Chillicothe City, Ohio Criminal Records
Chillicothe criminal records provide information about an individual’s past interactions with the city’s criminal justice system. These interactions include arrests, convictions, sentences, and criminal case dispositions. These records typically show up in background checks and are essential in verifying an individual's local criminal history.
Chillicothe does not have a centralised repository for local criminal records. As a result, these records are only accessible through the local criminal justice entities that generate them. For instance, the Chillicothe Police Department generates most local arrest records. Meanwhile, local courts, like the Chillicothe Municipal Court, generate conviction, sentence, and disposition records for criminal cases under their jurisdiction. Local traffic and non-traffic misdemeanor cases are some examples of cases under the jurisdiction of Chillicothe Municipal Court.
The City of Chillicothe serves as the county seat of Ross County, Ohio. Unfortunately, Ross County does not have a centralised repository for criminal records generated across the county. At the state level, however, the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) serves as Ohio’s central repository for criminal records.
What are Chillicothe Public Records?
Per the Ohio Public Records Act, Chillicothe public records are described as records generated, received, or kept by local public offices that contain information about the office’s official activities. Codified in Ohio Revised Code §149.43, the Act grants members of the public the right to inspect and request these records, regardless of where they reside. The Act also allows requesters to remain anonymous when requesting these Chillicothe Public Records.
Nevertheless, the Ohio Public Records Act is not absolute. Public offices may withhold or redact certain records and information under provisions of the Act, such as R.C. 149.43(A)(1). Additionally, specific state and federal statutes or court orders may also prohibit the release of certain records. Examples of records that are exempt from public access include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Medical records
- Juvenile records
- Child abuse reports
- Certain DNA records
- Donor profile records
- Sealed or expunged records
- Intellectual property records
- Adoption proceedings records
- Child care records per R.C. §5101.29
- Probation and parole proceedings records
- Confidential law enforcement investigatory records
- Public service worker residential and familial information
Chillicothe Crime Statistics
Crime data from the Ohio Incident-Based Reporting System (OIBRS) reveals that 890 crimes were reported in Chillicothe in 2025. Compared to 2024, when the city recorded 1,102 crimes, Chillicothe experienced a 19.24% decrease in crime in 2025. Of the 890 crimes reported in 2025, 56 were violent crimes while 834 were property crimes. The table below provides a detailed breakdown of Chillicothe's 2024 and 2025 crime data recorded in the OIBRS:
| Year | Category | Offense | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Violent crime | Murder | 0 |
| Rape | 20 | ||
| Robbery | 9 | ||
| Aggravated assault | 27 | ||
| 2024 | Property crime | Burglary | 67 |
| Larceny theft | 742 | ||
| Motor vehicle theft | 25 |
Are Chillicothe Criminal Records Public?
In Chillicothe, most criminal records kept by local criminal justice agencies are subject to the Ohio Public Records Act and are therefore public. As a result, interested persons may query relevant agencies to inspect or request copies of these records.
For instance, record seekers may contact the Chillicothe Police Department to access local arrest records. Meanwhile, conviction, sentence, and disposition records connected to local criminal cases are accessible through local courts, such as the Chillicothe Municipal Court. Interested persons may search for these records online through the Chillicothe Municipal Court’s CaseLook portal. Alternatively, they may request records from the court by phone, mail, fax, or in person at:
95 East Main Street,
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601
Phone (740) 773-3515
Fax (740) 774-1101
However, Statewide criminal records compiled by the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) are confidential. Thus, only authorized parties, such as the record’s subject, eligible employers, and government entities, are allowed access to these records.
How to Obtain Chillicothe Police Reports and Arrest Records
Record seekers may obtain Chillicothe police reports and arrest records by submitting a public records request to the Records Department of the Chillicothe Police Department and paying the required fees. They may need to provide identifying details about the sought-after police report or arrest record to enable the agency locate the correct record. These details may include the names of the involved parties, the reporting officer’s name, and the incident’s date and location.
The Records Department of the Chillicothe Police Department accepts in-person public records requests during regular office hours. Alternatively, requests may also be made by phone or by emailing the department at:
28 N. Paint St.,
Chillicothe, OH 45601
Phone: 740-773-1195 (option 3)
Email: CPDRecords@ChillicotheOH.gov
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Chillicothe
Unfortunately, Chillicothe does not have a local sex offender registry. Nonetheless, interested persons may find information about sex offenders in Chillicothe through either the county-managed or state-managed sex offender registries. The Ross County Sheriff’s Office manages the Ross County Sex Offender Registry, while the Ohio Attorney General’s Office maintains the statewide Sex Offender Registry.
Both the county and state sex offender registries share a similar layout and are searchable by an offender’s full name, city of residence (i.e., Chillicothe), internet name, email address, and phone number. These registries also provide searchable lists of non-compliant sex offenders in the county and state.
What Happens if My Request for Criminal Records is Denied in Chillicothe?
A public office in Chillicothe may deny a request for criminal records in its custody if the requested record does not exist, has not been created, or has been sealed or expunged. In other cases, the record may have been destroyed or disposed of pursuant to the office’s retention schedule, or another public office may be the custodian of the record.
Additionally, if a request does not identify the sought-after criminal record with “reasonable clarity”, a public office may also deny the request. In such cases, the public office may respond with a notification explaining why the request was denied, how it organizes and maintains records, and asking the requester to revise and resubmit the request.
Requesters may also appeal a criminal records request denial if they believe that the denial violates the Ohio Public Records Act by bringing a legal action (lawsuit or mandamus action) against the public office. A lawsuit may be filed with the Ohio Court of Claims, while a mandamus action may be filed with a court of common pleas, court of appeals, or the Supreme Court of Ohio. Before filing any legal action, the requester must serve a complaint on the public office and allow three (3) business days for a response. The complaint may also be filed electronically.
How to Expunge or Seal Chillicothe Criminal Records
In Chillicothe, criminal records may be expunged or sealed if they meet the eligibility requirements in Ohio Revised Code (ORC) Chapter 2953. According to the statute, records connected to criminal cases that resulted in a non-conviction, such as dismissed charges, a not guilty verdict, or a grand jury returning a “no-bill”, are eligible to be sealed or expunged. Certain convictions, including most minor misdemeanors, non-violent and lower-level (fourth-degree or fifth-degree) felonies, and specific third-degree felony convictions, are also eligible for expungement or sealing.
However, conviction records are subject to specific waiting periods before they may be expunged or sealed. Record holders may petition a court of appropriate jurisdiction to seal or expunge qualifying records using the dedicated application form.