Search and Access Washtenaw County Police Records

Washtenaw County police records are public documents held by the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office, the Ann Arbor Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies in this southeast Michigan county. These records include incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, background checks, and jail data. You can request Washtenaw County police records online through the county portal, by phone, or by submitting a written FOIA request to the sheriff's office Records Division. This page walks through every method.

Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office Records

The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office is located at 2201 Hogback Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. Sheriff Jerry L. Clayton leads the office. Undersheriff Mark A. Ptaszek assists. The main phone number is (734) 971-8400. The fax number is (734) 973-4624. The email is sherifinfo@ewashtenaw.org. The county website is at washtenaw.org. The sheriff's Records Division is where most police records requests go. It handles incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and background checks for the county.

The Records Division phone number is (734) 973-4977. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Records Division page is at washtenaw.org/1530/Records-Request. You can submit a records request online through this page or by calling the division directly during business hours. The county also offers background checks at the sheriff's office for $5 per person for local criminal history checks.

The Washtenaw County portal at washtenaw.org is the starting point for records requests, FOIA submissions, crime mapping, and online records access for the county sheriff's office in Ann Arbor.

The Records Division at (734) 973-4977 processes incident reports, arrest records, and accident report requests Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for Washtenaw County.

For county-wide FOIA requests that go beyond sheriff records, the FOIA Coordinator is at 220 North Main Street, P.O. Box 8645, Ann Arbor, MI 48107. The FOIA coordinator phone is (734) 222-6655. The county clerk is at 200 N. Main Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, reachable at (734) 222-6720. Court Services can be reached at (734) 222-3270. Washtenaw County serves multiple district courts including the 14A, 14B, and 15th District Courts.

Ann Arbor Police Department Records

Ann Arbor has its own police department that operates separately from the county sheriff. The Ann Arbor Police Department is located at the Justice Center, 301 East Huron, Second Floor, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. The AAPD FOIA email is a2policerecords@a2gov.org. The records phone number is (734) 794-6954. Local criminal history checks from the Ann Arbor PD cost $10 per person. If you need records tied to an incident that happened inside Ann Arbor city limits, the AAPD holds those records, not the county sheriff.

For full details on how to request Ann Arbor police records, visit the Ann Arbor police records page. That page covers the Ann Arbor PD FOIA process, fees, and contact information in full detail. Submitting your request to the right agency saves time. Confirm which agency responded to the incident before you file.

Filing a Washtenaw 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 live in Washtenaw County. You do not need to explain your purpose. Both the county sheriff and all local city police departments must respond to written requests under this law.

To submit a FOIA request to the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office Records Division, go to washtenaw.org/1530/Records-Request or call (734) 973-4977 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. You can also mail or fax a written request. Your request should include your full name, mailing address, phone number or email, a clear description of the record you need, the date range, and any case or incident number. The more detail you give, the faster the division can find and process your request.

Under MCL § 15.235, the agency must respond within 5 business days. They can extend this by up to 10 more business days with written notice. Responses to requests made by email or fax count as received on the next business day. If your request is denied, the agency must give a written reason citing the specific exemption under MCL § 15.243. You have 180 days to appeal a denial. The appeal goes to the head of the agency or the board of commissioners. If that fails, you can file a civil action in circuit court, and a court that finds the denial was wrongful may award you attorney fees and costs.

Washtenaw County Police Record Fees

Washtenaw County follows the state fee rules 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 work, charged in 15-minute increments. No labor charge applies for searches under 15 minutes. Fringe benefits may be added at up to 50% of the labor rate. Mailing is actual postage cost. Non-paper media is charged at actual cost.

If the total estimated fee exceeds $50, the county can ask for a 50% deposit. Low-income individuals can claim a $20 fee waiver by submitting an affidavit of indigence, up to twice per year. The sheriff's office also charges a flat $5 for local background checks done in person. Ann Arbor PD charges $10 for a local criminal history check. Always ask for a written cost estimate before submitting a complex or large request.

State Resources for Washtenaw County Records

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

The Michigan Courts Case Search is free and covers court records from Washtenaw County's district and circuit courts. The Michigan Sex Offender Registry is searchable at mipsor.state.mi.us. The Michigan OTIS system at mdocweb.state.mi.us/OTIS2/otis2.aspx covers people in state custody. Traffic crash reports handled by the MSP go through the Michigan Traffic Crash Purchasing System. For FOIA guidance or to challenge a denial, visit the Michigan Attorney General at michigan.gov/ag/foia.

Cities in Washtenaw County

Ann Arbor is the county seat of Washtenaw County and has its own police department with separate records from the county sheriff.

Nearby Counties

Washtenaw County borders several southeast Michigan counties, each with its own sheriff and records process.