Branch County Booking Records

Branch County recent bookings go through the Sheriff's Office and jail in Coldwater, located in south-central Michigan near the Indiana and Ohio borders. The county has about 45,000 people. Sheriff Fred Blankenship leads the department. The jail averages around 139 inmates daily, which is notable for a county this size. There is no online inmate search portal. You need to call the jail at 517-278-2942 or the Sheriff's Office at 517-278-2325 for current booking info. FOIA requests and statewide databases like VINELink and ICHAT give you other ways to get Branch County booking records.

Branch County Sheriff's Office

The Branch County Sheriff's Office and jail sit at 379 Keith Wilhelm Drive in Coldwater. Sheriff Fred Blankenship oversees both. The daily jail population averages about 139 inmates. For a county of 45,000 people, that is a high number. Branch County sits at the convergence of I-69 and several state highways, which may contribute to the traffic and crime that passes through the area.

Coldwater is the county seat and the largest city in Branch County. It sits right on the Indiana border. The jail processes bookings from the Sheriff's Office, Coldwater City Police, and Michigan State Police posts in the area. Each booking creates a record with the person's name, charges, bond, and personal details. These records are public under Michigan law.

Call the jail at 517-278-2942 for direct inmate info. The Sheriff's Office main line is 517-278-2325. Staff can tell you if someone is in custody, what they are charged with, and what the bond amount is. Give them a full name and date of birth for the best results.

VINELink is a free statewide tool that lets you search for inmates in Branch County and across Michigan without calling the jail.

Finding Branch County Booking Info

There is no online inmate search for Branch County. Phone is the primary way. Call 517-278-2942 for the jail or 517-278-2325 for the Sheriff's Office. Provide the person's full name and date of birth. Staff will check custody status, charges, and bond information for you.

VINELink at vinelink.com covers Michigan county jails including Branch County. It is free. Search by name or ID. You can sign up for alerts to get notifications when an inmate is released or moved. This is one of the best tools when a county does not have its own online search portal.

The Michigan State Police ICHAT system at apps.michigan.gov/ichat handles criminal history checks. It costs $10 per search. ICHAT pulls conviction records from all 83 Michigan counties under the reporting rules in MCL 28.241. It covers felonies and misdemeanors over 93 days. It does not show current jail holds or pending charges.

MDOC OTIS at michigan.gov/corrections/offender-search tracks state prison inmates. If someone from Branch County went to state prison, OTIS has their details. It does not cover county jail inmates. The Michigan Sex Offender Registry at michigan.gov is free and covers registered offenders by name, county, or zip code.

Branch County Records Through FOIA

Under MCL 15.231, the Michigan Freedom of Information Act lets you request booking records from the Branch County Sheriff. Send a written request to 379 Keith Wilhelm Drive, Coldwater, MI 49036. Describe the records you want. Include names, dates, and the type of documents. The more detail you provide, the quicker the staff can find what you need.

Branch County has 5 business days to respond. Complex requests can get a 10-day extension. Standard copy fees are about $0.10 per page. Labor charges may apply for large or complicated searches, billed in 15-minute blocks. People who qualify as low-income can get the first $20 in fees waived by filing an indigency affidavit.

Booking records are public. Mugshots are public. The Michigan court ruling in Patterson v. Allegan County Sheriff (502 N.W.2d 368) confirmed that booking photos of arrested and charged people must be released under FOIA. Exemptions in MCL 15.243 cover medical records, mental health data, and information that could threaten facility security. Any denial of your request must cite the exact statutory exemption. You can appeal or go to circuit court within 180 days.

Branch County in Michigan's Jail System

Michigan operates 83 counties with about 80 county jails. The Michigan Sheriff's Association reports roughly 20,000 jail beds statewide. Branch County's average daily population of 139 puts it in the mid-range for Michigan county jails. The jail holds people before trial and those serving sentences up to one year. Anyone sentenced to more than a year goes to the state prison system under MDOC.

The Statewide Records Management System (SRMS) at michigan.gov/msp/le/srms is a web-based platform with over 35 modules for law enforcement data sharing. Branch County law enforcement can use this system to share booking and arrest information with other agencies across the state. The public cannot access SRMS directly.

The Criminal Justice Information Center at P.O. Box 30266, Lansing, MI 48909-7766 collects conviction data from all Michigan counties under MCL 28.243. Their phone number is 517-284-6057. Court records for Branch County cases go through the 15th Circuit Court for felonies and the 3rd District Court for misdemeanors. Both are open to the public under MCL 600.880.

Note: Branch County's daily jail population of about 139 inmates is high relative to its population of 45,000.

Nearby Counties

Branch County is in south-central Michigan along the Indiana border. Check these neighboring counties if someone was arrested near a county line.