Search Sarasota County Busted Mugshots

Sarasota County busted mugshots are managed by the Sheriff's Office headquartered in Sarasota. This southwest Florida county stretches from the Gulf Coast inland and includes Sarasota, Venice, North Port, and other communities. The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office handles all arrest bookings through its corrections facility. Mugshots and arrest records are public under Florida law. The sheriff makes all reports available per Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. You can search for arrest records, submit public records requests online, and even get local background checks at no charge in Sarasota County.

Sarasota County Sheriff's Office Arrests

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) has its headquarters at 6010 Cattleridge Boulevard in Sarasota. The corrections facility sits at 2020 Main Street in Sarasota. Call 941.861.5800 to reach the main office, or 941.861.4601 for the corrections division directly. There is also a south county office at 4531 Annex Road in Venice, reachable at 941.861.1701.

When someone gets arrested in Sarasota County, they go through booking at the corrections facility. Staff take the mugshot, log charges, and set bond amounts. This information enters the public record system. The SCSO handles bookings from its own deputies as well as arrests made by the Sarasota Police Department, the Venice Police Department, the North Port Police Department, and other local agencies. All of these flow through the Sarasota County jail.

Sarasota County Public Records Requests

The Sarasota County Sheriff has a well-organized public records request system. The records section is located at the Criminal Justice Center, 2071 Ringling Boulevard in Sarasota, on the first floor. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 941.861.4025 or email Records@sarasotasheriff.org to ask about records. The SCSO makes all reports available per Chapter 119 of the Florida State Statutes.

The screenshot below shows the Sarasota County Sheriff's public records request page with details on how to submit your request.

You can also submit requests online through the Sarasota County GovQA portal. This tracks your request and lets you follow its progress. Having a case number, location, date, or the reporting party's name helps the office process your request faster. But Florida law does not require you to provide any of that. You can stay anonymous.

The screenshot below shows the Sarasota County Sheriff's GovQA online request portal.

Note: Under Florida law, any email address you provide when requesting records from Sarasota County becomes part of the public record.

Sarasota County Records Fees

Sarasota County has clear fee structures for public records. Single-sided copies cost 15 cents each. Double-sided pages are 20 cents. These are standard state rates. Certified copies cost more.

For staff time, the first 30 minutes are free. If your request takes longer, the office charges at the Records Technician rate plus copy costs. A deposit is required in advance for large requests. The office will give you an estimate before they begin work on extensive requests in Sarasota County.

Background checks for Sarasota County only are free of charge. That is a unique benefit in this county. If you need a statewide Florida background check, FDLE charges $24. Contact FDLE at 850.410.8109 for statewide checks. The free local check only covers arrests and records within Sarasota County.

Search Sarasota County Mugshots Online

The Sarasota County Sheriff provides tools for searching arrest records and booking data online. The Florida Department of State jail directory also links to Sarasota County resources alongside all 67 counties in the state. The Florida Jail Information System from the Florida Sheriffs Association pulls booking data statewide, including Sarasota County. You can search for people booked within the last 24, 48, or 72 hours.

For people who went from the Sarasota County jail to state prison, the Florida Department of Corrections offender search shows where they are now. It lists current facility, sentence length, and expected release dates for state inmates.

Sarasota County Records and Florida Law

Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes makes arrest records in Sarasota County public. Section 119.01 says all county and municipal records are open for personal inspection and copying. Mugshots, booking details, charge sheets, and bond information are all covered. You can request records anonymously.

Under Section 119.071(4)(d), booking photos of current or former law enforcement officers are exempt from disclosure when the officer files a written request. The case of Sarasota Herald-Tribune Company v. Sarasota County Sheriff's Office addressed this directly. In that case, the court ruled that a deputy's booking photo could not be released when a written confidentiality request was on file. Victim details in sexual offense cases are also confidential under Section 119.071(4)(h). Outside these exemptions, Sarasota County arrest records are open to everyone.

Removing Sarasota County Mugshots

To get a mugshot removed from Sarasota County records, you need a court order. Sealing under Section 943.059 hides the record from the public. Expungement under Section 943.0585 destroys it. Both require an application through the FDLE seal and expunge process. The cost is $75 by money order, and processing takes about 12 weeks.

Once the court order is entered, the Sarasota County Sheriff removes the record from public access. Mugshots that private websites already copied remain online. Those sites are not bound by the seal and expunge order. Contact FDLE at 850.410.7870 or email SEinfo@fdle.state.fl.us for questions about the application process for Sarasota County records.

Cities in Sarasota County

Sarasota County includes the cities of Sarasota, Venice, North Port, and several unincorporated areas. All arrests get booked through the Sarasota County corrections facility. North Port is the largest city in the county by population and has its own page.

Other communities in Sarasota County include Venice, Osprey, Nokomis, Englewood, and Longboat Key. All bookings from these areas go through the county jail.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast. Check their jail databases too if you need to search a wider area.