Chippewa County Police Records

Chippewa County police records include incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and jail data held by the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office and the Sault Ste. Marie Police Department. Chippewa County is Michigan's largest county by land area, sitting in the eastern Upper Peninsula along the Canadian border. Records for incidents inside the City of Sault Ste. Marie are kept separately by the city police. This page covers how to request Chippewa County police records through Michigan's FOIA process and what resources are available to you.

Chippewa County Sheriff's Office

The Chippewa County Sheriff's Office serves the county's rural areas, townships, and many smaller communities. The county building is at 319 Court St., Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. The main phone line is (906) 635-6300. This number connects to both the county administrator's office and can direct you to the sheriff's department. Central dispatch runs 24 hours a day and can handle emergency and non-emergency contacts around the clock.

The county website at chippewacountymi.gov is the central hub for county services including police records. You can find FOIA procedures, forms, and contact information all from that site. The county forms page at chippewacountymi.gov/county-forms lists the FOIA request form and other public record documents available for download.

The Chippewa County website provides access to the FOIA request form and county-wide records procedures. Start there when you need to request police records from the county sheriff's office.

How to Request Records Under Michigan FOIA

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, codified at MCL § 15.231 et seq., gives everyone the right to request records from public agencies. No residency requirement applies, and you do not need to give a reason for your request. The law covers police reports, arrest records, dispatch logs, jail records, and related documents held by the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office.

To request records, download and complete the FOIA request form from the county forms page. Submit it by mail to the Administrator's Office at 319 Court St., Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, or email it to the appropriate department contact. In-person requests are also accepted at the county building during regular business hours. Include the type of record, the date or date range, any names involved, and a case or incident number if you have one.

The FOIA information page at chippewacountymi.gov/about-3 covers the full process including who receives requests and how costs are calculated. Under MCL § 15.235, agencies must respond within 5 business days. If they need more time, they can extend by up to 10 additional business days with written notice. Extensions must explain the reason for the delay.

City of Sault Ste. Marie Police Records

The City of Sault Ste. Marie maintains its own police department with separate records from the county sheriff. If the incident you are researching happened inside city limits, contact the Sault Ste. Marie Police Department directly. They handle their own FOIA requests, incident reports, arrest records, and other documents.

City police records are not held by the county and cannot be obtained through a sheriff's office request. Each agency is responsible for the records it creates. If you are unsure which agency handled a specific case, call the county at (906) 635-6300 and ask. They can confirm which department responded to a given call or incident.

Court Records in Chippewa County

Chippewa County has both the 91st District Court and the 50th Circuit Court. These courts handle the full range of criminal and civil matters in the county. Court records are separate from police records but often complement them. The Michigan Courts Case Search tool allows you to look up case information by name or case number at no cost online.

For certified copies of court documents, contact the circuit court clerk's office at the county building on 319 Court St. They can tell you what records are on file and what fees apply. Some court records are available on the public access terminal inside the courthouse. For older or archived records, you may need to submit a written request.

Under MCL § 15.243, law enforcement and court agencies may withhold records tied to ongoing investigations, confidential informants, or personal privacy. If your request is denied, ask the agency to state in writing which exemption applies. You then have 180 days to appeal the denial to the head of the agency.

Record Fees in Chippewa County

Standard fees under MCL § 15.234 cap paper copies at $0.10 per page. Labor is charged at the rate of the lowest-paid employee qualified to handle the request. Labor is billed in 15-minute increments, and searches under 15 minutes are free. A cost calculation form is available through the county to help you estimate fees before submitting a large request.

For requests over $50, Chippewa County may ask for a 50% deposit before starting work on your request. Indigent requesters can get the first $20 waived by submitting an affidavit showing they receive public assistance or cannot afford to pay. This fee waiver is available up to twice per year. If you had a previous request you did not pay for, the agency can require payment in full before processing a new one.

Michigan Statewide Record Tools

ICHAT, the Internet Criminal History Access Tool, covers criminal history records for all of Michigan, including Chippewa County. It is run by the Michigan State Police and costs $10 per search at michigan.gov/msp/services/ichat. ICHAT covers felonies and serious misdemeanors. It does not include juvenile records, traffic infractions, or out-of-state records.

Accident reports for crashes investigated by the MSP or filed through the state system can be purchased through the Michigan Traffic Crash Purchasing System. For crashes handled by the Chippewa County Sheriff or Sault Ste. Marie PD, contact those agencies directly. Third-party services like buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com may also have Chippewa County crash reports on file.

Nearby Counties

Chippewa County borders several other Upper Peninsula counties, each with its own sheriff and records process.