Detroit Jail Roster
The Detroit jail roster covers all bookings that start with an arrest by the Detroit Police Department. Detroit is the largest city in Michigan with around 630,000 residents and one of the busiest police forces in the state. People arrested in Detroit are held briefly at the Detroit Detention Center before being moved to the Wayne County Jail for longer stays. You can search for current inmates through the Wayne County Sheriff's online tool or by calling the jail directly. The jail roster includes booking dates, charges, bond amounts, and custody status for anyone held in the Wayne County system after a Detroit arrest.
Detroit Overview
Wayne County Handles Detroit Jail Roster
Detroit does not run its own long-term jail. The city has the Detroit Detention Center at the Holden Facility, located at 1301 3rd Street. This is a temporary holding site. Most people arrested by Detroit police stay there only a short time, usually less than 72 hours. After that, they go to the Wayne County Jail for booking and longer detention.
Wayne County runs three jail sites. Jail I sits at 570 Clinton Street. Jail II is at 525 Clinton Street. Jail III is at 3501 Hamtramck Drive. All three are part of the Wayne County Sheriff's jail system, and any Detroit arrestee could end up at one of them. The Wayne County jail roster is where you will find most people arrested in Detroit once they leave the city's holding cells. For full details on the county system, visit the Wayne County jail roster page.
Under MCL 800.7, the sheriff has charge and custody of the county jail. This means the Wayne County Sheriff keeps all booking records for people held at the county level, including those arrested in Detroit. MCL 800.13 requires the sheriff to log each inmate's name, the date they were brought in, and the reason for their commitment.
Detroit Police Department Contact
The Detroit Police Department is one of the largest law enforcement agencies in Michigan. Chief James E. White leads the department. DPD handles all arrests within Detroit city limits, from misdemeanor stops to major felony cases. After an arrest, officers bring the person to the Detroit Detention Center for processing before transferring them to Wayne County.
| Agency | Detroit Police Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 1301 3rd Street, Detroit, MI 48226 |
| Phone | (313) 267-4600 |
| Chief | James E. White |
| Website | detroitmi.gov |
If someone was just arrested in Detroit and you can't find them in the Wayne County system yet, call DPD at (313) 267-4600. They may still be in the holding facility. The transfer to Wayne County jail can take up to 72 hours depending on the time of arrest and court schedules.
The screenshot below shows the Detroit Police Department's website where you can find department contact info and other resources.
Visit the DPD site for precinct locations, crime maps, and how to request police reports from Detroit.
How to Search Detroit Jail Roster Records
The main way to find someone arrested in Detroit is through the Wayne County Sheriff's inmate search. Go to Sheriff Connect and type in the person's last name. You can also add a first name to get better results. The system shows current inmates at all Wayne County jail sites.
Each search result gives you the inmate's name, booking date, charges, and bond amount. You can see which facility holds them. This is the fastest way to check the Detroit jail roster for someone who has already been transferred from the city detention center to the county jail. The Wayne County Sheriff's phone line for inmate info is (313) 224-0797.
You can also use VINELink to check custody status. VINELink is free and lets you sign up for alerts when an inmate's status changes. It works well if you need to know when someone gets released from the Wayne County jail after a Detroit arrest. The state also has OTIS, which tracks offenders under state supervision. OTIS won't show county jail inmates, but it's useful if someone has been sentenced to state prison.
For criminal history checks on people arrested in Detroit, you can use Michigan ICHAT. This tool costs $10 per search and pulls statewide arrest and conviction records from all Michigan law enforcement agencies. It covers felonies and serious misdemeanors but does not include current jail roster data.
Note: Recent Detroit arrests may not show up in the Wayne County system for 24 to 72 hours after the initial booking.
FOIA Requests for Detroit Jail Records
Michigan's Freedom of Information Act gives the public a right to access government records. Under MCL 15.231, all persons except those currently incarcerated can request public records from state and local agencies. This covers jail booking logs, arrest reports, and other records tied to the Detroit jail roster.
To get records from the Detroit Police Department, you submit a written FOIA request to the city's FOIA coordinator. Describe the record you need with enough detail so staff can find it, as required by MCL 15.233. The agency must respond within five business days. They can extend that by another ten days if needed. Fees are limited to the actual cost of copying and mailing under MCL 15.234. The first $20 of labor is free.
For records held by the Wayne County Sheriff, send your FOIA request to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. Booking photos are public records in Michigan. The court ruled in Patterson v. Allegan County Sheriff that mugshots cannot be withheld on privacy grounds. So you can request booking photos for anyone in the Detroit jail roster through a FOIA request to Wayne County.
Detroit District Court Information
The 36th District Court handles arraignments and misdemeanor cases for Detroit. It sits at 421 Madison Avenue in downtown Detroit. The phone number is (313) 965-2300. After a Detroit arrest, the person typically appears before a 36th District Court judge for arraignment. The judge sets bail and determines if the case moves forward.
You can search court cases through MiCourt, the state's online court records portal. MiCourt lets you look up case numbers, hearing dates, charges, and case status. It covers the 36th District Court and other Michigan courts. Felony cases that start at the district court level may be bound over to Wayne County Circuit Court for trial.
Nearby Cities with Jail Roster Pages
Several other cities near Detroit have their own jail roster pages. Arrests in these cities also go through county jail systems. Click any city below to see local police contact info and how to search for inmates in that area.