Lima City, Ohio Criminal Records

Lima criminal records are official documents and files that contain details of investigations, arrests, prosecution, and disposition of alleged criminal charges in the city. These records may include police incident and arrest reports, criminal complaints, charges, court docket entries, judgments, sentences, and jail booking information. Depending on the level of access, criminal records may be used for purposes such as identifying suspects during an investigation, background checks for employment, security clearance, licensing, adoption, or enhancing sentences during criminal prosecution.

Lima criminal records are not stored in a central city database; several agencies serve as custodians of these records. The Lima Police Department maintains local police records, while the Lima Municipal Court oversees misdemeanor and other criminal matters within its jurisdiction. Likewise, the Allen County Clerk of Courts keeps Common Pleas Court records, and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation serves as the state’s criminal-records repository.

What are Lima Public Records?

Under Ohio Revised Code § 149.43 (Ohio Public Records Act), Lima public records include all types of documentation a government agency creates and maintains while carrying out the people's business within the city's jurisdiction. That means the information must be available in a fixed medium (e.g., documents, files, recordings, emails, photographs, maps, and other materials) and created by or received by a municipal agency under Lima's authority. It must also document the office or agency's activities, such as official functions, policies, decisions, procedures, or operations.

However, not all records by a government office or agency in Lima are releasable to the public under state law. Records or specific sections of records covered by an exemption under Ohio Revised Code § 149.43 or another law (state or federal) may be withheld or redacted. Some exemptions in the state's Public Records Act include medical records, information concerning probation and parole proceedings, juvenile records, adoption records, confidential law enforcement investigatory materials, intellectual property, and military discharge records.

Others include personal information (e.g., Social Security, state or federal tax identification numbers, driver's license, and financial account numbers) and public utility usage information.

Some categories of exemptions under other laws are those affecting personal privacy, student records under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), public office and public office security, and exemptions related to litigation (e.g., attorney-client privileges and trial preparation records).

Lima Crime Statistics

According to the FBI crime database, the Lima Police Department recorded 295 violent offenses in 2025 and 266 in 2024. This means the city experienced a 10.90% increase in total violent crimes between 2024 and 2025. A breakdown of the 2025 figures showed that aggravated assault was the most prevalent crime, with 73.56% (217), followed by rape with 15.59% (49 cases) and robbery with 9.49% (28 cases). Homicides constituted 1.36% (4 cases) of all violent crimes.

Regarding all property crimes, the Lima Police Department recorded 1,172 offenses in 2024 and 1,070 in 2025. This figure suggests an 8.70% reduction in all property crimes between 2024 and 2025. A breakdown of the property crimes involved indicated that larceny theft was the most common type, at 75.33% (806). Others include burglary at 18.69% (200) and motor vehicle theft at 5.98% (64).

Are Lima Criminal Records Public?

Yes. Under the Ohio Public Records Act, Lima criminal records are generally available to anyone unless state law declares that the record be exempted or redacted. This means requesters may obtain incident reports, arrest reports, and offense reports from the Lima Police Department Records Bureau, subject to the Ohio Public Records Act. For court records, they may access criminal complaints, docket entries, judgments, and sentencing information maintained by the Allen County Clerk of Courts in accordance with Ohio court-access rules.

Ohio law allows record custodians to withhold or redact information when it contains sensitive documents or personal privacy. For instance, personal records that may constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy, law enforcement records that reveal the identities of confidential informants, and clients' and public defenders' case files are inaccessible to the public. Other exemptions include juvenile records, Social Security numbers, financial information, or information protected by another state or federal law.

The statewide computerized criminal-history database maintained by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is not a public record; it is not the same as local police and court records. Under Ohio law, the state custodian of criminal history record information may only release such information to individuals and agencies authorized by law and persons requesting copies of their own records.

How to Obtain Lima Police Reports and Arrest Records

The Lima Police Department Records Bureau handles police reports and arrest records created by the Department’s officers. Individuals seeking these reports should contact the Records Bureau by phone or email at (419) 221-5135 or by email at LPDRecords@cityhall.lima.oh.us.

