Columbus Division of Police: Contact, Reports, and Complaints

The Columbus Division of Police can be reached at 911 for emergencies and (614) 645-4545 for non-emergencies, with headquarters at 120 Marconi Boulevard. Records requests go through the Public Records Unit at (614) 645-4925, minor incidents without a suspect can be reported through the Citizens Online Police Reporting System, and misconduct complaints against sworn officers go to the Department of the Inspector General at (614) 645-9600.¹²

Phone Numbers and Headquarters

Call 911 for life-threatening emergencies or crimes in progress. For everything else that still needs an officer, the non-emergency line is (614) 645-4545.³ Division headquarters is at 120 Marconi Boulevard.²

Getting a Police or Accident Report

Digital copies of accident reports are free through the Ohio Department of Public Safety website once the report has been submitted and accepted. Reports originally submitted on paper may not appear on the ODPS site for several weeks.⁴

Physical copies of offense or accident reports cost $0.05 per page. Payment must be cash, money order, or a certified check made out to the City of Columbus Treasurer Police; personal checks are not accepted. Electronic copies of the same reports are free.⁴

The Public Records Unit handles official report requests. You can:⁴⁵⁶

Call (614) 645-4925
Fax a crash report request to (614) 645-4001
Visit the Records Unit at 120 Marconi Boulevard
Submit the online request form and wait for staff to contact you when the report is ready

Filing a Police Report

The Citizens Online Police Reporting System is for incidents where you do not have suspect information such as a name or address. It covers identity theft, lost property, harassing phone calls, and vandalism.⁷

You cannot use the online system if the incident happened outside city limits, involved hate or bias, or if physical evidence needs to be collected. Call the police radio room at (614) 645-4545 for an officer response instead if the incident involves:⁷

Stolen firearms, license plates, or motor vehicles
Hazardous materials
Theft or property destruction valued at more than $3,000

Online filers get a temporary case number right away. Once the report is reviewed and approved, a permanent case number and a PDF copy are generally emailed within about five business days.⁷ Filing a report for an offense you know did not occur is a crime under Ohio law.⁸

Filing a Complaint Against an Officer or Employee

Complaints about misconduct or excessive force by a sworn officer go to the Department of the Inspector General (DIG), not to the Division itself. The DIG runs a 24-hour intake hotline at (614) 645-9600 and a main line at (614) 645-9601, and accepts in-person complaints at 50 W. Town Street, Suite 100.⁹

Complaints involving civilian employees are handled by the Internal Affairs Bureau, which investigates by gathering statements from the complainant and any witnesses to determine whether policies or laws were violated.¹⁰

1
City of Columbus. Emergency Communications Center – Section: 911 Tips
2
City of Columbus. Contact the Division of Police
3
City of Columbus. Emergency Communications Center – Section: Non-Emergency Line
4
City of Columbus. Find an Accident Report
5
City of Columbus. Find Reports
6
City of Columbus. Public Records Unit
7
City of Columbus. File an Offense Report
8
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code § 2917.32
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City of Columbus. Internal Affairs Bureau – Section: Filing a Complaint (Sworn Personnel)
10
City of Columbus. Civilian Employee Citizen Complaint Process