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 on September 23, 2026.
Howard County, Maryland, has about 340,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Howard County depends on where the incident happened: the Howard County Sheriff's Office for the unincorporated county, the agency that reports for the city inside a city. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Maryland Public Information Act requires of it.
This guide covers which agency, the sheriff's reports, how many reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Howard County public records, Howard County arrest records, Howard County warrants, Howard County criminal records, Howard County court records, Maryland arrest records and Maryland inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Howard County
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.
In Howard County that is the Howard County Sheriff's Office for the unincorporated county and for any city that contracts with it for police service, and the agency that reports for a city where the city has one of its own.
The FBI's list also places the Howard County State Police in Howard County; a report taken on a state highway by it comes from that agency's own records office.
Reports from the Howard County Sheriff's Office
The Howard County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 0 violent and 0 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 355 arrests for 2020.
Its reports come from its records unit.
How Many Reports: Howard County in 2025
The two agencies in Howard County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 396 violent and 5,047 property crimes to the FBI that year, each one a report taken by the agency that holds it.
The Howard County Police Department reported 1,676 arrests to the FBI for 2024, and each arrest is a report of its own.
What the Maryland Public Information Act Requires
The Maryland Public Information Act sets the rules: an answer within 30 days, with a denial due within 10 working days, at a charge of staff time after the first two hours, plus copying, from the agency that holds the report.
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the State's Attorney handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Howard County?
From the agency whose officer took it: the Howard County Sheriff's Office for its own arrests, or the agency that reports for the city where it happened. Under the Maryland Public Information Act the answer is due within 30 days, with a denial due within 10 working days.
How long does an agency in Howard County have to answer?
Under the Maryland Public Information Act, within 30 days, with a denial due within 10 working days. It may charge staff time after the first two hours, plus copying.
Who has a crash report from a state highway in Howard County?
The state agency whose officer took it; the FBI lists the Howard County State Police in Howard County.
How do I get a report from the Howard County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit. Under the Maryland Public Information Act the answer is due within 30 days, with a denial due within 10 working days.
Is this the official Howard County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.