Washington County Recent Arrests

Washington County recent arrests are managed by the Sheriff's Office in Nashville, Illinois. This southern Illinois county has a population of about 13,627 and processes arrests through a small jail with a capacity of 25 people. The Circuit Clerk at the Washington County Judicial Center handles all court records tied to arrests. Whether you need to check on a booking or look up a case, several tools can help you search for recent arrest information in Washington County. Below is everything you need to know.

Washington County Sheriff Arrest Records

Sheriff Ross Schultze leads the Washington County Sheriff's Office at 245 N. Kaskaskia St. in Nashville. The main phone number is (618) 327-4800 and dispatch can be reached at (618) 327-8274. The sheriff handles patrol duties, warrant service, and arrest processing for all of Washington County.

The Washington County Jail is at the same address. It has room for 25 people. When someone is arrested in Washington County, they are brought here for booking. The jail phone is (618) 327-4800 ext. 114. Because the facility is small, people arrested on more serious charges may get transferred to a larger county jail nearby. An anonymous tip line is available at (618) 327-4800 ext. 105 if you have information about a crime in Washington County.

The sheriff's department website at wcso-il.com has department info and contact details. You can also follow them on Facebook for news about recent arrests and public safety matters in Washington County. The department shares arrest updates and other law enforcement news through their social media page regularly.

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification also maintains records from Washington County arrests. You can look up statewide conviction data through the CHIRP portal. That tool pulls records from all 102 Illinois counties, so it covers Washington County convictions along with any from other areas.

Washington County Circuit Clerk Records

The Circuit Clerk for Washington County is Andrea L. Renken. Her office is at the Washington County Judicial Center, 125 E. Elm St. in Nashville. Phone is (618) 327-4800 ext. 305 and fax is (618) 327-3583. You can also email circuitclerk@washingtonco.illinois.gov for questions about court records. The Washington County Circuit Clerk page has more details on services.

Every arrest in Washington County that leads to charges creates a case file at the clerk's office. These records are public under Illinois law. You can ask for case info by name or case number. The clerk's office keeps files for criminal, traffic, and civil matters. E-Plea and E-Pay options are available through Judici if you need to handle a traffic case or pay fines online. For criminal cases from recent Washington County arrests, you can also search on Judici to see the charges, court dates, and outcomes.

Under 5 ILCS 140, the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, basic arrest data must be shared within 72 hours of any arrest. That includes the name, charges, and when the arrest happened. This applies to the sheriff and every law enforcement agency operating in Washington County.

Searching for Washington County Arrests

There are a few ways to check on recent arrests in Washington County. Here is a breakdown of each method.

Call the sheriff at (618) 327-4800 to ask if someone is in custody. Staff can confirm whether a person is in the Washington County Jail and what the charges are. For court records after an arrest, contact the Circuit Clerk at ext. 305 or search online through Judici. The Judici system shows case details for many Illinois counties including Washington County.

The CHIRP system from the Illinois State Police lets you search conviction records statewide for $10. This is a name-based search and covers all counties. For people sentenced to state prison after a Washington County arrest, the IDOC inmate search tracks them through the corrections system. The Illinois VINE system is a free tool that lets you get alerts when an offender's custody status changes. It works for Washington County inmates and statewide.

If you need your own criminal history from Washington County or anywhere in Illinois, the Access and Review process is free through the Illinois State Police. You get fingerprinted at a local vendor and ISP mails you the results. It is the most thorough record check available.

Note: The Washington County Jail only holds 25 people at a time, so inmates may be transferred to nearby facilities, which can make locating them a bit harder.

Washington County Arrest Record Laws

The Uniform Conviction Information Act at 20 ILCS 2635 makes conviction data from Washington County available through the state system. This is the law behind CHIRP and the public records you can access. It only covers convictions, not pending cases or dismissed charges.

For recent arrests that have not gone through court yet, the FOIA law at 5 ILCS 140 is the key. Section 2.15 requires law enforcement to release arrest info within 72 hours. Washington County agencies must provide the arrested person's name, age, address, charges, and the time and location of the arrest. If you send a written FOIA request, the agency has five business days to respond. The first 50 pages of copies are free.

Cities in Washington County

Washington County includes Nashville, the county seat, along with smaller communities like Okawville, Ashley, and Hoyleton. All arrests in these areas are processed through the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the Circuit Clerk in Nashville. No cities in Washington County meet the population threshold for a separate page.

Nearby Counties

These counties neighbor Washington County. Check their pages if you need arrest records from the surrounding area.