Comanche County Police Records

Comanche County police records are maintained by the Comanche County Sheriff's Office, the Lawton Police Department, and the Comanche County Court Clerk. This page covers how to search, request, and get copies of those records from each source.

Comanche County Sheriff's Office

The Comanche County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the unincorporated areas of the county. Sheriff Michael Merritt leads the office. The main address is 315 SW 5th Street, Room 102, Lawton, OK 73501. The main line is (580) 353-4280 and the sheriff's direct line is (580) 353-4282. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To request Comanche County police records from the sheriff's office, contact the office in writing or in person during business hours. Your request should identify the records you need as clearly as possible. Include the full name of any person involved, the date of the incident, and any case number you already have. Requests without enough detail may be returned without fulfillment. The Comanche County Sheriff's Office website has current contact information and links to community resources including the state sex offender registry, Oklahoma Human Services at 1-800-680-7289, and the FBI sex offender search.

Background checks through the sheriff's office cost $25.00. That fee covers fingerprinting, the background check itself, and processing. Firearms class certificates accepted for concealed carry applications do not expire, so you do not need to renew them. For statewide criminal history records, see the OSBI section below.

The sheriff's office runs a pharmaceutical take-back program. A drop box is available at the front desk and accepts unused medications. Syringes, liquids, chemicals, and inhalers cannot be accepted through this program. This is a convenience for the public and is separate from any police records function.

Unclaimed property held by the sheriff's office is kept for six months or more before it can be claimed. To claim property, you must present a state or federal photo ID. A third party cannot claim property on your behalf. If you believe the sheriff's office holds property belonging to you, contact the office directly to check.

The Comanche County Sheriff's Office website shows office contacts, community resource links, and information on civil process and background check services.

Visit sheriffcomanche.com for office hours, division contacts, and community resource links including the state sex offender registry and OSCN.

Civil Process and Extradition

The Civil Process Division within the sheriff's office handles a wide range of legal documents. They serve subpoenas, court summons, small claims papers, emergency protective orders, eviction processes, divorce petitions, child support petitions, and tax warrants. The fee for civil process service is $50.00 per service. Note that personal checks and credit cards are not accepted. Cash or certified payment is required.

The Extradition Unit operates within the Civil Process Division. This unit handles fugitives wanted by Comanche County courts or agencies. If a fugitive is located in another state and fights extradition, a Governor's Warrant may be needed before they can be returned. The process works through coordination between state offices and can take time when contested.

Sheriff sales take place at 11 a.m. in Room 204 of the Comanche County Courthouse. The opening bid is set by attorneys. All subsequent bids must be in increments of $100 or more, except for properties priced at $150,000 or more, where each bid must increase by at least $500. A 10% deposit is due within 24 hours of winning a bid and must be paid by cashier's check.

Note: The Comanche County Jail is not part of the Sheriff's Office. It is operated by the Facilities Authority under the County Commissioners. Contact the Detention Center at (580) 250-1902 for inmate-related inquiries. Dispatch runs through the consolidated E-911 system managed by the City of Lawton at (580) 355-9303.

Comanche County Court Clerk and Criminal Records

The Comanche County Court Clerk manages all court filings and records for District 5. The main office is at 315 SW 5th Street, Suite 304, Lawton, OK 73501. The main phone is (580) 355-5214. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The court has seven judges and serves a range of case types including civil, criminal, small claims, domestic, and probate.

Separate offices handle different divisions. The Civil Office is in Suite 207 at (580) 581-4565. Small Claims is in Room 204 at (580) 250-5093. The Criminal Office is in Suite 504 at (580) 355-4017. If you need court-based criminal records such as felony charges, case outcomes, or sentencing records, the Criminal Office is the right contact.

Comanche County court records date back to 1901 and include marriage, divorce, probate, court filings, and land records. For cases from 1994 onward, you can search online through OSCN at no cost. Older records require direct contact with the clerk's office. Mail requests must include a self-addressed stamped envelope, the full name of the person, date of birth, Social Security number, date of the offense, and the case number if you know it.

