Access Ann Arbor 72 Hour Booking
Ann Arbor 72 hour booking records track recent arrests processed through the Washtenaw County Jail. The Ann Arbor Police Department handles arrests in the city, but bookings go through the county sheriff's facility on Hogback Road. You can search for current inmates by contacting the Washtenaw County Sheriff at 734-994-2911, or use statewide tools like VineLink to check custody status. For copies of booking records or arrest reports, submit a FOIA request to the sheriff's office or the Ann Arbor PD records division at 734-794-5220.
Ann Arbor Booking Overview
Ann Arbor Police and 72 Hour Booking
The Ann Arbor Police Department is at 100 North 5th Avenue. Call them at 734-794-6920 for non-emergency matters. The records division is at 734-794-5220 if you need arrest report copies. Ann Arbor does not operate its own jail. When someone gets arrested, they go to the Washtenaw County Jail at 2201 Hogback Road for booking and processing.
At the Washtenaw County Jail, staff create the 72 hour booking record during intake. They log the person's name, date of birth, charges, bond amount, and time of booking. The Washtenaw County Sheriff runs this facility and keeps all booking data. Ann Arbor is the county seat of Washtenaw County, so a large number of bookings at the jail come from AAPD arrests. The University of Michigan also has its own police force, and arrests made on campus follow the same path to the county jail for booking.
The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office can be reached at 734-994-2911. They handle booking records, inmate info, and FOIA requests for jail data. If you want the arrest report from the city police, that stays with Ann Arbor PD. The booking record stays with the sheriff.
Note: Ann Arbor PD handles arrest reports while the Washtenaw County Sheriff keeps all 72 hour booking records.
Search Ann Arbor 72 Hour Booking Online
To check if someone was recently booked after an Ann Arbor arrest, start with VineLink. This free service lets you search for people in custody at Michigan jails by name. VineLink covers Washtenaw County. You can also sign up for custody alerts. If the person gets released or moved, you get a notification by call, text, or email. The Michigan VINE phone line at 800-770-7657 runs around the clock for phone-based searches.
The VineLink search page lets you check Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County booking status for free. Select Michigan as the state and search by name.
VineLink is free and does not need an account for basic name searches.
The Michigan Courts Case Search is another useful tool. It does not show the booking itself, but it shows court cases tied to an arrest. You can look up charges filed, hearing dates, and case status for cases in Washtenaw County and across the state. For deeper criminal history checks, the Michigan State Police run ICHAT at $10 per search. ICHAT pulls arrest records from across Michigan where fingerprints were taken.
How to Get Ann Arbor 72 Hour Booking Records
Under MCL § 15.231, the Michigan Freedom of Information Act gives every person the right to request public records from state and local agencies. Booking records fall under this law. To get an Ann Arbor 72 hour booking record, write a FOIA request to the Washtenaw County Sheriff. Include the person's full name and date of arrest if known. You do not need to state why you want the records per MCL § 15.233.
Send your request to the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office at 2201 Hogback Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. The sheriff has five business days to respond under MCL § 15.235, with a possible ten-day extension for larger requests. Copy fees are $0.10 to $0.25 per page under MCL § 15.234. Labor charges apply at the lowest paid clerk rate. If the fee goes past $50, the sheriff can ask for a deposit. Indigent requesters can get the first $20 waived, up to two times per year.
The Michigan Legislature website is where you can look up the full text of FOIA statutes that apply to Ann Arbor booking record requests.
Search for MCL 15.231 to read the full FOIA law as it applies to Washtenaw County booking records.
Ann Arbor Booking Records and Public Access
Booking records from the Washtenaw County Jail include the person's full name, any aliases, date of birth, physical description, charges at time of booking, bond amount and type, arresting agency, and a mugshot. Mugshots are public records in Michigan. Case law supports this. The Detroit Free Press v. Oakland Cty. Sheriff case from 1987 held that booking photos cannot be withheld under the privacy exemption.
Under MCL § 750.491, all official records are public property that belongs to the people of Michigan. If the Washtenaw County Sheriff refuses to share a booking record without a valid exemption, MCL § 750.492 makes that a misdemeanor with a fine up to $500. The Nowack v. Auditor Gen. case from 1928 confirmed that Michigan citizens have a broad right to inspect public records. The courts have consistently read FOIA exemptions narrowly to favor disclosure.
For people who move from the county jail to state prison, the Michigan Department of Corrections tracks them through OTIS. But the original 72 hour booking record stays with Washtenaw County. OTIS only covers state prisoners, not county jail inmates. If you need the booking data from an Ann Arbor arrest, the sheriff's office is always the right place to go.
Nearby Michigan Cities
These nearby cities also process bookings through county jails. Select one to find 72 hour booking details for that area.