DeKalb County Arrest Records Search
DeKalb County arrest records are maintained by the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office and local police departments throughout the county. The county has a population just over 101,000 and is located west of the Chicago suburbs. Sycamore is the county seat, though the city of DeKalb is the largest community and home to Northern Illinois University. Arrest records in DeKalb County come from the sheriff, city police in DeKalb and Sycamore, NIU police, and other agencies. Several options exist for searching these records under Illinois public records law.
DeKalb County Quick Facts
DeKalb County Sheriff's Office
The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office is at 150 N Main St, Sycamore, IL 60178. The phone number is (815) 895-2155. The sheriff covers law enforcement for unincorporated DeKalb County and operates the county jail. Arrest records from the sheriff include booking data, charges, bond information, and jail intake details. Staff in the records division can help with requests and point you to the correct agency if another department handled the arrest.
DeKalb County has a few different agencies that make arrests. The DeKalb Police Department, the Sycamore Police Department, and the Northern Illinois University Police all handle incidents in their own areas. The university police are a fully sworn agency and keep their own arrest records. This means arrest records in DeKalb County may be held by four or more agencies depending on where the event took place. The sheriff's jail processes people from all of these departments, so jail booking data can often tell you which agency was involved.
How to Search DeKalb County Arrest Records
The DeKalb County Circuit Clerk handles court records for the 23rd Judicial Circuit. Criminal cases tied to arrests go through the circuit court at the courthouse in Sycamore. The clerk can look up filings, charges, hearing dates, and case outcomes by name or case number. Court records are the best source when an arrest has moved into the criminal justice system, because they track every step from filing through final disposition.
The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification maintains criminal history records for the entire state. DeKalb County arrest records that ended in convictions may appear in this database. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/1) makes conviction data public. The CHIRP system handles digital name-based searches for authorized users. For arrest records that did not result in a conviction, a FOIA request to the local DeKalb County agency is the way to go.
You can also call the county jail at (815) 895-2155 for current inmate and recent booking information. Jail rosters show who is in custody and the charges they are being held on.
FOIA Requests in DeKalb County
Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1), any person can request arrest records from DeKalb County agencies. You do not need to be a resident. You do not need a reason. Put the request in writing and send it to the FOIA officer at the agency that made the arrest. For the sheriff, that is 150 N Main St, Sycamore, IL 60178. For arrests in the city of DeKalb, contact the DeKalb Police Department.
Agencies must respond within five business days. A five-day extension is possible for large or complex requests. Under 5 ILCS 140/2.15, law enforcement must release basic arrest information within 72 hours of an arrest. This includes the name, age, address, charges, and the arresting agency. Be specific in your request to get a faster response. Include the full name of the person, approximate dates, and what type of record you are after. Most DeKalb County agencies do not charge for the first 50 pages. After that, a per-page fee may apply.
What DeKalb County Arrest Records Include
A DeKalb County arrest record shows the name and date of birth of the person arrested. It lists the charges, date and time of arrest, and which agency handled the case. Booking records from the jail add a booking number, bond information, and intake details. Mugshots are typically part of the booking process. Court records connected to the arrest provide case numbers, attorney names, hearing dates, plea entries, and the final outcome.
An arrest record and a conviction record are two different things. Being arrested does not mean a person was found guilty. The UCIA (20 ILCS 2635/1) governs how the state police share conviction records with the public. Arrest records from DeKalb County that did not lead to convictions can be obtained through FOIA from the local agency, but they will not be in the state system. Sealed and expunged records are not open to the public under any circumstances. The Office of the State Appellate Defender provides information on sealing and expungement for anyone in Illinois who qualifies.
DeKalb County Arrest Records Resources
The ISP fee schedule shows what state-level criminal history searches cost. To see your own complete record, visit an approved Live Scan vendor and go through the Access and Review process. This is the only way to view your full criminal history in Illinois, including DeKalb County arrest records that never went to trial.
Arrest authority across Illinois falls under 725 ILCS 5/107-2. This law applies to every officer in DeKalb County. The ISP FOIA page provides forms for requesting state-level records from the Illinois State Police. If a DeKalb County agency denies your FOIA request and you believe the denial was improper, you can appeal to the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor.
Cities in DeKalb County
The city of DeKalb is the largest community in the county and has its own arrest records page with local details:
Nearby Counties
These counties border DeKalb County and have their own sheriff offices and arrest records systems: