Detroit Booking Releases

Detroit booking releases come from two main sources: the Detroit Police Department and the Wayne County jail system. When someone is arrested in Detroit, the police create an arrest report, and that record can be requested through a FOIA request or found through the Wayne County inmate search. This page covers how to find Detroit booking records, how to submit a FOIA request to the police department, and how to track someone held at the Wayne County Criminal Justice Center.

Detroit Police Department

The Detroit Police Department handles all arrest and booking records for incidents in the city. The department serves one of the largest cities in the Midwest, and its records unit processes a high volume of FOIA requests each year. If you need an arrest report, incident report, or other police record from Detroit, you will go through the department's FOIA process.

Detroit police arrest reports are not available online in real time. You must submit a written request. The city handles FOIA requests through the Law Department, not the police department directly. That means your request goes to the FOIA Division at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Building, even when the records you want are from DPD. Many people miss this step and send requests to the wrong office, which delays their response.

The department's website at detroitmi.gov lists contact details, district offices, and general department info. It does not have a live booking log or arrest roster. For real-time inmate status after an arrest, use the Wayne County system.

Detroit Booking Records: What's Available

Detroit police booking records cover a wide range of documents. Arrest reports document what happened, who was involved, and the charges at the time of booking. Incident reports cover events that may or may not lead to an arrest. Both types of records can be requested under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, MCL 15.231.

Through a FOIA request to Detroit, you can get access to:

• Arrest reports
• Incident reports
• 911 audio recordings
• 911 CAD reports
• Police dash-cam videos
• Mug shots

Some records may be withheld if releasing them would interfere with an active investigation or endanger someone. The city has 5 business days to respond to your request, and can extend that by up to 10 more days if needed. You will get a written response either granting or denying access, with reasons given for any denial.

The Detroit Open Data Portal is a separate resource. It publishes aggregated data on crimes, incidents, and other city functions. It does not show individual booking records or real-time arrest logs, but it is useful for tracking patterns and looking up statistical data.

How to File a Detroit Police FOIA Request

The Detroit FOIA page at detroitmi.gov describes the full process. Detroit routes all police FOIA requests through the Law Department's FOIA Division, not the police department itself. You have three ways to submit.

After reviewing the FOIA page above, you can see the submission options available. Mail or hand-deliver requests to: City of Detroit Law Department FOIA Division, Coleman A. Young Municipal Building, 2 Woodward Avenue Suite 500, Detroit MI 48226. You can also fax to 313-224-5505, or email [email protected].

Your request must include enough detail for the department to find the record. For police booking and arrest records, include a description of the incident, the date and time it happened, the address or location, and the names of any individuals involved. Without this info, DPD can deny the request on the grounds that they cannot locate the record. Be as specific as you can. Vague requests slow things down and are more likely to be returned for more info.

Note: Fee deposits may be required for requests expected to cost more than $50. The FOIA coordinator will send you a fee estimate before proceeding.

Detroit Police Department Website

The main police department website is a good starting point before you submit a FOIA request. You can find district office locations, non-emergency contact numbers, and information about police services. It also explains what types of reports the department handles and how each is classified.

The DPD website shown above is available at detroitmi.gov/departments/police-department. While the site does not show live booking data, it confirms jurisdiction boundaries and lists district contacts. If you are unsure which district handled an incident, the site can help you find the right place to direct your inquiry.

Wayne County Jail Inmate Search

After an arrest in Detroit, the person is typically transferred to the Wayne County Criminal Justice Center. This is the main jail facility for Wayne County. It houses the largest jail population in Michigan and replaced older facilities that were no longer adequate. Once someone is booked at the jail, their information becomes available through the Wayne County inmate search.

The inmate search is available at sheriffconnect.com. You can search by name to find current inmates. Results show booking information, bond amounts, and release status. The search is free and open to the public. It covers people currently in custody at Wayne County facilities.

The Wayne County Sheriff also maintains a jail dashboard at sheriffconnect.com. This interactive tool updates daily and shows population data, booking trends, and demographic breakdowns. It does not replace the inmate search for finding a specific person, but it gives useful context about the jail's current state. You can reach the Wayne County Sheriff's Jail Division I at (313) 224-0797, Division II at (313) 224-2247, or Division III at (313) 224-2222.

VINELink: Track Detroit Inmates

VINELink is a free victim notification service that works across Michigan and nationwide. It lets you search for an inmate by name or ID number, check custody status, and sign up for alerts. If someone is released, transferred, or their status changes, you get notified by phone, email, or text.

Most Wayne County jail facilities participate in VINELink. You can search at vinelink.com at any time. The system runs 24/7 and is available in English and Spanish. Victims, family members, and attorneys all use it. You do not need to prove your identity to search. Registration is optional but required if you want automatic notifications sent to you when status changes occur.

Michigan OTIS for State Prison Records

If someone was convicted and sentenced to state prison after an arrest in Detroit, they will no longer appear in the Wayne County jail system. Instead, you look them up through OTIS, the Michigan Department of Corrections Offender Tracking Information System.

OTIS is available at mdocweb.state.mi.us and covers current prisoners, parolees, and probationers under MDOC supervision. It also shows records for people discharged within the last three years. You search by last name or MDOC number. OTIS does not cover county jail inmates. It is strictly for those in the state prison system or under state supervision.

ICHAT for Detroit Criminal History Records

Michigan State Police maintains the Internet Criminal History Access Tool, or ICHAT. This is the public database for criminal history records in Michigan. It covers all 83 counties and includes felony convictions and serious misdemeanors. You can search by name and date of birth at michigan.gov/msp/services/ichat.

ICHAT is different from an arrest record or booking release. It only shows convictions. Arrests that did not result in a guilty verdict will not appear. The tool requires a fee paid by credit card. You search one person at a time. It is useful when you need documented conviction history, but it does not replace a FOIA request for the full arrest record and details from the original booking.

Wayne County Jail and Booking Records

Detroit arrests flow into the Wayne County criminal justice system. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office maintains the jail and processes booking records for all Detroit arrests transferred to county custody. For full county-level information on booking releases, inmate lookup, bond details, and FOIA requests at the county level, visit the Wayne County page.

Nearby Cities

These nearby qualifying cities also have booking release information and police FOIA resources.