Access Fayette County Police Records
Fayette County police records are held by the Sheriff's Office on South 7th Street in Vandalia. This page covers how to request incident reports, look up court cases, and search law enforcement records across the county.
Fayette County Quick Facts
Fayette County Sheriff's Office
The Fayette County Sheriff's Office is at 221 S. 7th St. in Vandalia. Call (618) 283-2141 to reach the office. Deputies patrol the unincorporated areas and handle calls outside city limits. The sheriff also manages the county jail and assists with court-related duties like serving papers and transporting inmates.
Police records from the sheriff are public records. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/) gives you the right to ask for any record kept by a public body. Put your request in writing. Include dates, names, and a case number if you have one. The sheriff must respond within five business days. Complex requests can get an extension to ten days.
Below is the Fayette County Sheriff's Office website, which has contact information and department details.
Visit the site to check current office hours and confirm the best way to submit your FOIA request to the Fayette County Sheriff.
| Address | 221 S. 7th St., Vandalia, IL 62471 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (618) 283-2141 |
| Website | fayettecountyillinois.gov/sheriff |
FOIA Requests and Fees
The FOIA officer for general county records is Jessica Barker, the Fayette County Clerk. Her office is at 221 S 7th St, Room 106, Vandalia, IL 62471. Call (618) 283-5000 for questions about FOIA requests. For police records specifically, direct your request to the sheriff's office.
Fees follow state rules. The first 50 pages of black and white copies are free. After that, each page costs $0.15 for standard sizes. Digital records on a disc typically cost under a dollar. You can ask for a fee waiver if the records serve the public interest, though it is up to the agency to decide.
Denied requests can be challenged. The agency must cite a specific FOIA exemption when it turns you down. Open investigations and personal privacy are the most common reasons. File your appeal with the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor at no cost. The PAC will review the case and issue a binding opinion. Most appeals resolve in a few weeks. Keep copies of your original request and the denial letter to strengthen your case.
Fayette County Circuit Clerk
Kathy Emerick is the Fayette County Circuit Clerk. The office is at 221 South 7th Street in Vandalia. Call (618) 283-5009 or email fayettecircuitclk@yahoo.com. Visit the Circuit Clerk's website for details on court records and filing procedures.
The Fayette County Circuit Clerk's website is shown below with information about court records access.
Use this resource for case searches, hearing dates, and disposition information in Fayette County.
The circuit clerk holds all court records for criminal, civil, and traffic cases. After a police report is filed and the State's Attorney presses charges, the case moves into the court system. The clerk tracks every filing from there. You can look up charges, bonds, plea deals, and sentencing. Fayette County is part of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, and all cases are heard at the courthouse in Vandalia.
Police records and court records are separate but related. If you want the full picture of a case, you need both. The police report covers the scene. The court file shows the legal outcome. Contact both offices to get a complete set of records.
| Clerk | Kathy Emerick |
|---|---|
| Address | 221 South 7th Street, Vandalia, IL 62471 |
| Phone | (618) 283-5009 |
| fayettecircuitclk@yahoo.com | |
| Website | fayettecountyillinois.gov/circuit-clerk |
ISP Records in Fayette County
ISP Troop 9 covers Fayette County. Troopers patrol I-70 and state routes through the area. If a state trooper wrote the report, contact ISP directly. File at isp.illinois.gov/Foia or email ISP.FOIA.Officer@illinois.gov. The county sheriff does not have copies of state police reports.
Criminal history checks go through the ISP Bureau of Identification in Joliet. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/) allows only conviction data to be shared publicly. Arrest records without a conviction are kept private. The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630/) lays out the rules for sealing and expunging records in Illinois.
To get your own criminal history, use a Live Scan fingerprint vendor. ISP mails you the transcript at no charge. Crash reports from state police cost $5.00 each. Pay by check or money order payable to Illinois State Police.
Types of Records Available
Fayette County law enforcement agencies keep multiple types of records. Which one you need depends on the incident and who responded.
- Incident and offense reports
- Arrest records and booking logs
- Traffic crash reports
- Dispatch and 911 call logs
- Court filings and case outcomes
- Active warrant information
Active investigations may lead to partial redactions. Juvenile records are sealed. Witness statements in open cases are often held back. The ISP Sex Offender Registry is free and covers Fayette County. No FOIA request needed to search it.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Fayette County. Each has a separate sheriff and court system that handles police records.