Access Police Records in Shiawassee County

Shiawassee County police records are public documents held by the Shiawassee County Sheriff's Office in Corunna. These records cover incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and jail data for this central Michigan county. You can request Shiawassee County police records by downloading the FOIA form from the sheriff's website and submitting it by mail, or by contacting the sheriff's office directly at (989) 743-3411. This page explains every step of the process.

Shiawassee County Sheriff's Office Records

The Shiawassee County Sheriff's Office is located at 201 E. McArthur St., Corunna, MI 48817. Sheriff Doug Chapman leads the office, with Undersheriff Cory Carson assisting. The main phone number is (989) 743-3411. The fax number is (989) 743-6423. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The sheriff's website is at sheriff.shiawassee.net, which has department information, FOIA guidance, and records pages.

The sheriff maintains a dedicated FOIA page at sheriff.shiawassee.net/foia that explains how to submit a records request. The records page at sheriff.shiawassee.net/records has additional detail on what records are available and how they are handled. The county administration website is at shiawassee.net and has county-wide FOIA contact information including the county FOIA email at foia@shiawassee.net. The county FOIA Coordinator is Dr. Brian Boggs. The county administration address is 208 N Shiawassee St, Corunna, MI 48817, phone (989) 743-2222.

The Shiawassee County Sheriff's Office at (989) 743-3411 handles incident reports, arrest records, and other police records for the county. Start here to find out which office holds the records you need.

The FOIA page on the Shiawassee County Sheriff's website explains what records are available, how to submit a request, and what to include in your written request.

Owosso is the largest city in Shiawassee County and has its own police department. The Owosso Police can be reached at (989) 725-0580. If the incident you need records for happened inside Owosso city limits, contact the Owosso PD rather than the county sheriff. For statewide police matters, the Michigan State Police post serving this region can be reached at (810) 732-1111.

Filing a Shiawassee County FOIA Request

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act at MCL § 15.231 et seq. gives any person the right to request public records from government agencies. You do not need to be a Shiawassee County resident. You do not need to give a reason. Both the county sheriff and local city departments must respond under this law.

To request police records from the Shiawassee County Sheriff's Office, download and complete the FOIA form available at shiawassee.net. Mail the completed form to: ATTN: FOIA Coordinator, Shiawassee County Sheriff's Office, 201 E McArthur Street, Corunna, MI 48817. You can also email the county FOIA coordinator at foia@shiawassee.net or fax the request to (989) 743-6423.

The records page on the Shiawassee Sheriff's website at sheriff.shiawassee.net/records lists what types of police records are maintained and how to submit a formal request.

Under MCL § 15.235, the sheriff must respond within 5 business days of receiving your request. The office can extend this by up to 10 additional business days by sending you written notice explaining the delay. Email and fax submissions count as received the next business day. If your request is denied, the agency must tell you in writing which exemption under MCL § 15.243 applies. You have 180 days to file a written appeal. If the appeal is denied, you can file a civil action in circuit court.

Shiawassee County Court Records

Court records for Shiawassee County are separate from sheriff police records. You can search them for free online through the Michigan Courts Case Search tool.

The Shiawassee County website at shiawassee.net links to county departments including the clerk, courts, and FOIA resources that complement the records held at the sheriff's office.

Criminal cases in Shiawassee County go through the 35th Circuit Court for felony matters and the 66th District Court for misdemeanors and traffic offenses. Court records are available through the county clerk's office at 208 N Shiawassee St, Corunna, MI 48817, or online at no cost through the Michigan Courts Case Search. These court records complement police records when you need to see how a case was resolved after the initial arrest or incident.

Shiawassee County Police Record Fees

Shiawassee County follows Michigan's fee structure under MCL § 15.234. Paper copies cost $0.10 per page. Labor is billed at the hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee who can do the task, in 15-minute increments. No labor charge applies for searches under 15 minutes. Fringe benefits can be added at up to 50% of the labor rate. Mailing is billed at actual postage cost. Electronic records are billed at actual and most economical cost.

If the estimated fee goes over $50, the county can require a 50% deposit before starting work. Low-income requesters can get a $20 fee discount with an affidavit of indigence, available up to twice per year. Always ask for a written cost estimate before submitting a large or complex request.

State Resources for Shiawassee County Records

ICHAT, run by the Michigan State Police, covers criminal history records from all 83 Michigan counties. The fee is $10 per search. Access it at michigan.gov/msp/services/ichat. It covers felonies and serious misdemeanors but not traffic cases or juvenile records. The Michigan Sex Offender Registry is free at mipsor.state.mi.us. The Michigan OTIS system at mdocweb.state.mi.us/OTIS2/otis2.aspx covers people in state custody. For crash reports archived by the MSP, use the Michigan Traffic Crash Purchasing System. For FOIA guidance or challenges, visit the Michigan AG at michigan.gov/ag/foia.

Nearby Counties

Shiawassee County is bordered by several central Michigan counties, each with its own sheriff and records office.