Most of the time, you only notice a police department when something is going wrong. But the work that helps a case stand up in court, helps the public get answers, and keeps the whole system honest often happens quietly at the records counter. We sit down with Records Supervisor Alicia Sarge to talk about the side of public safety that runs on documentation, deadlines, and careful judgment.

Alicia shares her 18-year journey from starting as a janitor to leading the team that reviews the paperwork and digital evidence that flows through the department. We unpack what “records” actually means day to day: checking reports for accuracy, coordinating with the clerk of court and the state attorney’s office, guiding people at the front desk through stressful moments, and navigating Florida public records law with the right redactions and review steps.

Then we get into the scale. The department fulfilled 22,000 public records requests in a year, and a single request can involve dozens of hours of body-worn camera video, multiple officers on scene, and painstaking review. Alicia explains why the agency can provide records that exist but cannot create new videos or custom clips, and why that “15 minutes” can take far longer to process than most people expect.