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.
Rockford, Illinois, in Winnebago 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 Rockford depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Illinois Freedom of 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: Rockford public records, Winnebago County police reports, Rockford arrest records, Rockford warrants, Rockford inmate search, Rockford criminal records, Illinois arrest records and Illinois inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Rockford
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 Rockford that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Rockford Police Department); outside it, the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI's agency list also places one campus police department and three other agencies in Winnebago County, each with a records office of its own.
Reports from the Rockford Police
For Rockford, SearchSystems opened and checked the Rockford police department's page at rockfordil.gov/201/How-to-Obtain-Information-from-the-Rockf (page title: How to Obtain Information from the Rockford Police Department | Rockford, IL), phone 779-500-6451, 557 S New Towne Drive Rockford, IL 61108, Monday through Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
The agency that reports for Rockford had 1,325 violent and 3,725 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 4,728 arrests for 2025.
Reports from the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office
The Winnebago County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 99 violent and 277 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 1,921 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its jail page, at inmates.winnebagosheriff.com (page title: Winnebago County Sheriff's Office -- Inmate Inquiry), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
What the Illinois Freedom of Information Act Requires
Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act the agency must answer a request within 5 business days, with one 5-day extension, and it may charge copying only after the first 50 pages. 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 Rockford?
From the agency that took it. The Rockford police department's page is at rockfordil.gov, phone 779-500-6451; the sheriff's reports come from the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Rockford have to answer?
Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, within 5 business days, with one 5-day extension. It may charge copying only after the first 50 pages.
How do I get a report from the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit. Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act the answer is due within 5 business days, with one 5-day extension.
Is this the official Rockford 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.