Access Alton Arrest Records
Alton arrest records are maintained by the Alton Police Department and filed through the Madison County court system. The city sits along the Mississippi River in Madison County with a population of about 25,300. Alton arrest records are public under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1), and you can request copies from the police department or search through the county courts.
Alton Quick Facts
Alton Police Department
The Alton Police Department is the primary source for Alton arrest records. The station is at 1700 E Broadway, Alton, IL 62002. Call (618) 463-3505 for questions about arrest records or to ask about a records request. The department handles all arrests that happen within Alton city limits and stores the reports at the station.
When Alton officers make an arrest, the report goes to the records division. The department keeps its own copy of every Alton arrest record it produces. If the Madison County State's Attorney files charges, the case enters the county court system. But the original Alton arrest record stays with the police department no matter what the courts do with the case. You can ask the records unit to pull up reports by name, date of arrest, or case number.
Check the City of Alton website for general info and contact details. The Alton PD station is open during business hours for in-person records requests. Bring a photo ID if you need your own Alton arrest record. For records about someone else, you need to submit a written FOIA request.
How to Search Alton Arrest Records
Start with the Alton PD. Call (618) 463-3505 or visit the station at 1700 E Broadway. For your own Alton arrest record, bring a valid photo ID to the station. For records about another person, file a written FOIA request with the department's FOIA officer.
The 3rd Judicial Circuit Court in Madison County handles criminal cases from Alton arrests. The Circuit Clerk's office in Edwardsville keeps all case files for the county. You can search for criminal cases by defendant name to find charges, hearing dates, and case outcomes. Alton arrest records that led to criminal charges show up in the circuit court system.
The Madison County Sheriff's Office runs jail records for the county. If someone arrested in Alton gets held at the Madison County Jail, booking data will be in the sheriff's system. This includes charges, bond amounts, and court dates for people in custody. The sheriff's website may have an inmate search tool.
At the state level, the Illinois State Police CHIRP system runs criminal history checks. The Bureau of Identification manages the database. An Alton arrest that ended in a conviction shows up alongside records from every agency in Illinois. The ISP charges a fee for these lookups. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/1) controls what conviction data the public can see.
FOIA Requests for Alton Arrest Records
The FOIA law at 5 ILCS 140/1 gives you the right to request arrest records from the Alton Police Department. Put it in writing. Include the full name of the person, the date of the arrest if you know it, and any report or case numbers. The more detail you give, the faster Alton PD can locate the arrest records you need.
Alton PD has five business days to respond to a FOIA request. They can take a five-day extension for broad or complex requests. Under 5 ILCS 140/2.15, basic arrest data must come out within 72 hours of any arrest. That means the name of the person arrested, the charges, and which agency made the arrest. This is a statewide rule, and Alton PD follows it just like every other department in Illinois.
The first 50 pages of Alton arrest records are usually free. After that, a per-page copy fee applies. If the department denies your FOIA request, you can appeal to the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor. That office reviews denials and can order the release of Alton arrest records that should have been made public. Sealed records and ongoing investigations are common grounds for denial.
What Alton Arrest Records Contain
An Alton arrest record shows the full name, date of birth, and physical description of the person arrested. It includes the charges, the arresting officer's name, and the date and location of the arrest within Alton. If the person was taken to the Madison County Jail, booking data will include an intake number, mugshot, and bond information.
Court records from Madison County add case numbers, hearing schedules, plea entries, and final case outcomes. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/1) governs how conviction data from Alton arrests gets shared through the state system. Sealed or expunged Alton arrest records will not show up in public searches. Illinois law under 725 ILCS 5/107-2 spells out when officers can make an arrest with or without a warrant. Alton police follow these rules.
Some Alton arrest records include supplemental reports with witness statements, evidence logs, and officer narratives. Not all of this material is always available right away. Parts tied to open cases may be redacted until the investigation is done. But core arrest data from Alton PD is almost always available through a FOIA request once the case is no longer active.
Alton and Madison County
Alton is in Madison County. The 3rd Judicial Circuit Court handles all criminal cases from Alton arrests. The county courthouse is in Edwardsville, where felony and misdemeanor cases get processed. After an Alton arrest, the Madison County State's Attorney reviews the police report and decides whether to file formal charges.
The Madison County Circuit Clerk maintains all court records connected to Alton arrest records. Both the FOIA statute and the Uniform Conviction Information Act govern public access to these records. The county jail holds people arrested in Alton who are waiting for bond or trial. Madison County has a public defender's office, and legal aid groups in the area help with criminal record issues like sealing or expunging old Alton arrest records.
Nearby Cities
Other cities near Alton with arrest records pages: