Police Records in St. Joseph County

St. Joseph County police records are public documents held by the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office and local police departments in this southwest Michigan county. Records include incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and jail data. You can request St. Joseph County police records through the county's online JustFOIA portal, by mail, or in person at the sheriff's office in Centreville. This page covers all your options for finding and getting these records.

St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office Records

The St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office is located at 650 S. Van Buren St., Centreville, MI 49032. You can call the office at (269) 467-9045. The county's main website is at stjosephcountymi.gov and lists all departments, contacts, and public services including FOIA information. The sheriff's office serves the unincorporated townships and rural areas of this southwest Michigan county, which borders Indiana to the south.

For records requests, St. Joseph County offers an online JustFOIA portal at stjosephcountymi.justfoia.com. This is one of the easier ways to submit a request because you can do it entirely online, track the status of your request, and receive documents electronically. The county also has a FOIA information page at stjosephcountymi.gov/services/freedom-of-information-act-foia that explains the process and what to include in your request.

The St. Joseph County JustFOIA portal at stjosephcountymi.justfoia.com lets you submit, track, and receive police records requests entirely online without needing to mail or fax anything.

If the incident you need records for occurred inside a city with its own department, you may need to contact that city directly. The Three Rivers Police Department serves Three Rivers, the largest city in the county. Chief Scott Boling leads that department, which can be reached at (269) 278-1235 ext. 130. The non-emergency line for the Three Rivers area is (269) 467-4195. Police records for incidents in Three Rivers go to the Three Rivers PD, not the county sheriff.

Filing a St. Joseph County FOIA Request

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act is found at MCL § 15.231 et seq. and enacted as Public Act 442 of 1976. It gives any person the right to request records from government agencies. You do not need to be a Michigan resident. You do not have to state a reason for your request. The law applies to the sheriff's office, city police departments, and all other county agencies.

A FOIA request must be in writing. The easiest method in St. Joseph County is the JustFOIA portal at stjosephcountymi.justfoia.com. You can also mail a written request to the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office at 650 S. Van Buren St., Centreville, MI 49032, or deliver it in person. In your request, include your full name, mailing address, email, a clear description of the records you need, the date range, and any case or incident number if you have it.

Under MCL § 15.235, the agency must respond within 5 business days of getting your request. They may extend this by up to 10 additional business days with written notice. If your request is denied, the agency must give a written reason citing the specific exemption under MCL § 15.243 that applies. You have 180 days to appeal a denial. The appeal goes to the head of the agency or the county board of commissioners. If that fails, you can file a civil action in circuit court. A wrongful denial may result in the requester being awarded attorney fees.

For records tied to narcotics investigations in St. Joseph County, the SCAN Unit can be reached at (269) 467-9045 ext. 261. These records may be more restricted depending on whether the investigation is ongoing.

Types of Police Records in St. Joseph County

St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office records include incident reports, police reports, arrest records, and accident reports. Incident reports document what happened when an officer responded to a call in the county's townships or rural areas. Arrest records show who was booked, what charges were filed, and when the person was released. Accident reports cover vehicle crashes investigated by the sheriff's office outside city limits.

Jail records for people held at the St. Joseph County Jail are handled by the sheriff's office. For people in state prison or on parole, use the Michigan OTIS system. Court records for criminal cases in St. Joseph County go through the county clerk or are available free online through the Michigan Courts Case Search. The county has both circuit and district courts that handle criminal matters.

Juvenile records are sealed under Michigan law. Records involving people who were under 17 at the time of an incident are generally not available through a standard FOIA request. Active criminal investigation records may also be withheld until the case closes, under MCL § 15.243.

Police Record Fees in St. Joseph County

St. Joseph County follows the statewide fee structure set by Michigan FOIA law. Under MCL § 15.234, copies cost $0.10 per page for standard sizes. Labor is charged at the hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee who can do the work, billed in 15-minute increments. No labor fee applies for searches that take under 15 minutes. Fringe benefits can add up to 50% of the labor rate on top of the base wage.

If the estimated total fee goes over $50, the county can ask for a 50% deposit before starting. Low-income requesters can claim a $20 fee waiver up to twice per year by submitting an affidavit of indigence. Always ask for a written cost estimate before making a large or complex request. This keeps you from facing an unexpected bill.

State Resources That Cover St. Joseph County

ICHAT, the Internet Criminal History Access Tool run by the Michigan State Police, covers criminal history records from all 83 Michigan counties including St. Joseph. The fee is $10 per search, paid by credit card. ICHAT covers felonies and serious misdemeanors but not traffic cases, juvenile records, or out-of-state matters. Access it at michigan.gov/msp/services/ichat.

The Michigan Courts Case Search is free and lets you search court records for all St. Joseph County district and circuit courts by name or case number. The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry at mipsor.state.mi.us is searchable by name or county. Traffic crash reports handled by state police go through the Michigan Traffic Crash Purchasing System. For disputes about FOIA denials or fees, the Michigan Attorney General's guidance is at michigan.gov/ag/foia.

Nearby Counties

St. Joseph County borders several southwest Michigan counties, each with its own sheriff and FOIA process.