $3.00 per report for everyone, regardless of involvement.
Payment is accepted by cash, check, debit card, or credit card including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. All reports follow FOIA privacy guidelines and may be redacted or withheld depending on the status of the investigation at the time of the request.
Note: Reports may be withheld or partially redacted if the investigation is still active at the time of your request, even if you are an involved party.
University of Missouri Police Department
The Columbia Police Department handles incidents within city limits. If your incident took place on University of Missouri property, the relevant agency is the MU Police Department, not Columbia PD. Reach the MU Police records office at 573-882-7204. Their hours for records requests are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Their website is mupolice.missouri.edu. Submit records requests to the MU Police Department directly for on-campus incidents.
Missouri Sunshine Law in Columbia
The City of Columbia complies with RSMo Chapter 610. Under the Sunshine Law, public records are presumed open. Agencies must respond within three business days. The department may withhold records tied to active investigations under Section 610.100. Once a case becomes inactive, those records are public. Fees are set under Section 610.026 and may not exceed $0.10 per page for standard copies. Research time is billed at the rate of the lowest-paid capable staff member.
Requesters who receive a denial or no response can contact the Missouri Attorney General's Office to file a complaint. The AG's office handles Sunshine Law enforcement for all public agencies in Missouri.
Online Resources for Columbia Criminal Records
Missouri Case.net covers criminal cases from the 13th Judicial Circuit, which includes Boone County and Columbia. It's free, requires no account, and allows searches by name, case number, or date. The MACHS system provides statewide background checks for $15 (name-based) or $20 plus vendor fees (fingerprint-based). The Missouri Sex Offender Registry and DOC offender search are both free online tools for checking criminal status.
Nearby Cities
Columbia does not have other qualifying cities nearby in this directory. View all Missouri cities for more options.