Copy fees at the court clerk's office are $1.50 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page. Certified copies carry an additional fee. The general search fee is $10.00. Records that cannot be released include ongoing investigations, juvenile trial records, medical and mental health records, records involving domestic or sexual abuse victims, sealed or expunged cases, and documents containing Social Security numbers, banking information, tax details, or attorney-client communications.

Note: Regular copy fees through the court clerk (as distinct from certified copies) are $0.25 per page, with certified copies at $1.00 per page plus a certification fee.

Search Comanche County Police Records Online

The Oklahoma State Courts Network (OSCN) gives free public access to Comanche County court records. You can search by name, case number, or both. Results include case type, charges, parties, hearing dates, and case status. Many filings are viewable directly on the site without any fee. OSCN covers cases from 1994 forward. Older Comanche County records are not on the site and require contact with the court clerk.

A second option is ODCR.com, which indexes Oklahoma district court records and can be used as an alternative when OSCN is unavailable. ODCR is also useful when you need to search across multiple counties at the same time.

OSCN uses a standard case code system. CF is for felonies. CM is for misdemeanors. TR covers traffic cases. FD is for family and domestic matters. SC is small claims. PB covers probate. CJ is for civil cases. Knowing the right code helps narrow your search.

The OSBI CHIRP portal provides official statewide criminal history checks covering Comanche County and all 77 Oklahoma counties.

Use OSBI CHIRP to run a name-based or fingerprint-based background check covering Comanche County criminal history records.

Statewide Background Checks and Offender Search

For a full statewide criminal history check, go through the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The OSBI runs the Criminal History Request Portal (CHIRP). A name-based check costs $15.00. A fingerprint-based check costs $19.00. The OSBI office is at 6600 N Harvey Place, Oklahoma City, OK 73116. Phone: (405) 848-6724. CHIRP results cover all Oklahoma counties and are considered official for licensing or legal use.

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections Sex Offender Registry is the official state database for registered sex offenders. You can search by name or location. The Comanche County Sheriff's website also links to the Comanche Nation sex offender registry and the FBI national registry as additional resources. These are separate databases from the DOC registry and may show different results.

For victim notification about an inmate's release from custody, use VINE. VINE is a free service that notifies victims by phone, text, or email when a person in custody is released or transferred.

Oklahoma Open Records Act in Comanche County

Oklahoma's Open Records Act, codified at Title 51 O.S. Section 24A.1 through Section 24A.22, gives the public the right to inspect and copy most records held by government agencies. This applies to the Comanche County Sheriff's Office, the court clerk, and other county offices. Arrest logs, booking records, incident reports, and court filings are generally public once a case has been processed. Booking photos are public records in Oklahoma.

Some records are off limits. Juvenile records are closed under Title 10A and cannot be released. Records tied to ongoing investigations may be withheld while the case is active. Medical and mental health records are exempt. Victim information in sexual assault or domestic violence cases is protected. Sealed or expunged records are not accessible to the public.

If an agency denies your records request, they must give you a written explanation citing the specific legal exemption. You have the right to challenge that denial. Under Oklahoma law, you can file a complaint with the Public Access Counselor in the Attorney General's office within 30 days of a denial. The burden falls on the agency to prove the exemption applies.

Most Comanche County agencies want records requests in writing. A written request creates a paper trail and makes it easier to follow up if the agency is slow to respond. Keep a copy of everything you send and note the date. Oklahoma law does not set a firm deadline for agency responses, but requests must be handled promptly. Unreasonable delays can be challenged through the AG's office as well.

Cities in Comanche County

Lawton is the county seat and the only qualifying city in Comanche County with its own dedicated records page.

Nearby Counties

Comanche County borders several other counties in southwest Oklahoma. Each has its own sheriff, court clerk, and court system. Use the links below to find records from neighboring jurisdictions.