Detroit 72 Hour Booking

Detroit 72 hour booking records track who has been arrested and processed into the Wayne County Jail system. The Detroit Police Department is one of the largest law enforcement agencies in Michigan, and every arrest it makes flows through Wayne County for booking. You can search for someone who was recently booked by using the Wayne County Sheriff Connect tool or by calling the jail at 313-967-6666. If you need a copy of the full booking record, you can file a request with either the Detroit Police or the Wayne County Sheriff. This page walks through how Detroit bookings work and where to find the records you need.

Detroit Police and 72 Hour Booking Process

The Detroit Police Department runs out of 1301 3rd St., Detroit, MI 48226. You can reach them at 313-267-4600. When officers make an arrest in Detroit, they bring the person to a precinct station first. From there, the case goes through processing. The person is then moved to the Wayne County Jail for formal booking. That is where the 72 hour booking record gets made. The jail logs the name, date of birth, charges, bond amount, and the time of intake.

Detroit is the largest city in Michigan. It sees more arrests than any other city in the state. The Wayne County Jail handles an average of eight new bookings each day across the whole county, and a big share of those come from Detroit arrests. Once someone is at the jail, they stay there until they post bond, get released by a judge, or go to trial. The booking data stays on file at the Wayne County Sheriff's Office even after the person leaves.

The Detroit Police Department also keeps its own arrest records. These are separate from the jail booking records held by Wayne County. If you want the arrest report from Detroit PD, you send a FOIA request to the City of Detroit FOIA Coordinator. If you want the booking record from the jail, you go to Wayne County.

Wayne County Jail and Detroit 72 Hour Booking

The Wayne County Jail system has three facilities. Jail I, known as the Baird facility, is at 570 Clinton St. with a capacity of 867 beds. Jail II sits at 525 Clinton St. and holds up to 770 people. Jail III, the Dickerson facility, is at 3501 Hamtramck Dr. in Hamtramck with 896 beds. Together, the three jails can hold about 2,500 inmates. The main phone line for the jail is 313-967-6666.

After a Detroit arrest, the person ends up at one of these three facilities. Which one depends on the charges, gender, and space at the time. The booking record is the same no matter which building they go to. It all runs through the Wayne County Sheriff.

Search Detroit Booking Records Online

The fastest way to check if someone was booked after a Detroit arrest is through the Wayne County Sheriff Connect inmate search. This tool lets you look up current inmates by name. It shows the charges, bond amount, and facility location. The search is free and runs around the clock. You do not need an account to use it.

VineLink is another option. This victim notification system covers Wayne County. Search by name to see if someone is in custody. VineLink also lets you set up alerts. If the person is released or transferred, you get a call, text, or email. You can reach Michigan VINE by phone at 800-770-7657 any time of day.

The VineLink search page is shown below. Select Michigan and search by name to check on a Detroit booking.

VineLink is free for all users and does not need a login for basic searches.

For court records tied to a Detroit arrest, the Michigan Courts Case Search lets you look up filings, hearing dates, and case outcomes. The ICHAT system from the Michigan State Police pulls up criminal history at $10 per search. ICHAT covers arrests where fingerprints were taken, so it goes deeper than a single booking check.

Detroit 72 Hour Booking FOIA Requests

You have the right to request 72 hour booking records under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act. The law is at MCL § 15.231 et seq. It says any person can ask for public records from a government agency. Booking records fall under this law. You do not need to give a reason for your request, per MCL § 15.233.

For Detroit arrest reports, send your request to the City of Detroit FOIA Coordinator. For the jail booking record, send it to the Wayne County Sheriff. You can also use the Wayne County FOIA Request Form online. Include the full name of the person, a date of birth if you have it, and the date range of the booking. The agency must respond within five business days under MCL § 15.235. Copy fees run $0.10 to $0.25 per page. Labor costs are based on the rate of the lowest paid clerk who can pull the record.

The Michigan Legislature site is shown here. You can look up the full text of FOIA and other laws that apply to booking records in Detroit.

Search for MCL 15.231 through 15.246 to read the complete FOIA law.

What Detroit Booking Records Include

A 72 hour booking record from a Detroit arrest will show these details:

• Full legal name and any aliases
• Date of birth, height, weight, and physical description
• Booking date, time, and facility
• Charges at time of booking
• Bond amount and type
• Arresting agency (Detroit Police Department)
• Mugshot or booking photo

Under MCL § 750.491, all official records are public property of the people of Michigan. Mugshots are public too. The court in Detroit Free Press v. Oakland Cty. Sheriff found that booking photos can not be withheld on privacy grounds. If Wayne County refuses to give you a record without a valid exemption, MCL § 750.492 makes that a misdemeanor with a fine up to $500.

Detroit Jail Booking vs State Prison

The Wayne County Jail holds people after a Detroit arrest until their case is done. If someone posts bond, they leave. If they are convicted and get more than one year, they go to a state prison run by the Michigan Department of Corrections. At that point, you track them through OTIS. But the original 72 hour booking record stays with Wayne County.

OTIS does not cover county jail inmates. It only shows people under MDOC care. So for recent Detroit bookings, always start with the Wayne County Sheriff or Sheriff Connect. For someone serving state time after a Detroit case, use OTIS.

Wayne County 72 Hour Booking

Detroit is in Wayne County. All Detroit arrests are booked through the Wayne County Jail. Visit the full Wayne County page for more details on the sheriff's office, jail facilities, and how to access booking records across the county.

View Wayne County 72 Hour Booking

Other Wayne County Cities

These cities also use the Wayne County Jail for 72 hour bookings. Each has its own police department but shares the same booking system.