Search Police Records in Saginaw County

Saginaw County police records are public documents held by the Saginaw County Sheriff's Office, local police departments, and other law enforcement agencies serving this mid-Michigan county. These records cover incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, jail data, and more. You can request Saginaw County police records through the county website, a written FOIA submission, or state online tools. This page covers every method so you can find what you need without wasting time.

Saginaw County Sheriff's Office Records

The Saginaw County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for the county and the primary holder of local police records. Sheriff William L. Federspiel leads the office. The main address is 208 S. Harrison, Saginaw, MI 48602. You can reach the sheriff's office by phone at (989) 790-5400. The office website at saginawcounty.com/courts-public-safety/sheriff has contact details, department listings, and information on how to submit a records request.

Records you can get from the Saginaw County Sheriff's Office include incident reports, arrest logs, jail booking records, and accident reports for crashes handled by the sheriff. If the event happened inside a city with its own police force, such as the city of Saginaw, you may need to contact that department directly. The county clerk's office at 111 S. Michigan Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48602 handles court-related records and can be reached at (989) 790-5251. Court filings and case records from the 10th Circuit Court and 70th District Court are accessible through the clerk or through the Michigan Courts online search tool.

The Saginaw County Sheriff's Office page on the county website is where you can find department contacts, FOIA guidance, and information about records available to the public.

The main Saginaw County website at saginawcounty.com is the hub for all county departments, including the Sheriff's Office at 208 S. Harrison and the circuit court clerk at 111 S. Michigan Avenue.

How to File a Saginaw County FOIA Request

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, found at MCL § 15.231 et seq. and enacted as Public Act 442 of 1976, gives any person the right to request public records from government agencies. You do not need to be a Michigan resident. You do not have to explain why you want the records. Both the county sheriff and other local agencies must follow this law.

A FOIA request must be in writing. You can send it by mail, email, fax, or deliver it in person. Your request needs your full name, mailing address, and phone or email contact. Describe the records you want in enough detail for the agency to find them. Give the date range, names involved in the incident, and any case or incident number you have. For Saginaw County Sheriff's Office records, address your written request to the FOIA Coordinator through the County Administrator's Office. The county website at saginawcounty.com lists department contacts that can help you route your request correctly.

Under MCL § 15.235, the agency must respond within 5 business days of getting your written request. They can extend this by up to 10 more business days if they send you written notice explaining the delay. Email and fax requests count as received the next business day. Saginaw County's clerk email is vguerra@saginawcounty.com and the clerk can be reached at (989) 790-5251 for court-related record questions.

If your request is denied, the agency must tell you in writing which exemption under MCL § 15.243 applies. Common denials cover active criminal investigations, personal privacy, and records that could put someone at risk. You have 180 days to file a written appeal. The appeal goes to the head of the agency or the board of commissioners. If that appeal is denied, you can take the matter to circuit court. A court that finds the denial was wrongful may award attorney fees and costs.

Saginaw County Police Records Available

Saginaw County police records cover a wide range. The most common ones people ask for include incident reports, arrest records, and accident reports. Incident reports document what happened when an officer responded to a call. Arrest records show booking details, charges filed, and release information. Accident reports, filed on the standard UD-10 form, cover vehicle crashes that law enforcement responded to in Saginaw County.

Beyond those three, you can also request jail and inmate records for people held at the Saginaw County Jail. Warrant information, dispatch logs, and agency policy documents may also be available depending on the nature of the request. The 10th Circuit Court handles major criminal cases for the county, and the 70th District Court handles misdemeanors and traffic matters. Court records from these courts are separate from police records and go through the clerk's office at (989) 790-5540 for circuit matters or the district court directly.

Juvenile records are restricted under Michigan law. Records involving people who were under 17 at the time of an incident are generally sealed and not available through a standard FOIA request. You would need a court order to access those.

Saginaw County Police Record Fees

Michigan sets the rules for what agencies can charge for records. Under MCL § 15.234, the standard copy fee is $0.10 per page for letter or legal size paper. For anything non-standard, the agency charges actual cost. Labor is billed at the hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee who can do the task. Fringe benefits can be added at up to 50% of that wage. Labor is billed in 15-minute increments and nothing is charged for searches under 15 minutes.

If the estimated fee goes over $50, the agency can require a 50% deposit before starting. If you qualify as low-income, Michigan gives a $20 fee discount when you submit an affidavit showing you get public assistance or cannot afford to pay. You can use this waiver up to twice per calendar year. Ask for a written cost estimate before submitting a large or complex request.

State Tools That Cover Saginaw County

For statewide criminal history records, use ICHAT. The Internet Criminal History Access Tool is run by the Michigan State Police and covers felonies and serious misdemeanors from all 83 Michigan counties, including Saginaw. The fee is $10 per search, paid by credit card. ICHAT does not include traffic offenses, juvenile records, or records from other states. Access it at michigan.gov/msp/services/ichat.

The Michigan Courts Case Search lets you look up court records tied to arrests or incidents handled by any agency in Saginaw County. It is free and covers district and circuit courts across the state. The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry is free at mipsor.state.mi.us and can be searched by name or county. For people in state prison or on parole, the Michigan OTIS system at mdocweb.state.mi.us/OTIS2/otis2.aspx is the right tool.

Traffic crash reports for crashes handled by the Michigan State Police or archived statewide go through the Michigan Traffic Crash Purchasing System. For crashes handled by the Saginaw County Sheriff or a local city department, submit a FOIA request to the responding agency. Third-party services like ReportBeam can also provide faster access to crash reports, often within 7 to 10 days of the incident date.

If you have questions about a FOIA denial or think you were charged too much, the Michigan Attorney General has guidance at michigan.gov/ag/foia. The MSP also maintains a FOIA page at michigan.gov/msp/services/foia for state-level records requests tied to any Michigan State Police post serving Saginaw County.

Nearby Counties

Saginaw County borders several mid-Michigan counties. Each has its own sheriff and records process.