Find Arrest Records in Peoria County
Peoria County arrest records are maintained by the Peoria County Sheriff's Office and the Peoria Police Department, along with other local agencies in the area. With close to 180,000 residents, Peoria County is one of the larger counties in central Illinois. The county seat is in the city of Peoria, where both the sheriff's office and the circuit court handle different parts of the arrest records process. Public access to these records follows Illinois law, and there are several ways to search for arrest records in Peoria County.
Peoria County Quick Facts
Peoria County Sheriff's Office
The Peoria County Sheriff's Office is at 301 N Maxwell Rd, Peoria, IL 61604. Call (309) 697-3917 to reach the office. The sheriff handles law enforcement for the unincorporated parts of Peoria County and runs the county jail. Arrest records from the sheriff's office include booking data, charges, bond details, and intake information for people held at the jail. The records division can help you find what you need or point you to the right department.
Inside the city of Peoria, the police department makes most arrests. That means a lot of the arrest records for the county's largest city sit with the Peoria PD rather than the sheriff. If you are looking for a specific arrest record in Peoria County, it helps to know which agency handled the case. Start with the sheriff if you are not sure. They can tell you if the record is held elsewhere.
How to Search Arrest Records in Peoria County
The Peoria County Circuit Clerk's office at 324 Main St in Peoria keeps court records connected to arrests. You can call (309) 672-6000 for help with case lookups. Court records show criminal filings, charges, hearing schedules, and case outcomes. If an arrest led to a criminal case, you will find it through the circuit clerk. The office handles records for the 10th Judicial Circuit, which covers Peoria County along with several neighboring counties.
For statewide searches, the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification holds criminal history data that may include Peoria County arrest records. The CHIRP system lets approved users run name-based searches. Public conviction information is available under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/1), which requires the state police to share conviction data with anyone who asks. Arrest data without a conviction is handled differently and usually requires a FOIA request to the local agency.
You can also check the Peoria County jail roster for recent bookings. Many sheriff offices in Illinois post current inmate lists online or make them available by phone. Call (309) 697-3917 and ask about the jail roster if you need recent booking data from Peoria County.
FOIA Requests for Peoria County Arrest Records
The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1) is the tool for getting arrest records from government agencies in Peoria County. Any person can file a FOIA request. You do not need to live in the county or state a reason for your request. Put it in writing and send it to the FOIA officer at the right agency. For the sheriff, send it to the Peoria County Sheriff's Office at 301 N Maxwell Rd. For the city police, contact the Peoria Police Department records unit.
Under Section 2.15 of the FOIA statute, law enforcement must release certain arrest information within 72 hours. This covers the name, age, and address of the person arrested plus the charges, time and place of arrest, and the name of the arresting agency. That rule applies across Peoria County no matter which agency made the arrest. Full FOIA responses are due within five business days, though the agency can take a five-day extension if needed. Many agencies in Illinois provide the first 50 pages free of charge.
What Peoria County Arrest Records Show
A Peoria County arrest record lists the full name of the person taken into custody along with their date of birth. It includes the charges filed, the date and time of arrest, and the arresting officer or agency. Booking records from the county jail add intake data, a booking number, and bond information. Mugshots may also be part of the booking record.
Court records connected to an arrest go further. They show case numbers, attorney information, hearing dates, plea entries, and final dispositions. A disposition might show a conviction, a dismissal, or a finding of not guilty. Remember that arrest records and conviction records are not the same thing under Illinois law. The UCIA (20 ILCS 2635/1) only covers conviction data through the state police. Local arrest records from Peoria County agencies are accessible through FOIA, but sealed or expunged records are off limits. The Office of the State Appellate Defender explains the sealing and expungement process for anyone who needs it.
Resources for Peoria County Arrest Records
The ISP fee schedule covers costs for criminal history checks at the state level. You can get your own record through the Access and Review process at an approved Live Scan vendor near Peoria. This is the only way for an individual to see their complete criminal history in Illinois, including arrests in Peoria County that never led to charges.
Illinois law under 725 ILCS 5/107-2 sets the rules for when officers can make an arrest. This applies to every law enforcement officer in Peoria County. If you believe a FOIA request was wrongly denied, you can file a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor. The ISP FOIA page also has forms for requesting records directly from the state police if you need statewide criminal history data beyond what Peoria County agencies hold.
Cities in Peoria County
The city of Peoria is the county seat and the main population center. It has its own police department that handles a large number of arrest records. Below is the qualifying city in Peoria County with a dedicated page:
Nearby Counties
Peoria County borders several other counties in central Illinois. Each one has its own sheriff's office and arrest records: