Find Criminal History Records in Frederick

Frederick criminal history records involve two separate law enforcement agencies: the Frederick City Police Department and the Frederick County Sheriff's Office. Both serve parts of Frederick, and each handles its own incident reports and public information requests. For official criminal history background checks, neither agency handles those directly. All background check requests for Frederick residents go through the Maryland CJIS Central Repository at the state level. This page walks through each source and how to access what you need.

Frederick City Police Department

Frederick has its own city police department separate from the county sheriff. The Frederick Police Department patrols within city limits and maintains its own incident reports and records. If an incident happened inside the city, the city police department is the right agency to contact first.

To get records from Frederick City Police, you submit a Public Information Act (PIA) request directly to the department. The city has its own PIA Request Form. Submit it to the custodian of records. Once you file, the city has up to 30 days to respond. Some records tied to open investigations may be withheld until the case closes.

Here is a look at the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, which also serves areas in and around Frederick City.

Both the city police and the county sheriff play a role in Frederick's law enforcement landscape, and each has its own records process.

Frederick County Sheriff's Office Records

The Frederick County Sheriff's Office serves areas outside city limits and assists with county-level law enforcement. Even within the city, the sheriff may have records on certain cases, especially those that involve county court proceedings or joint operations.

The sheriff's office has an online public records portal where you can submit requests without visiting in person. This portal handles incident reports, call records, and other public documents maintained by the sheriff. Requests are processed under Maryland's Public Information Act. If you are not sure whether the city police or the sheriff handled a specific incident, you can contact both agencies to check.

Criminal History Background Checks

Neither the Frederick City Police nor the county sheriff issues criminal history background checks to members of the public. For an official criminal history record, you must go through the Maryland CJIS Central Repository. The process involves submitting fingerprints along with Form 015. The state-only fee is $18. A combined state and FBI check costs $38 or more.

Mail your fingerprint card and form to: CJIS Central Repository, P.O. Box 32708, Pikesville, MD 21282-2708. Processing takes 10 to 15 business days. Questions go to the CJIS Help Desk at 1-888-795-0011 or 410-764-4501. The full process is documented at the DPSCS background checks page. Fingerprinting sites near Frederick are listed on the DPSCS fingerprinting page.

Frederick County Circuit Court

All criminal cases for Frederick City go through Frederick County Circuit Court. The court is co-located with the city police department on West Patrick Street. The clerk's office can provide copies of court records that are not sealed.

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search is free and covers both circuit and district court records for Frederick County. You can search by name or case number. It shows charges, court dates, and case outcomes for public records. It is not an official criminal history report, but it is a useful starting point for court-filed cases.

Sex Offender Registry and Other State Resources

The Maryland Sex Offender Registry is maintained by DPSCS and is searchable statewide. You can look up registered offenders in the Frederick area at the DPSCS registry search page. Searches can be done by name or zip code.

For expungement of Frederick County criminal records, Maryland law may allow certain charges or convictions to be cleared from your record. The Maryland Courts record cleanup page explains eligibility and steps. Petitions for expungement in Frederick cases go to the Frederick County Circuit Court.

Nearby Cities

Search criminal history records in cities near Frederick.

County Criminal History Records

Frederick is the county seat of Frederick County. Court records and background checks connect to Frederick County agencies.