Reviewed and updated October 9, 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 September 25, 2026.
Thornton, Colorado, in Adams County, has about 147,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Thornton depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Colorado Open Records 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: Thornton public records, Adams County police reports, Thornton arrest records, Thornton warrants, Thornton inmate search, Thornton criminal records, Colorado arrest records and Colorado inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Thornton
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 Thornton that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Thornton Police Department); outside it, the Adams County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI's list also carries the University of Colorado at Denver (campus police), with a records office of its own.
The Arvada Police Department and the Aurora Police Department are each listed by the FBI across several counties including Adams County, so their arrests are not broken out for Adams County here.
Reports from the Thornton Police
For Thornton, SearchSystems opened and checked the Thornton police records page at forms.thorntonco.gov/Police/RequestForCriminalJusticeInformation (page title: Request For Criminal Justice Information | Thornton Police Department | Thornton Forms), phone 303-538-7230, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
The agency that reports for Thornton had 371 violent and 3,378 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 5,705 arrests for 2025.
Reports from the Adams County Sheriff's Office
The Adams County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 385 violent and 2,157 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 6,472 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit, reached through the office at (303) 288-1535. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its custody page, at adamssheriffco.gov/community/public-records/inmate-search (page title: Inmate Search | Adams County Sheriff Office), phone (303) 288-1535, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm., which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
What the Colorado Open Records Act Requires
Under the Colorado Open Records Act the agency must answer a request within 3 working days, extendable to 7 when there are extenuating circumstances, and it may charge research and retrieval time after the first hour, plus copying. The request goes to the agency that holds the report, in writing, and does not have to say why the report is wanted.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Thornton?
From the agency that took it. The Thornton police records page is at forms.thorntonco.gov, phone 303-538-7230; the sheriff's reports come from the Adams County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Thornton have to answer?
Under the Colorado Open Records Act, within 3 working days, extendable to 7 when there are extenuating circumstances. It may charge research and retrieval time after the first hour, plus copying.
How do I get a report from the Adams County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit, reached through the office at (303) 288-1535. Under the Colorado Open Records Act the answer is due within 3 working days, extendable to 7 when there are extenuating circumstances.
Is this the official Thornton 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.