Reviewed and updated October 7, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest and crime counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 1, 2026.
Houston, Texas, in Harris County, has about 2.4 million residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Houston depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Texas Public Information Act requires of it.
This guide covers which agency, the city's records page, the sheriff's reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Houston public records, Harris County public records, Houston warrants, Houston inmate search, Houston criminal records, Houston court records, Texas arrest records and Texas inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Houston
A crime, incident or collision report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, and that agency releases it, not the court, the jail or the prosecutor.
Inside Houston that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Houston Police Department); outside it, the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI's agency list also places 30 other agencies and 11 campus police departments in Harris County, each with a records office of its own.
The Waller Police Department, the Stafford Police Department, the Missouri City Police Department and three more are each listed by the FBI across several counties including Harris County, so their arrests are not broken out for Harris County here.
Reports from the Houston Police
For Houston, SearchSystems opened and checked the Houston police records page at houstontx.gov/police/divisions/records/index.htm (page title: Records), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
The agency that reports for Houston had 21,345 violent and 92,382 property crimes reported for 2025.
Reports from the Harris County Sheriff's Office
The Harris County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 6,890 violent and 29,667 property crimes reported for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit, reached through the office at 866-268-8959. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its jail page, at harriscountyso.org/JailInfo/Default (page title: Jail Information-Harris County Texas Sheriff's Office), phone 866-268-8959, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
What the Texas Public Information Act Requires
Under the Texas Public Information Act the agency must answer a request within 10 business days, and it may charge the copy rates set by the Attorney General, plus labor for large requests. The request goes to the agency that holds the report, in writing, and does not have to say why the report is wanted.
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the District Attorney, 713-274-5800, handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Houston?
From the agency that took it. The Houston police records page is at houstontx.gov; the sheriff's reports come from the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Houston have to answer?
Under the Texas Public Information Act, within 10 business days. It may charge the copy rates set by the Attorney General, plus labor for large requests.
How do I get a report from the Harris County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit, reached through the office at 866-268-8959. Under the Texas Public Information Act the answer is due within 10 business days.
Is this the official Houston website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.