What are Bloomington City Public Records?
The Indiana Code defines Bloomington City public records as information created or maintained by any public agency, whether in written, image, video, or audio formats. However, certain records filed with or maintained by public agencies are exempt from public disclosure. Some examples include:
- All records considered private by existing state law, federal law, or government agency authorized to rule on a record’s confidentiality
- Personal financial information submitted to any public agency in confidence.
- Research carried out by state educational institutions.
- All materials used in the conduct of professional or licensing examination including scoring keys and test questions.
- An individual's medical reports, charts, and some autopsy information.
- Information on ongoing investigations carried out by law enforcement agencies
- Any information where disclosure can compromise individual or public safety.
Bloomington City Crime Statistics
Bloomington City crime statistics are captured in the annual Public Safety Report published by the Bloomington City Police Department. The report categorizes committed offenses into crimes against persons, society, and property. The total number of reported crimes committed against persons was 1,209 in 2020 and 1,504 in 2019, showing a 19.61 percent decrease in crime rate. Crimes on the list include 308 aggravated assaults cases, 5 homicides, 121 intimidation cases, 2 abduction incidents, 106 sex offenses, 66 human assaults, and 1 case of human trafficking. For crimes committed against society, a total of 808 were reported in 2020, showing a 27.66 percent decline from the 1,117 total in 2019. Recorded crimes in this category include 10 animal cruelty cases, 279 drug equipment cases, 417 narcotic offenses, 26 pornography violations, 6 prostitution violations, and 80 weapons violations.
A total of 3,941 property crimes were also reported in the same year showing a 4.7 percent increase when compared with the 2019 total of 3,764 property crimes. The property crime figures were further broken down into 10 arson cases, 391 burglary incidents, 122 forgeries, 18 reports of embezzlement, 14 blackmail offenses, 471 fraud cases, 154 motor vehicle thefts, 74 robberies, and 958 vandalism reports.
Are Bloomington City Criminal Records Public?
Bloomington City criminal records are public. According to the Access to Public Request Act (APRA), interested persons can obtain limited criminal history records from the Bloomington Police Department. The report only contains information on Class A felonies and misdemeanor offenses in the city. Specific details include the subject’s name, gender, date of birth, place of birth, social security number, and race.
To request criminal records in Bloomington City, residents may complete the Request for Limited Criminal History form and mail it with a $7 money order to the:
Bloomington Police Department,
220 E 3rd St,
Bloomington, IN 4740
Phone: (812) 339-4477
Interested persons may also submit the request form in person by visiting the Bloomington Police Department Office on weekdays between 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Criminal record requests are fulfilled within 10 business days.
Alternatively, residents may visit the state-managed repository to conduct a Criminal History Search. Interested requesters may conduct fingerprint-based or name-based searches for $15 each.
How to Obtain Bloomington City Police Reports and Arrest Records
Requesters can obtain copies of Bloomington police reports and arrest records from the city's Police Department. Though these records are public, the agency may restrict access to reports that are material to ongoing investigations. Interested persons should complete the Public Access Request Form and submit it via mail or in person to:
Bloomington Police Department - Records Division
220 East Third Street
Bloomington, IN 47401
Phone: (812) 339-4477
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Bloomington City
Requesters can obtain Bloomington City sex offender information by accessing the Indiana sex offender registry page maintained by the Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC). Requesters may search by providing the offender's first and last names or the offender's number. Offender details available on the registry include names and aliases, last registered addresses, each person’s gender, and offenses committed.
How to Find Bloomington City Inmate Records
Requesters can access Bloomington City inmate records by using the search tool provided by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Requesters will be required to provide the following inmate information:
- Inmate's full name
- Gender
- Date of birth
- Age
- Inmate identity card
How Do I Visit an Inmate in Bloomington City Jail?
Inmates incarcerated in the Monroe County Correctional Center in Bloomington City are allowed to receive visits from close family and friends. Visitors must be at least 18 years old and have government-issued identification cards. Minors are also permitted to visit but must be accompanied by adults who present birth certificates. Inmates are allowed a maximum of two visits in a week and not more than two visitors in a day. Visiting sessions last between 15-30 minutes.
All visitors must be appropriately dressed and maintain good conduct throughout the visiting period. Failure to maintain acceptable conduct may lead to the cancellation of the visit. Visitors who want to deposit money into the inmate's account are permitted to do so on visitation days using money orders. Additionally, visitors are required to be at the facility at least 15 minutes before the scheduled visitation time.
