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 30, 2026.
Columbus, Indiana, in Bartholomew County, has about 52,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Columbus depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Indiana Access to Public 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: Columbus public records, Bartholomew County police reports, Columbus arrest records, Columbus warrants, Columbus inmate search, Columbus criminal records, Indiana arrest records and Indiana inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Columbus
The report of an incident is released by the agency that took it; the court and the jail hold their own records of the same event, but not the report.
Inside Columbus that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Columbus Police Department); outside it, the Bartholomew County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI's list also carries Indiana University at Columbus (campus police), with a records office of its own.
The Edinburgh Police Department is listed by the FBI across three counties including Bartholomew County, so its arrests are not broken out for Bartholomew County here.
Reports from the Columbus Police
For Columbus, SearchSystems opened and checked the Columbus police records page at columbus.in.gov/police/divisions/records (page title: Records | Police), phone 877-472-6917, 123 Washington Street, Columbus, IN 47201, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
The agency that reports for Columbus had 46 violent and 643 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 1,452 arrests for 2025.
Reports from the Bartholomew County Sheriff's Office
The Bartholomew County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 21 violent and 158 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 997 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit, reached through the office at 812-379-1750. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its jail page, at bartholomew.in.gov/sheriff.html (page title: Sheriff), phone 812-379-1750, Monday - Friday between the hours of 8 AM - 5 PM., which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 30, 2026.
What the Indiana Access to Public Records Act Requires
The Indiana Access to Public Records Act sets the rules: an answer within 24 hours for a request made in person and 7 days for one sent by mail or email, at a charge of a copy fee set by the agency, within statutory limits, from the agency that holds the report.
Any other county record goes through the county records request page SearchSystems verified, at bartholomew.in.gov/how-do-i-search-landing/faq/21-how-do-i-request-... (page title: How do I request public records?).
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the Prosecuting Attorney handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Columbus?
From the agency that took it. The Columbus police records page is at columbus.in.gov/police/divisions/records, phone 877-472-6917; the sheriff's reports come from the Bartholomew County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Columbus have to answer?
Under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act, within 24 hours for a request made in person and 7 days for one sent by mail or email. It may charge a copy fee set by the agency, within statutory limits.
How do I get a report from the Bartholomew County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit, reached through the office at 812-379-1750. Under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act the answer is due within 24 hours for a request made in person and 7 days for one sent by mail or email.
Is this the official Columbus 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.