Mishawaka 24 Hour Booking Records

Mishawaka 24 hour booking records are split between two agencies: the Mishawaka Police Department handles arrests made within city limits, while the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Department maintains the county jail where booked individuals are held. This page covers how to search for recent arrests, find someone currently in custody, and get copies of police reports and booking records from both agencies serving Mishawaka residents.

Mishawaka Police Department Booking Records

The Mishawaka Police Department is located at 100 Lincolnway West, Mishawaka, IN 46544. Officers patrol city limits and make arrests for local ordinance violations, misdemeanors, and felonies. When someone is arrested by Mishawaka PD, they are processed and transported to the St. Joseph County Jail in South Bend, where booking records are created and maintained.

For copies of police reports and arrest records, the Records Division handles all requests. You can reach them directly at (574) 258-1681 or send an email to mpdrecords@mishawaka.in.gov. Staff are available during regular business hours to process records requests and answer questions about specific cases or incidents.

Report fees are straightforward. Case reports cost $5.00 per copy, accident reports are also $5.00 each, and local background checks run $10.00. These fees apply to copies requested from the Mishawaka PD Records Division specifically.

The Mishawaka Police Department's website is the best starting point for city residents looking to contact the right division. The department's online presence includes general contact information and department news.

The site provides direct contact details for the Records Division, making it easier to get copies of reports without needing to visit the station in person.

St. Joseph County Jail Inmate Search

When Mishawaka Police arrest someone, that person is booked and held at the St. Joseph County Jail, which is operated by the St. Joseph County Police Department. The jail is located at 401 W. Sample Street in South Bend. This is where active booking records are kept, and it is the place to call if you want to confirm whether someone is currently in custody after an arrest in Mishawaka.

The St. Joseph County Police Department runs an online inmate search tool at sjcpd.org/inmate-search/. You can search by name and see current custody status, charges, and booking information. This is typically the fastest way to find out if someone was recently booked after an arrest in Mishawaka or anywhere else in St. Joseph County.

For jail-related calls, the direct number is 574-245-6500. For general department inquiries, you can reach the St. Joseph County Police at 574-235-9611. Dispatch handles calls at all hours, so you can confirm booking status any time of day or night.

Note: The online inmate search covers all individuals booked into the St. Joseph County Jail, including those arrested by Mishawaka PD, county police, and other local agencies operating within St. Joseph County.

Indiana Statewide Booking Databases

Several state-level tools can supplement your search if the county jail portal doesn't return results or if someone has been transferred to a state facility. These are maintained by Indiana agencies and cover records beyond just St. Joseph County.

The INjail public portal aggregates booking records from participating county jails across Indiana. It is a useful cross-county search tool when you are not sure which facility is holding someone. The portal is free and searchable by name.

If the person you are looking for has been convicted and transferred to a state prison, the Indiana Department of Correction Offender Locator tracks their current location within the state prison system. This tool is separate from county jail records and covers only sentenced individuals in IDOC custody.

The Indiana IDOC offender search database shows current location and status for individuals held in state prison facilities throughout Indiana.

Use this tool when a county jail search returns no results, as the person may have been moved to a state facility after sentencing.

Court records tied to Mishawaka arrests are searchable through the Indiana MyCase portal. You can look up case numbers, charge details, and court dates for cases filed in St. Joseph County courts without visiting the courthouse.

VINE Victim Notification for Mishawaka

Indiana's VINE system gives crime victims and others a way to monitor inmate custody without calling the jail. St. Joseph County participates in VINE, so anyone held at the county jail after an arrest in Mishawaka can be tracked through the service. You register once and receive automatic alerts by phone, email, or text when the person's custody status changes.

To sign up, visit VINELink or call 1-866-959-VINE. The service is free and available around the clock. One-time lookups are also possible through the same system without creating an account. VINE is especially useful if you need to know about a release or transfer without calling the jail every day.

The Indiana VINE system allows you to track custody status for anyone held at the St. Joseph County Jail and receive automatic notifications when their status changes.

VINE registration is free and takes only a few minutes online or by phone at 1-866-959-VINE.

Public Records Rights in Indiana

Indiana's Access to Public Records Act, commonly called APRA, gives every person the right to inspect and copy public records held by government agencies. This includes booking records, arrest logs, and police reports held by the Mishawaka Police Department and the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Department. Agencies must respond to in-person requests within 24 hours and written requests within seven days.

If you run into problems getting records from either agency, the Indiana Public Access Counselor offers free help. The PAC can review disputes and issue advisory opinions when an agency denies a records request without a valid reason. You do not need an attorney to contact the PAC.

The Indiana Public Access Counselor website explains your rights under APRA and walks through how to file a complaint if a records request is improperly denied.

The PAC office provides guidance at no cost and is one of the most useful tools for anyone who hits a wall when trying to get public records from a local agency in Indiana.

Nearby Qualifying Cities

Mishawaka sits in St. Joseph County alongside South Bend. Other qualifying Indiana cities with their own booking record pages are listed below.