Edwardsville Arrest Records Lookup
Edwardsville arrest records are maintained by the Edwardsville Police Department and processed through the Madison County court system. Edwardsville is the county seat of Madison County with a population of about 26,500. These arrest records are public under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1), and you can get copies from the police department or search through the county courts.
Edwardsville Quick Facts
Edwardsville Police Department Arrest Records
The Edwardsville Police Department is the main source for Edwardsville arrest records. The station is at 400 S Main St, Edwardsville, IL 62025. Call (618) 656-2131 for questions about arrest records or to check on a records request. The department creates and keeps arrest reports for every custodial arrest in the city.
When Edwardsville police make an arrest, the report goes straight to the records division. The department keeps its own copy of every arrest record. Since Edwardsville is the Madison County seat, the county courthouse is right in town. Cases from Edwardsville arrests move quickly into the county system when the state's attorney files charges. But the original Edwardsville arrest record stays with the police department no matter what.
Visit the City of Edwardsville website for FOIA forms and contact info. The police station is open during business hours for walk-in records requests. Bring a photo ID for your own Edwardsville arrest record. For records about someone else, submit a written FOIA request.
How to Search Edwardsville Arrest Records
Contact the Edwardsville PD first. Call (618) 656-2131 or stop by 400 S Main St. For your own Edwardsville arrest record, bring a valid photo ID. For another person's record, submit a written FOIA request to the department's FOIA officer.
The 3rd Judicial Circuit Court in Madison County handles criminal cases from Edwardsville arrests. The Circuit Clerk's office is in the Madison County Courthouse right in Edwardsville. You can search for criminal cases by name to find charges, hearing dates, and case outcomes. Edwardsville arrest records that result in charges will show up in the circuit court system.
The Madison County Sheriff's Office manages jail records. If someone arrested in Edwardsville gets held at the Madison County Jail, booking data will be in the sheriff's system. That data typically includes current charges, bond amounts, and scheduled court dates for people in custody.
The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification runs statewide criminal history searches through the CHIRP system. An Edwardsville arrest that ended in a conviction will appear in this database. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/1) governs what conviction data the public can access. The ISP charges a fee for these lookups.
FOIA Requests for Edwardsville Arrest Records
Under 5 ILCS 140/1, you have the right to request arrest records from Edwardsville PD. Put your request in writing. Include the full name of the person, the date of the arrest if you know it, and any report numbers. The more detail you provide, the faster the Edwardsville PD records division can locate what you need.
Edwardsville PD must respond within five business days. They can extend that by five more days for larger requests. Under 5 ILCS 140/2.15, basic arrest data must be released within 72 hours of any arrest. That covers the name of the person arrested, the charges filed, and the arresting agency. Edwardsville PD follows this rule the same as every other department in Illinois.
The first 50 pages of copies are generally free. After that, a per-page charge applies. If Edwardsville PD denies your FOIA request, you can appeal to the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor. That office reviews the denial and can order Edwardsville PD to release arrest records that should have been made public. Common denial reasons include sealed records and open investigations.
What Edwardsville Arrest Records Contain
An Edwardsville arrest record lists the full name, date of birth, and physical description of the person arrested. It shows the charges, the arresting officer, and the date and location of the arrest within Edwardsville. If the person was taken to the Madison County Jail, booking data includes an intake number, mugshot, and bond details.
Court records from Madison County add case numbers, hearing schedules, plea entries, and final dispositions. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/1) controls how conviction data from Edwardsville arrests gets shared statewide. Under 725 ILCS 5/107-2, Illinois law sets out when police officers can make arrests with or without a warrant. Edwardsville officers work under these same rules.
Sealed or expunged Edwardsville arrest records will not appear in public searches. Some arrests that did not end in a conviction may qualify for sealing after a waiting period. Once sealed, only law enforcement and certain authorized agencies can view those Edwardsville arrest records. The record effectively disappears from public view.
Madison County Connection
Edwardsville is the county seat of Madison County. The 3rd Judicial Circuit Court is based right in Edwardsville, which makes it convenient to search for court records tied to local arrests. The Madison County State's Attorney and the Circuit Clerk both have offices at the county courthouse. Criminal cases from Edwardsville arrests go through this courthouse for both felonies and misdemeanors.
Both the FOIA statute and the Uniform Conviction Information Act control what the public can access when it comes to Edwardsville arrest records. The Madison County public defender's office helps people who cannot afford a lawyer. Legal aid groups in the area also offer help with criminal record clearing, including sealing or expunging old Edwardsville arrest records.
Nearby Cities
Other cities near Edwardsville with arrest records pages: