Southfield Booking Records Lookup
Southfield recent bookings are managed through the Oakland County Jail. The city has roughly 75,000 people and sits in the southern part of Oakland County. Southfield police arrest people locally, but the jail booking goes through the county system in Pontiac. You can search for Southfield inmates online using the CLEMIS inmate locator or the Oakland County Inmate Search. Both are free and show current booking data. This page walks you through the options for finding recent booking records from Southfield.
Southfield Quick Facts
Search Southfield Recent Bookings Online
Oakland County gives you two ways to search for inmates. The CLEMIS inmate locator lists all current inmates at the Oakland County Jail. You can browse the full list or search by name. Each entry shows booking details, charges, and bond. CLEMIS stands for Courts and Law Enforcement Management Information System. It ties together police, courts, and corrections for all of Oakland County.
The second option is the Oakland County Inmate Search. This tool also searches the county jail population. Enter a name and get back matching results. It shows the same data as CLEMIS but with a different interface. Both tools are free and work around the clock.
When Southfield police make an arrest, the person is taken to the Oakland County Jail for booking. The record usually shows up in the search tools within a few hours. If you cannot find someone, try again later. It can take time for the booking to process through the system.
Southfield Police Department Records
The Southfield Police Department is at 26000 Evergreen Rd, Southfield, MI 48076. Call (248) 796-5500 for non-emergency questions. The department makes arrests in the city and keeps its own arrest reports. For copies of those reports, you need to file a FOIA request with the department.
Under MCL 15.231, arrest records are public. Your FOIA request should include the person's name, the date of the incident, and what records you are looking for. Southfield police have five business days to respond. Copies cost about $0.10 per page. If the search takes significant staff time, they can also charge labor costs.
For jail booking records, direct your request to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. They maintain the booking records because the jail is a county operation. You can also ask for booking photos, which are public in Michigan. The Patterson v. Allegan County Sheriff case established that mugshots are public records.
Southfield Records in State Databases
Michigan's ICHAT is the state criminal history search run by Michigan State Police. It costs $10 per name. ICHAT pulls conviction records from all 83 Michigan counties. It shows felonies and serious misdemeanors. Current jail bookings are not in ICHAT. Only conviction records make it into this system. Under MCL 28.243, the state police set the fees and manage access to these records.
The MDOC OTIS search is free and covers state prison inmates. If someone from Southfield was sent to prison, OTIS has their record. It shows sentence details, the facility, and projected release. People sitting in county jail are not in OTIS. Only those sentenced to more than one year appear.
For alerts about a specific inmate, use VINELink. Register for free and get notified when someone's custody status changes at the Oakland County Jail or state facilities. You pick how you want to be reached.
Southfield Arraignment and Bond
After booking at the Oakland County Jail, an inmate must be arraigned within 48 hours. MCL 764.26 sets this timeline. The 46th District Court in Southfield handles arraignments for cases in the city. At arraignment, a judge reads the charges and sets bail or bond.
Bond can be cash, surety, or personal recognizance. Cash bond means you pay the full amount. A surety bond goes through a bail bonds company. Personal recognizance means the judge lets you out on your promise to return. The judge looks at the charges, the person's record, and flight risk when setting bond. Serious charges usually mean higher bond or no bond at all.
Booking records from Southfield become part of the court record once charges are filed. The Oakland County Corrections division manages the jail side while the courts handle the case going forward.
Note: Bond information is included in the CLEMIS and inmate search results.
Southfield Booking Records and Michigan Law
Michigan law strongly supports public access to jail records. The FOIA statute under MCL 15.231 through 15.246 covers all records held by public bodies. Booking logs, charges, mugshots, and intake information are public. The Michigan courts have been consistent on this point. The Patterson v. Allegan County Sheriff ruling confirmed that booking photos must be released when asked for through FOIA.
There are limits. MCL 15.243 lists specific exemptions. Records from active investigations can be held back if release would interfere with the case. Medical and mental health records are always exempt. Information that could compromise jail security may also be withheld. But the core booking data from a Southfield arrest is available to the public in almost every situation. If you get a denial, you can appeal to the agency head. If that fails, MCL 15.240 lets you go to circuit court.
Oakland County Inmate Locator
Below is the CLEMIS inmate locator system used for finding Southfield recent bookings and other Oakland County inmates.
CLEMIS connects all law enforcement and corrections in Oakland County. Arrest data from Southfield police flows into this shared system within hours of booking.
Oakland County Recent Bookings
Southfield is in Oakland County. All jail bookings for the city go through the county system in Pontiac. Other Oakland County cities include Troy, Farmington Hills, Rochester Hills, and Waterford Township. For complete county details and search tools, see the Oakland County page.
Nearby Cities
Nearby cities with recent booking information: