Search Sussex County Police Records
Sussex County police records come from the Delaware State Police troops that cover the area, the Sussex County Sheriff's Office, and the local city police units in Seaford, Lewes, Milford, and Georgetown. You can search Sussex County police records through each agency's FOIA contact, through the statewide Delaware Courts portal, or through the State Bureau of Identification for a certified criminal history. Most incident reports, crash reports, and arrest logs are open to the public. This page walks through where to file, what to bring, and how long a reply takes.
Sussex County Overview
Sussex County Sheriff and County Records
The Sussex County Sheriff's Office sits at The Circle, PO Box 589, Georgetown, DE 19947. The phone line is (302) 855-7830. The Sheriff's Office does court security, civil process, and oversight of the county jail. It does not keep criminal investigative files. Those stay with the arresting agency. For a Sussex County police record tied to a criminal case, the request flows to the Delaware State Police troop that ran the scene or to the local city department.
Sussex County government keeps all other public files in line with Delaware's FOIA law. The county portal at sussexcountyde.gov links to deed search, property records, council meeting minutes, budgets, and the FOIA coordinator. For police records, the site points users to the right agency. The Sussex County Courthouse is at 1 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947.
The county site lists the Sheriff, the Recorder of Deeds, the county FOIA coordinator, and each main department. It is a good first stop if you do not yet know which agency holds the file you want.
FOIA rules are set by 29 Del. C. Chapter 100. Under § 10003, all public records are open to inspection during regular hours. Delaware residency is needed to file. The county must reply in 15 business days. The first 20 pages of copies are free. Each page after that is ten cents.
Sussex County Arrest Records
Arrest records for Sussex County flow from the arresting agency. In most of the county, that is the Delaware State Police. The Delaware State Police FOIA coordinator is Angie von Bank. You can file online through the DSP FOIA portal or mail a written request to 1441 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901. City police in Seaford, Lewes, and Milford keep their own arrest logs.
Fees for a certified record in Sussex County fall under Delaware Administrative Code Title 1 § 1301. Most runs $25 to $45 based on the search type. The Delaware Attorney General's page at attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/opinions holds FOIA opinions that guide how agencies handle arrest record requests.
AG Opinion 25-IB29 from May 2025 upheld the DSP in its denial of body cam and dash cam footage for an open case. The opinions give useful context before you file a petition tied to Sussex County police records.
When you file, list the full name of the person, a date of birth or age, the date of arrest or a close guess, the case number if you have one, and the arresting agency if known. Agencies must reply in 15 business days. A denial must cite a statute. The most common cite is 29 Del. C. § 10002(o)(3), which covers open investigatory files.
Note: A Sussex County police record tied to an open case may be held back until the case is closed. Ask the agency when to re-file.
Sussex County Inmate and Jail Records
The Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown is the main detention facility for people arrested in Sussex County. Booking happens at the jail. Staff take fingerprints, photos, and the basic bio info needed for the record. The Delaware Department of Correction runs the statewide inmate lookup tool at doc.delaware.gov.
The site has a current inmate search, visit scheduling, and links to the VINELink tool for free status alerts. VINELink sends an email or text when an inmate moves, is released, or has a court date change. Family members and victims use it most. Attorneys use it too.
The DOC site lists each facility, the rules for visits, and the process to send mail or money to an inmate. For a full booking file, the request goes to the arresting agency, not the jail.
Bond and bail are set by the court, not the jail. A first bail hearing happens at the Justice of the Peace Court soon after booking. For a felony, the case moves to Superior Court. The bond may be cash, surety, or unsecured based on the charge and the judge's call.
Sussex County Criminal History Records
A certified Delaware criminal history comes from the State Bureau of Identification, not the county. The SBI office for Sussex County sits inside the Thurman Adams State Service Center at 546 South Bedford Street, Room 202, Georgetown, DE 19947. The phone line is (302) 739-2528. Hours are Monday to Thursday, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM.
An appointment is required for the Sussex County SBI office. Call ahead to book. Results are not same-day at this site. The state-only check costs $52.50. A state and federal check costs $69.00. Bring a photo ID. The SBI takes cash, credit or debit cards, bank checks, money orders, or company checks. Personal checks are not accepted.
The SBI background check page lists all three county offices, the fees, and the hours. The SBI also runs the Delaware Sex Offender Central Registry. It is updated each Friday. You can search by name or by radius from an address. Free email alerts are set up on the site.
For court case data, use the Delaware Courts site. The CourtConnect tool covers the Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas, and the Justice of the Peace Court. The Sussex County Court of Common Pleas sits at 1 The Circle, Suite 1, Georgetown, DE 19947, phone (302) 858-5730. The court handles civil cases, misdemeanors, traffic cases, and minor civil matters. Felony cases move to Superior Court in Georgetown.
Statewide Tools for Sussex County Police Records
A few state sites help you find Sussex County police records fast. The delaware.gov FOIA portal lists every state agency with a FOIA coordinator. Each agency has a page, a PDF form, and an online form. Use this hub when the record may sit with more than one office.
The Attorney General Open Government page lays out the FOIA law in plain words. It links to the petition form used after a denial. You can mail a petition to 820 N. French St, 6th Floor, Wilmington, DE 19801 or email opengovernment@delaware.gov. The AG must weigh in within 20 business days of a petition.
Past AG opinions are worth a read before you file. Opinion 25-IB29 from May 2025 backed the DSP in a denial of body cam footage for an open case. Opinion 24-IB01 from January 2024 backed a denial of officer pay and name lists on privacy grounds. These give a sense of what courts and the AG view as a valid reason to hold a record back.
The Delaware Public Archives in Dover holds old police and court files past their retention date. Local agencies must keep investigation files for 10 years. Dover, Wilmington, and New Castle County Police hold for 100 years. After that, the files move to the Archives. Photocopies of microfilm are fifty cents a page. Certified copies are $25 each.
Key statute links:
- 29 Del. C. § 10001 - legislative findings
- 29 Del. C. § 10002 - definitions and 19 exemptions
- 29 Del. C. § 10003 - right to inspect and copy
- DELJIS record access rules - court record access
Note: Under § 10002, open investigation files, intelligence files, and personnel files are all exempt. Most other police records are open to any Delaware citizen.
Cities in Sussex County
Sussex County is home to Seaford, Lewes, Milford, and the county seat of Georgetown. Milford spans the Kent and Sussex line. Each city has its own police records unit. Pick a city below to find the local contact and the FOIA process.
Nearby Delaware Counties
Sussex sits at the southern end of Delaware. Kent County is just to the north. New Castle County is at the top of the state and covers Wilmington and Newark.