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 October 9, 2026.
Panama City Beach, Florida, in Bay County, has about 20,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Panama City Beach depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119) 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: Panama City Beach public records, Bay County police reports, Panama City Beach arrest records, Panama City Beach warrants, Panama City Beach inmate search, Panama City Beach criminal records, Florida arrest records and Florida inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Panama City Beach
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 Panama City Beach that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Panama City Beach Police Department); outside it, the Bay County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI's list also places the Highway Patrol in Bay County in Bay County; a report taken on a state highway by it comes from that agency's own records office.
The FBI's agency list also places one campus police department, two other agencies and five state agencies in Bay County, each with a records office of its own.
Reports from the Panama City Beach Police
For Panama City Beach, SearchSystems opened and checked the Panama City Beach police records page at panamacitypolice.gov/records (page title: Records | Secure Records Access Now | Panama City Police Department), phone (850) 872-3198, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
Reports from the Bay County Sheriff's Office
The Bay County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 232 violent and 859 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 3,365 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit, reached through the office at (850) 747-4700. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its jail page, at bayso.org/faqs (page title: Bay County Jail Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | Bay County Sheriff's Office), phone (850) 747-4700, 3421 N Highway 77 Panama City, FL 32405, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
What the Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119) Requires
The Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119) sets the rules: an answer promptly and in good faith; the statute sets no number of days, at a charge of the copy fees set by statute, plus a special service charge for large requests, from the agency that holds the report.
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the State Attorney handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Panama City Beach?
From the agency that took it. The Panama City Beach police records page is at panamacitypolice.gov/records, phone (850) 872-3198; the sheriff's reports come from the Bay County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Panama City Beach have to answer?
Under the Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119), promptly and in good faith; the statute sets no number of days. It may charge the copy fees set by statute, plus a special service charge for large requests.
Who has a crash report from a state highway in Panama City Beach?
The state agency whose officer took it; the FBI lists the Highway Patrol in Bay County in Bay County.
How do I get a report from the Bay County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit, reached through the office at (850) 747-4700. Under the Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119) the answer is due promptly and in good faith; the statute sets no number of days.
Is this the official Panama City Beach 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.