Interested persons can schedule visits at the appointment window located within the jail facility on Mondays to Fridays between 08:45 am to 12: 00 pm. Alternatively, intending visitors can schedule their visits by calling at (812) 753-4000. The address of the Correctional Center is:
Monroe County Correctional Center
301 North College Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47404
Phone: (812) 349-2750
Onsite video visitation is also available for interested persons. Intending visitors are encouraged to use this visitation option to schedule a visit at no extra cost. Monroe County Jail inmates are permitted to have one 30-minute video visit per week, scheduled at least 2 days in advance. Video visitations are available every weekday between the hours of 8:00 a.m to 8:30 p.m.
What are Bloomington City Vital Records?
Bloomington City vital records are records of life events generated and maintained by government agencies. These vital records include marriage, birth, death, and divorce records. Residents should note that public access to some vital records may be restricted under Indiana law.
Where and How to Obtain Bloomington City Divorce Records
The Monroe County Clerk of Court maintains Bloomington City divorce records. According to the Indiana Public Records Law, divorce records are public and accessible to interested persons. However, either subject of the record may request the judge to restrict access to some information.
Interested persons can get certified copies of Bloomington divorce records by submitting requests to the court clerk’s office in person or by mail. While the clerk’s office fulfills in-person requests on the same day, mail requests may take between 8 and 10 weeks. Applicable fees are payable with cash, check, credit cards, or money orders. Requesters will be required to provide the following information:
- The requester's first and last name.
- Case number.
- Divorce filing date.
- Date the case was decided.
- Copy of government-issued identification card.
- Requester's contact information such as email and phone number.
Residents may also find divorce records online through the Indiana court case search. To conduct an online search, requesters should provide the following information:
- Names of the subjects of the record
- Case number
- The citation number
- Names of the divorce attorneys
All requests should be submitted to the clerk’s office using the following details:
Monroe County Clerk of Court
Charlotte Zietlow Justice Center
301 N College Ave
Bloomington, IN 47404
Phone: (812) 349-2614
Fax: (812) 349-2610
Eligibility for certified copies of divorce records is restricted to the following persons:
- The subjects of the divorce records
- Current spouses to the subjects of the record.
- Attorney to the subjects
- Children to the subjects
- Parents or legal guardians to the subjects.
Where and How to Get Bloomington City Marriage Records
Bloomington City marriage records are maintained by the office of the County Clerk. Requests for certified copies of marriage records are only made in person after completing the request form and paying an application fee of $8. To obtain copies of Bloomington City marriage records, applicants should visit the County Clerk's office at:
Monroe County Clerk Office
Charlotte Zietlow Justice Center
301 N College Ave
Bloomington, IN 47404
Alternatively, interested persons may conduct an online search through the Indiana State Library. The information available online is limited to the names of the record’s subjects, the year the marriage took place, and the county that issued the license.
Where and How to Find Bloomington City Birth Records
Bloomington City residents can obtain copies of birth records from the Monroe County Department Of Health. However, birth records are not accessible to the public. According to the Indiana Code, only persons with a direct interest can request birth records. Eligible requestors include the subject of the record, current spouses, children, legal representatives, listed legal guardians, and siblings. Requesters are required to provide proof of relationship along with a valid identification card.
To obtain copies of birth records, interested persons should provide the following information:
- First and last name
- Date of birth
- Name of parents
- City and county of birth
- Mother's maiden name
- Reason for requesting the copy
- A valid photo ID
- Proof of relationship
If the requestor is a minor, the following information is required:
- A signed authorization from a legal guardian
- Guardian's contact number
- Guardian's government-issued identification card bearing their signature.
Requests for birth records can be made either in person or by mail. Once the health department receives all the required documents, the request is fulfilled within 6 to 8 weeks. To obtain the records by mail, interested persons are to fill the request form and mail it with a $16 check or money order, a valid ID, and proof of relationship to:
Monroe County Health Department
Health Building
119 W 7th St
Bloomington, IN 47404
Phone: (812) 349-2543
Where and How to Find Bloomington City Death Records
Bloomington City death records are available at the Monroe County Health Department. While the informational copies are accessible to the public, certified copies are restricted to persons with tangible interest. Such persons include:
- Parents of the deceased
- Spouse, adult children, siblings, and grandchildren of the deceased
- The deceased’s grandparents
- Individuals with legal interests such as a funeral home director or an attorney
To obtain death records in Bloomington, requesters should enclose completed copies of the certified death records request form, $16 checks or money orders, copies of valid identification, and proof of relationship. These should be submitted in person or by mail to:
Monroe County Health Department
Health Building
119 W 7th St
Bloomington, IN 47404
Phone: (812) 349-2543
Shipping fees may apply depending on the method of shipping chosen by the requester. For instance, the cost of shipping by mail is $23.52, which covers both certificate and shipping fees. Instead of mail requests, interested applicants may also apply online through the state Public Libraries portal. Searchers should provide the following information:
- First and last name of the deceased
- City and county of death
- Date of death
- Deceased gender
