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1. How do I make a records request?

In compliance with the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act and upon proper request, the Bluffton Police Department will, within ten business days (except Saturday, Sundays and legal public holidays), notify the request has been received. Once that notification is made, the Bluffton Police Department will return the requested documents within 30 calendar days.

Records commonly considered to be public record include:

• Call-for-Service
• Incident Report
• Offense Report
• How to Request a Record

You can request a copy of a record by:

• Emailing the Bluffton Public Department
• Fax: 843-757-2269
• In Person at the Bluffton Police Department located at 101 Progressive Street, Bluffton SC 29910

Freedom of Information

• South Carolina Freedom of Information Act

2. How do I recover or retrieve property from the Evidence Room?

After final disposition in the court, a court order must be obtained in some cases advising what items can be returned. For items reported lost or stolen, you can secure the case number and log number from your copy of the incident report and contact the investigating officer or evidence custodian periodically to see if the items have been recovered. If so, arrangements can be made at that time to have the items returned to you. 

3. What should you do as a citizen to properly handle evidence?

Once it has been determined or believed that a crime has been committed, the chain of custody of evidence must be adhered to in order for some items to be admitted into court as part of a trial. Any item can become evidence, for example:  a car, a house, a yard, a piece of clothing, a knife, a gun, your body, visible injuries, etc. The best advise is "DO NOT TOUCH, MOVE, OR WASH ANYTHING."  If you are in doubt, wait for law enforcement instructions on what to do.

4. How do I properly dispose of prescription medications?

The Bluffton Police Department offers a safe way for residents to discard old or unused prescription drugs. A drug drop box is located in the department’s lobby and allows the public to dispose of medications during business hours. The drug drop box was purchased and donated to the Bluffton Police Department by the Lowcountry Alliance for Healthy Youth; a local non-profit organization.

The Bluffton Police Department is located at 101 Progressive Street in Bluffton. It’s open Monday-Thursday 8 am - 5:30 pm, Friday 8 am - 1 pm.

5. How do I submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request?

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), generally provides that any person has the right to request access to agency records or information except to the extent the records are protected from disclosure by any of nine exemptions contained in the law or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions.

• Classified information for national defense or foreign policy
• Internal personnel rules and practices
• Information that is exempt under other laws
• Trade secrets and confidential business information
• Inter-agency or intra-agency memoranda or letters that are protected by legal privileges
• Personnel and medical files
• Law enforcement records or information
• Information concerning bank supervision
• Geological and geophysical information

To submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request of the Town of Bluffton, please click HERE.