Records & Public Records Requests

Submit a records request:  JustFOIA platform.

Requestors are strongly encouraged to review the Records Request FAQs. This will help both you and the department obtain the requested information more efficiently.

Public Records Request: Frequently Asked Questions

What is a public record?
Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes defines a public record as all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, films, sound recordings, data processing software, or other materials, regardless of physical form or method of transmission, that are made or received in connection with official business by any agency.

Do I have to provide my name or explain why I am requesting records?
No. You are not required to provide identifying information to request records. However, you must provide a way for the City Clerk’s Office to contact you with cost estimates and to deliver the records. Many requestors choose to provide only an email address.

How do I request public records?
Requests can be made in person, by phone, by email, or through the City of Lake City’s JustFOIA platform.
You may also enter your request directly into the JustFOIA platform. 

Records Department (Police Records only)
(386) 758-5432
(386) 758-5487
records@lcflapd.com

Can I improve my request?
Yes, you can improve your request by being as specific as possible.

For example, some people request “all video footage” from an incident without realizing that a patrol vehicle may have multiple cameras, including two forward-facing cameras and a backseat camera. When combined with body-worn cameras, an incident may involve several video angles. Even if no one is placed in the backseat, that footage must still be reviewed for possible redaction.

Being specific helps reduce processing time and overall cost.

Example of a specific request:
I am requesting the incident report, audio, and video for case number XYZ-123.
Please include:
            Backseat footage only if someone was placed in the backseat.
            Vehicle footage only if officers or involved individuals are visible.
            Body camera footage only from officers who completed the incident or supplemental reports.

What happens after I submit a request?
If you submit your request outside of JustFOIA, a Records Coordinator will enter it into the system for you, and a tracking number will be assigned.

If you submit your request directly through JustFOIA, you will receive a tracking number immediately.

The Records Department will then locate the requested information and prepare a cost estimate based on the time required to review and redact the records. This estimate will be entered into JustFOIA.

The City Clerk’s Office will contact you with the estimated cost. Once approved, the Records Department will begin processing your request.

How long does it take to receive records?
Florida law requires records to be provided within "a reasonable amount of time".

Requests are processed in the order they are approved. Processing time may vary depending on the number of requests received and the complexity of each request. Staff works on these requests daily.

Why does video redaction take so long?
When reviewing video, the Records Coordinator must focus on three things at once.

They review the video for any visible information that must be removed by law, such as a driver’s license. They also listen to conversations between officers and individuals, as well as background audio, to identify any exempt information. In addition, they monitor police radio traffic to remove any protected information.

Even a short video can take significant time to process. For example, a driver’s license may need to be tracked frame by frame across the screen for proper redaction.

Radio traffic may also include information from unrelated cases that must still be removed. This may result in parts of your video being muted, even if the content is not directly related to your request.

Once redactions are complete, the records undergo a second review before release.

For more information on Florida Public Records laws please visit:

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0119/0119.html