# Free sources for police/criminal records?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sources-for-police-criminal-records/634056>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 8, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sources-for-police-criminal-records/634056 "2012-09-08T01:09:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sources-for-police-criminal-records/634056/1 "2012-09-08T01:09:56Z")

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Is there a way to find a free criminal record on someone? If not, what’s the most reputable inexpensive online resource? Thanks!

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**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sources-for-police-criminal-records/634056/2 "2012-09-08T02:49:01Z")

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Start with places like [Black Book On Line](http://www.blackbookonline.info/) and work your way up.

[Wisconsin](http://wcca.wicourts.gov/simpleCaseSearch.xsl;jsessionid=412526D2E5D5D9E70BD2D23EAE51B96F.render5) has a decent one that is statewide. Unfortunately, many [States](http://www.clerk.co.sarasota.fl.us/srqapp/civilinq.asp), like [Florida](http://www.manateeclerk.org/PublicRecords/CourtRecordsSearch/tabid/57/ctl/detail/mid/376/Default.aspx?cid=Cry758n4V8/GsFOpoli1Mg) do their online records by county. So it could take forever to find something on someone.

Also, municipal ordinances in most states are not crimes, therefore the records may be held in a municipal court file and will not come up in state/circuit court record searches.