What is a police blotter?

A police blotter is a daily public record of arrests and other events, such as drug violations, that happen during any given police shift. Most cities place this information in a special section of a daily or weekly newspaper that features a police blotter.

A police blotter details calls and stops that police officers made throughout their shift. Each event is time stamped and includes a short description of the events that unfolded. Much of the information maintained on a police blotter can also be found in online newspapers, and it can also be accessed directly from local police department websites.