Search Danville Arrest Records
Danville arrest records are filed by the Danville Police Department and processed through the Vermilion County court system. Anyone can request these arrest records under Illinois FOIA law.
Danville Quick Facts
Danville Police Department
The Danville Police Department is at 2 E South St, Danville, IL 61832. Call (217) 431-6800 for questions about arrest records or the records request process. Danville PD is the primary source for arrest records in the city. The department handles all arrests within the city limits and maintains files on every arrest its officers make.
Danville is the county seat of Vermilion County, in the eastern part of the state near the Indiana border. The police department has a patrol division, a detective bureau, and a records section. When a Danville officer arrests someone, the arrest report goes to the records division. If the state's attorney files charges, the case enters the Vermilion County court system. But the police department keeps its copy of the arrest record no matter what the state's attorney decides.
Walk-in requests for Danville arrest records are handled during business hours. If you need your own record, bring a photo ID. For other people's arrest records, you need a written FOIA request. The records staff can tell you what forms to use and what fees apply.
How to Search Danville Arrest Records
Contact the Danville Police Department records division first. You can call, go in person, or submit a written request. They can search by name, date of arrest, or report number. Give them as much detail as you can to speed up the search.
The City of Danville website has general information and may link to FOIA forms. For court records tied to Danville arrests, the 5th Judicial Circuit Court processes all criminal cases from Vermilion County. Once charges are filed, court records include case numbers, hearing dates, plea entries, and final outcomes. The Vermilion County Circuit Clerk's office can help you search for these records.
The Vermilion County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail. If someone arrested in Danville is being held, their booking data will be in the sheriff's system. Current inmate lists may be available through the sheriff's office website or by phone.
For statewide searches, the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification runs criminal history checks through the CHIRP system. Under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/1), conviction data from any agency in Illinois is available to the public. A Danville arrest that led to a conviction will be in the ISP database.
FOIA Requests for Danville Arrest Records
Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1), you can request arrest records from the Danville Police Department. Write out your request. Include the person's full name, the approximate date of arrest, and any report numbers you have. Be specific so the records staff can find what you need.
Danville PD has five business days to respond. They can take five more days for large requests. Per 5 ILCS 140/2.15, basic arrest information has to be made public within 72 hours of the arrest. That includes the name of the arrested person, the charges, and the agency that made the arrest. This is mandatory. Danville PD cannot hold this information back.
Denied requests must come with a written explanation. Active investigations and sealed records are typical reasons for denial. If you disagree with the denial, file an appeal with the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor. They will review the matter and issue an opinion on whether the denial was proper under the law.
What Danville Arrest Records Include
A Danville arrest record contains the arrested person's full name, date of birth, and physical description. It shows the charges filed, the arresting officer, the date and time, and the arrest location in Danville. If the person was booked at the Vermilion County Jail, additional booking records exist with an intake number and housing details.
Court records expand on the arrest data. They include case numbers, hearing schedules, plea entries, and the final disposition of the case. The Vermilion County Circuit Clerk maintains all court records. These can be searched through the clerk's office in downtown Danville. Sealed or expunged Danville arrest records will not appear in any public search. Illinois law allows certain arrests that did not lead to convictions to be sealed after a set waiting period.
Danville and Vermilion County
Danville is the county seat of Vermilion County. The Vermilion County Courthouse is in downtown Danville, so all county criminal court business happens right in the city. The state's attorney, public defender, and circuit clerk all have offices near the courthouse. After a Danville arrest, the case flows through the Vermilion County system from arraignment to final disposition.
The 5th Judicial Circuit covers Vermilion County and several other counties in eastern Illinois. Criminal cases from Danville are heard in this circuit. Under Illinois arrest authority (725 ILCS 5/107-2), Danville officers can arrest for offenses they witness or when probable cause exists for a felony. Once the arrest happens, the record enters both the Danville PD system and the county court files.
The Vermilion County Sheriff's Office supports Danville PD and runs the county jail. Booking records from the jail are part of the broader arrest record picture for anyone held after a Danville arrest. The sheriff's office can be contacted for inmate information and booking details.
Nearby Cities
Cities near Danville with arrest records pages on this site: