LaSalle County Police Records

LaSalle County police records are maintained by the Sheriff's Office and Circuit Clerk in Ottawa. This page covers how to find and request police records from LaSalle County agencies.

LaSalle County Sheriff Police Records

The LaSalle County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement body for the county. The office is at 707 E. Etna Road in Ottawa, IL 61350. Call (815) 433-2161 to reach the sheriff. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The sheriff handles patrol, investigations, and jail operations across LaSalle County.

The sheriff's office has a Records section for processing requests. You can ask for copies of incident reports, crash reports, and arrest data. Police records from the sheriff cover unincorporated areas and communities without their own police force. LaSalle County has about 108,000 residents spread across a large area, so the sheriff responds to a wide range of calls.

The LaSalle County Sheriff's Office page is shown below.

The sheriff's page has contact info, hours, and links to records and FOIA services.

The Records section page provides details on requesting police reports from LaSalle County.

The records page lists the types of records you can get from the LaSalle County Sheriff's Office.

FOIA Requests for LaSalle County Police Records

The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/) gives you the right to request police records from any public body in LaSalle County. The sheriff's office has a FOIA information page that explains the process.

You can submit FOIA requests by email to records@lasallecountyil.gov, by fax to (815) 431-4962, by mail, or through in-person drop-off at the Jail. Multiple options make it easy to get your request to the right place. Include what records you want, dates, names, and any case numbers.

The LaSalle County Sheriff FOIA page is shown below.

This page from the sheriff's FOIA section explains how to submit your request to LaSalle County.

The office has five business days to respond. They can take up to five more for complex requests. The first 50 pages of black and white copies are free. After that, pages cost $0.15 each. If they deny your request, the denial must cite the specific FOIA exemption. Appeal any denial to the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor at no cost.

LaSalle County Circuit Clerk Court Records

The LaSalle County Circuit Clerk is Greg Vaccaro. The office handles court records at two locations. Civil cases go through 119 W. Madison Street in Ottawa. Traffic and criminal cases are at 707 Etna Road in Ottawa. Call (815) 434-8671 for questions. The LaSalle County Circuit Clerk website has more details.

The circuit clerk site is the starting point for court record searches in LaSalle County.

After a police report leads to charges, the case goes to circuit court. The clerk stores every filing, motion, and order. Court records show charges, plea deals, trial outcomes, and sentences. If you have a police report and want to know the result, the clerk's files are where you check. Bring a photo ID if you visit in person. Ask about any fees for copies when you arrive.

LaSalle County is part of the 13th Judicial Circuit. The split between civil and criminal offices means you need to go to the right building. For criminal cases tied to a police report, the Etna Road location is where you start.

Criminal History Checks in LaSalle County

Criminal background checks work differently from police report requests. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/) limits public access to conviction data only. Arrests without convictions stay private. The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification handles background checks statewide.

Use the CHIRP system for name-based searches online. Go to a Live Scan vendor for fingerprint-based checks. The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630/) controls sealed and expunged records. Sealed records are off limits to the public. Only certain agencies and the named person can access them. The Access and Review process lets you check your own record for free.

Neither the LaSalle County Sheriff nor the circuit clerk runs full background checks. For a statewide criminal history, go through ISP.

State Police Records Covering LaSalle County

ISP Troop 2 covers LaSalle County. Troopers patrol I-80, I-39, and state highways in the area. If a state trooper handled the incident, contact ISP for the record. Email ISP.FOIA.Officer@illinois.gov or go to isp.illinois.gov/Foia.

Crash reports from ISP cost $5.00 each by mail. Send a check to the Patrol Records Unit at 801 South 7th Street, Suite 600-M, Springfield, IL 62703. Online ordering is also available. LaSalle County has several major highways, so ISP handles a fair number of crash reports in the area. For other record types from state troopers, a standard FOIA request applies.

Nearby Counties

These counties border LaSalle County. Verify the address of the incident to make sure you contact the right county for records.