Bowling Green City, Ohio Criminal Records
In Bowling Green, criminal records are official law enforcement and court records documenting offenses for which individuals may have been arrested, charged, prosecuted, or convicted under Ohio law and the local criminal justice system. These documents include:
- Arrest records and incident/offense reports
- Call-for-service records
- Criminal charges and citations
- Warrant records
- Booking and custody records
- Criminal court dockets and case filings
- Arraignments and hearing records
- Sentencing and judgment entries
- Probation records
- Police body-camera and related evidentiary records.
Bowling Green is a municipality in Northwest Ohio and the seat of Wood County. In Bowling Green, depending on the seriousness of the offense and the stage of the judicial process, municipal, university, county, and state agencies generate, maintain, and process the city's criminal records. These agencies include:
- The Bowling Green Police Division (BGPD) and the Bowling Green State University (BGSU) Police Department
- The Bowling Green Municipal Court and the Wood County Court of Common Pleas
- Applicable detention and correctional facilities.
Under the local criminal justice system, the Bowling Green Municipal Court handles traffic and OVI cases, misdemeanor trials, and preliminary hearings for felony trials to determine whether probable cause exists. If the court finds probable cause for a felony charge, it will transfer the case to the Wood County Court of Common Pleas for final disposition.
To access Bowling Green misdemeanor criminal records, inquirers can use the Bowling Green Municipal Court Criminal Search resources or contact the court's clerk's office at:
711 S. Dunbridge Road
Bowling Green, OH 43402
Phone: (419) 352-5263.
What are Bowling Green Public Records?
In Bowling Green, public criminal records encompass publicly accessible law enforcement and court documents detailing individuals' involvement with the local criminal justice system. These include but are not limited to documents created during arrests, alleged violations of Ohio criminal codes and local ordinances, criminal proceedings, and incarceration.
Bowling Green's public criminal records are subject to statutory exemptions and other applicable restrictions according to Section 149.43 of the Ohio Revised Code. Bowling Green's public criminal records are created and maintained by law enforcement agencies, courts, and correctional facilities, including:
- Bowling Green Police Division
- Bowling Green State University Police Department
- Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP)
- Bowling Green Municipal Court
- Wood County Court of Common Pleas
- Wood County Justice Center/Wood County Jail
- Northwest Community Corrections Center.
Bowling Green Crime Statistics
According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR), Bowling Green recorded fewer reported violent and property crimes in 2025 than in 2024. In 2025, the Bowling Green Police Division and the Bowling Green State University Police Department reported a combined 281 violent and property crime offenses, comprising 13 violent crimes and 268 property crimes. In comparison, the agencies recorded 24 violent crimes and 369 property crimes in 2024, for a combined total of 393 offenses. The table below presents the reported violent and property crime figures for 2025 and 2024:
| Crime Category | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Total | 13 | 24 |
| Rape | 5 | 8 |
| Robbery | 0 | 2 |
| Aggravated Assault | 8 | 14 |
| Property Crime Total | 268 | 369 |
| Burglary | 10 | 22 |
| Larceny-theft | 223 | 331 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 35 | 16 |
Are Bowling Green Criminal Records Public?
Yes, Bowling Green criminal records are public information. Per Section 149.43 of the Ohio Revised Code, government agencies (including police departments, courts, and detention/correctional facilities) must make their official records available for inspection and copying upon request, subject to the statutory exemptions and other restrictions. Any interested adult can access these records, regardless of citizenship or residency. Likewise, individuals can access Ohio's public records without stating their purpose.
In Bowling Green, several agencies create and maintain criminal records, including the Bowling Green Municipal Court, Wood County Court of Common Pleas, Wood County Justice Center/Wood County Jail, and the Northwest Community Corrections Center.
How to Obtain Bowling Green Police Reports and Arrest Records
In Bowling Green, access to police reports and arrest records depends on the law enforcement agency maintaining the records. For documents maintained by the Bowling Green Police Division, individuals can submit requests through the BGPD Records Request process or call (419) 352-1131. Record seekers can also request access in person at:
175 W. Wooster Street
Bowling Green, OH 43402.
The Bowling Green Police Division's current fee schedule includes $0.10 per page for a series of paper reports, $0.50 per DVD, and $5.00 per 16GB USB Flash Drive.
To access incident reports and arrest records maintained by the Bowling Green State University Police Department, individuals may submit email requests to the Bowling Green State University (BGSU) Public Records Officer at afelty@bgsu.edu or mail the request to:
Office of General Counsel
Bowling Green State University
110 McFall Center
Bowling, OH 43403.
The Bowling Green State University Police Department also maintains a daily crime log and fire log page containing information about criminal incidents/alleged criminal incidents and fires in on-campus student housing facilities. For records that are not available online, inquirers can call the BGSU Police Department at (419) 372-2346. Although the BGSU generally provides public access to law enforcement records, disclosure remains subject to statutory exemptions, redactions, and other restrictions. As such, the BGSU may redact or withhold information when applicable state and federal laws permit. For instance, in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), individuals cannot access students' educational records.
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Bowling Green
Bowling Green does not have a city-operated sex offender database. Under Section 2950 of the Ohio Revised Code, sex offender registration and tracking is at the county and state levels. Information about sex offenders in Bowling Green is available through the Ohio Attorney General's Office Sex Offender Search Engine or the National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW). For notification about sex offenders residing, working, or attending school in Bowling Green, residents can sign up for automated email alerts through the “Search Registry or sign-up for alert” link on the Wood County Sheriff’s Office Sex Offender Registration webpage.
What Happens if My Request for Criminal Records is Denied in Bowling Green?
Although Ohio mandates public access to criminal records, custodial agencies may deny access when statutory exemptions or other legal restrictions apply or when a request is ambiguous or overly broad. Under Ohio law, a public office that denies a request in whole or in part must explain the legal authority for the denial. If a custodial agency denies a request because it is ambiguous or overly broad, the requester may revise and resubmit the request. Requesters who believe that a public agency wrongly denied their requests after satisfying the three-business-day pre-filing requirements may file public record complaints with the Ohio Court of Claims or mandamus actions in the Wood County Court of Common Pleas.
How to Expunge or Seal Bowling Green Criminal Records
Per Section 2953 of the Ohio Revised Code, an eligible offender may apply to the sentencing court to seal or expunge an eligible conviction record. For an eligible Bowling Green misdemeanor conviction record, the petition for sealing must be filed with the Bowling Green Municipal Court, while sealing Bowling Green felony conviction records is through the Wood County Court of Common Pleas. Applicants must observe the following waiting periods after final discharge:
- Minor misdemeanor - 6 months
- Eligible misdemeanor or 4th- or 5th-degree felony - 1 year
- Eligible 3rd-degree felony - 3 years.
Petitioners should note that expungement requires longer statutory waiting periods. After a petition is filed, the court considers whether the applicant has pending criminal charges, been rehabilitated to the court's satisfaction, or if the applicant's interest in sealing the record outweighs the government's interest in retaining it.