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.
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in Forsyth County, has about 256,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Winston-Salem depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the North Carolina 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: Winston-Salem public records, Forsyth County police reports, Winston-Salem arrest records, Winston-Salem warrants, Winston-Salem criminal records, Winston-Salem court records, North Carolina arrest records and North Carolina inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Winston-Salem
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 Winston-Salem that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Winston-Salem Police Department); outside it, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI's agency list also places one other agency and three campus police departments in Forsyth County, each with a records office of its own.
The King Police Department and the High Point Police Department are each listed by the FBI across several counties including Forsyth County, so their arrests are not broken out for Forsyth County here.
Reports from the Winston-Salem Police
For Winston-Salem, SearchSystems opened and checked the Winston-Salem police department's page at cityofws.org/319/Police-Department (page title: Police Department | City of Winston-Salem, NC), phone 336-779-6300, 725 N Cherry Street Winston-Salem, NC 27101, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
The agency that reports for Winston-Salem had 1,915 violent and 7,782 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 7,243 arrests for 2025.
Reports from the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office
The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 236 violent and 1,382 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 1,998 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit.
What the North Carolina Public Records Act Requires
Under the North Carolina Public Records Act the agency must answer a request as promptly as possible; the statute sets no number of days, and it may charge the actual cost of copying. 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 Winston-Salem?
From the agency that took it. The Winston-Salem police department's page is at cityofws.org/319/Police-Department, phone 336-779-6300; the sheriff's reports come from the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Winston-Salem have to answer?
Under the North Carolina Public Records Act, as promptly as possible; the statute sets no number of days. It may charge the actual cost of copying.
How do I get a report from the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit. Under the North Carolina Public Records Act the answer is due as promptly as possible; the statute sets no number of days.
Is this the official Winston-Salem 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.