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How to Get a 911 Call Recording in Aventura, FL

Writer: Daniel Reinfeld
Daniel Reinfeld
Aug 26
3 min read

Updated: Aug 28

Last updated: August 28, 2026


If a 911 call was made after your accident in Aventura — by you, the other driver, or a witness — that recording can be powerful evidence. And unlike some neighboring cities, Aventura handles its 911 calls entirely in-house.

Aventura Runs Its Own 911 Dispatch — A Key Difference From Other Cities

Many South Florida cities contract their 911 dispatch out to the county sheriff. Aventura does not. The Aventura Police Department's Communications Section is one of only seven Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in all of Miami-Dade County — meaning Aventura 911 calls are answered, recorded, and stored by Aventura PD itself, not routed through Miami-Dade County or another outside agency.

This matters practically: your request goes directly to Aventura PD, not to a county communications division.

How to Request a 911 Recording

What Law Governs This?

Same statutory framework used across Florida:

  • Chapter 119, Florida Statutes treats 911 recordings as public records, open to inspection unless a specific exemption applies.

  • Section 119.071, Florida Statutes allows a recording to be withheld if it's tied to an active criminal investigation, until that investigation is no longer active.

How Long Do You Have?

Florida's General Records Schedule sets a 30-day minimum retention period for audio recordings of radio and telephone communications, including 911 calls. This is a state floor, not a guarantee of a longer window — Aventura PD may retain recordings beyond 30 days in practice, but there's no source confirming a longer standard retention period, so the safest approach is to treat the 30-day floor as your real deadline and request the recording as soon as possible after the incident.

If the call becomes part of an active criminal case, it's retained separately and much longer as part of that investigative file — but that's not something to count on for a routine crash.

Can You Get the Other Driver's or a Witness's 911 Call?

Generally, yes. Florida law ties public record status to the incident, not to who made the call. That means:

  • If the other driver called it in, you can request that recording.

  • If an independent witness called it in, you can request that one too.

  • A witness's real-time account — made in the moment — can be more valuable than a written statement given days later.

Exceptions: if the incident is under active criminal investigation, related calls can be withheld together under §119.071. Certain caller-identifying information may also be redacted (for example, if the caller is a minor or a protected victim under a specific statutory exemption), even while the substance of the call is released.

The Request Process, Step by Step

  1. Gather what you know: date, approximate time, location, and a case/incident number if you have it.

  2. Submit your request directly to Aventura PD Records — phone, email, portal, or in person.

  3. APD reviews for any applicable exemption before release.

  4. You receive the recording; confirm the format and delivery method when you submit your request, since this isn't standardized citywide.

Bottom Line

Because Aventura PD is its own 911 authority rather than routing through an outside agency, there's no extra layer to navigate — but that also means there's no second custodian to fall back on if you miss the retention window. Request it early. Need Help Requesting a 911 Call or Other Evidence From Your Aventura Accident?

Call Dan: (954) 923-6110

 
 
 

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