Requesters are expected to provide identifying information to help the staff locate the relevant report. Such details often include the names of the parties involved, an approximate incident date and time, type of incident, and report or case number, when available. They must also state whether they wish to inspect the record or obtain copies (e.g., paper or electronic), as copying fees may apply.

Before visiting the Records Bureau, requesters may call the Records Bureau line to confirm whether an appointment or payment is required. Callers who do not receive a response should leave a voicemail. Lima city’s official page lists the Records Bureau's regular business hours as Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Records Bureau is located on the first floor of the Lima Police Department at:

Lima Police Department

117 East Market Street

Lima, OH 45801

Main police telephone: (419) 227-4444

In Ohio, requesters making general public records requests typically do not have to provide written requests or state reasons for such requests. The Department may, however, redact confidential investigatory information, protected victim details, personal identifiers, or other information exempt under the Ohio Public Records Act.

How to Find Sex Offender Information in Lima

As of September 2026, Lima City does not appear to maintain a separate city database for sex offenders. Residents and non-residents seeking sex offender information may use the Ohio Attorney General’s Office electronic sex offender registration network ("eSORN") registry. They may access the registry through the Allen County Sheriff’s Office website (Sex Offender Search) or the Attorney General’s website, under a “Sex Offender Search” link.

Information seekers may search the registry using an offender’s last or first name (or any alias first or last name) or use the “in your area” search option to locate all published offenders within a specified radius of their home, school, business, or other relevant address. Alternatively, an inquirer may use the city of residence search field to locate offenders in Lima city. The eSORN registry covers all registered offenders in Lima and other Allen County communities.

Searches typically yield a variety of information, including the offender’s full name and known aliases, current photograph, age and date of birth, and other basic identifiers (e.g., sex, race, height, weight, hair and eye color). Some other details are scars, marks, tattoos, and other identifying features, residential address, employment or volunteer address (when publicly reportable), and a map showing the approximate or registered location, and more.

What Happens if My Request for Criminal Records is Denied in Lima?

An individual whose request was denied should obtain a written explanation as required by Ohio law. Typically, record custodians may deny criminal record requests if it involves a sealed or expunged record, law enforcement or victim information protected by law, the request is too broad to identify relevant documents, a record does not exist, or it is maintained by another agency. The requester may simplify the request, contact the agency for any nonexempt files after protected information has been redacted.

Before starting a legal action, the requester is expected to serve a pre-filing complaint on the public office and allow it to resolve the alleged violation within three business days. If the dispute persists, they may file a complaint with the Ohio Court of Claims (for a $25 fee) at 65 South Front Street, Third Floor, Columbus, OH 43215, by calling 614-387-9800 or 800-824-8263, or through the court's online complaint form.

How to Expunge or Seal Lima Criminal Records

Individuals seeking to seal or expunge a Lima criminal record must file the relevant application with the court that decided the case (e.g., the Lima Municipal Court or the Allen County Court of Common Pleas) and pay the necessary filing fee. Eligible offenses often include misdemeanors, fourth- and fifth-degree felonies, and some third-degree felonies, while traffic convictions, first- and second-degree felonies, many violent or sexual offenses, offenses involving children under 13, and certain domestic-violence convictions are ineligible for record relief.

After the date of final discharge (completion of sentence, probation, or supervision), a petitioner must undergo a waiting period of 6 months for a minor misdemeanor, 1 year for misdemeanors and most fourth- or fifth-degree felonies, 3 years for one or two qualifying third-degree felonies, and 10 years for felony expungement. Acquittal or dismissed case records are usually addressed immediately, but a grand-jury no-bill normally requires a two-year wait. The court holds a hearing and considers pending criminal proceedings, rehabilitation, objections from the prosecutor or victim, and whether the applicant’s interest outweighs the government’s need to retain the record.