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 24, 2026 and September 26, 2026.
Lawrence, Kansas, in Douglas County, has about 97,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Lawrence depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Kansas 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: Lawrence public records, Douglas County police reports, Lawrence arrest records, Lawrence warrants, Lawrence inmate search, Lawrence criminal records, Kansas arrest records and Kansas inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Lawrence
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 Lawrence that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Lawrence Police Department); outside it, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI's list also carries the University of Kansas's Main Campus (campus police), with a records office of its own.
Reports from the Lawrence Police
For Lawrence, SearchSystems opened and checked the Lawrence police records page at lawrenceks.gov/police/police-reports (page title: Police Reports | City of Lawrence, Kansas), phone (785) 832-7509, a site that blocks automated checks (HTTP 403), so open it in a browser.
The agency that reports for Lawrence had 432 violent and 1,861 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 2,482 arrests for 2025.
Reports from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 23 violent and 60 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 486 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its jail page, at dgso.org/index.php/dgso-inmate-reports (page title: DGSO Inmate Reports), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
What the Kansas Open Records Act Requires
Under the Kansas Open Records Act the agency must answer a request within 3 business days, and it may charge staff time and copying. The request goes to the agency that holds the report, in writing, and does not have to say why the report is wanted.
Any other county record goes through the county records request page SearchSystems verified, at dgcoks.gov/administration/open-records-requests (page title: Public Records | Douglas County KS).
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the County Attorney, 785-841-0211, handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Lawrence?
From the agency that took it. The Lawrence police records page is at lawrenceks.gov/police/police-reports, phone (785) 832-7509; the sheriff's reports come from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Lawrence have to answer?
Under the Kansas Open Records Act, within 3 business days. It may charge staff time and copying.
How do I get a report from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit. Under the Kansas Open Records Act the answer is due within 3 business days.
Is this the official Lawrence 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.