Macoupin County Police Records Search
Macoupin County police records are held by the Sheriff's Office and Circuit Clerk in Carlinville. Use this page to learn how to file records requests, look up court cases, and find contact info for local agencies.
Macoupin County Quick Facts
Macoupin County Sheriff's Office
The Macoupin County Sheriff's Office is based at 215 South East Street in Carlinville, IL 62626. Call (217) 854-3135 to reach the office. The sheriff provides law enforcement for unincorporated areas of the county and manages the county jail. Police records from the sheriff cover patrol incidents, arrests, crash reports, and service calls.
To get a police report, you submit a written FOIA request. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/) gives you the right to ask for these records. Be specific in your request. Give names, dates, and any case numbers you have. The more detail you put in, the quicker the staff can find what you need.
The screenshot below shows the Macoupin County Sheriff's page on the county government website.
Visit the Macoupin County Sheriff page for contact details and department information.
This page lists basic contact info for the sheriff's department in Macoupin County.
The FOIA officer for the sheriff's department is Tom Reinhart. His office is at 21480 Illinois 4, Carlinville, IL 62626. You can call him at (217) 854-9713 or email tom.reinhart@macoupincountyil.gov. Direct your written FOIA requests to him. He handles all records requests that come through the sheriff's side of Macoupin County operations.
| Address | 215 South East Street, Carlinville, IL 62626 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (217) 854-3135 |
| FOIA Officer | Tom Reinhart |
| FOIA Phone | (217) 854-9713 |
| FOIA Email | tom.reinhart@macoupincountyil.gov |
| Website | macoupincountyil.gov |
How FOIA Works in Macoupin County
A FOIA request must be in writing. You can mail it, hand deliver it, or email the FOIA officer. Phone calls alone do not count as a valid request under state law. Once the FOIA officer gets your request, the agency has five business days to respond. They may extend this to ten days if the request is large or needs extra review time.
The response will either provide the records, tell you the copy cost, or give a written denial. If denied, the agency must cite the specific exemption in the law. Common reasons include ongoing investigations, personal privacy, and safety of law enforcement staff. You can challenge a denial. File an appeal with the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor. The process costs nothing and you do not need a lawyer.
Copy fees are set by state law. The first 50 pages of black and white copies are free. Pages after that cost $0.15 each. Electronic copies by email are free for most standard formats. Color copies and non-standard sizes cost the actual reproduction price. Ask about fees before the office starts pulling records so you know what to expect.
Some records may be withheld in part. Under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/), only conviction data is available to the public through state-level searches. Arrest records without a conviction stay private unless you go through the local agency under FOIA. This is a key difference between state criminal history checks and local police records in Macoupin County.
Macoupin County Circuit Clerk Records
Amy J. Ashby serves as the Macoupin County Circuit Clerk. The mailing address is P.O. Box 197, Carlinville, IL 62626. Call (217) 854-3211 for questions about court records. The clerk's office keeps all files from criminal cases, civil suits, traffic matters, and other court proceedings in Macoupin County.
Visit the Circuit Clerk's page on the county website for information about court services and filings.
Court records show what happens after an arrest. They track charges, pleas, trial outcomes, and sentences.
When police make an arrest in Macoupin County, the State's Attorney decides whether to file charges. If charges are filed, the case goes to the circuit court. The clerk then keeps every document related to that case. You might need both the police report from the sheriff and the court file from the clerk to get the full picture. These are two separate offices with separate records systems.
To get court records, visit the clerk's office in person. Bring a case number if you have one. The staff can also search by name, but a case number is faster. Certified copies cost more than plain ones. Ask the clerk for the current fee schedule when you visit or call. Most basic court document copies follow the state FOIA fee guidelines.
State Police Resources for Macoupin County
ISP Troop 8 covers Macoupin County. If a state trooper handled the incident, the report comes from ISP. You request it through the ISP FOIA page. Mail requests to 801 South 7th Street, Suite 1000-S, Springfield, IL 62703, or email ISP.FOIA.Officer@illinois.gov.
Crash reports from ISP cost $5 each. Pay by check or money order to Illinois State Police. Include the date, location, and names of drivers. ISP also runs the Sex Offender Registry, which is free. You can search it by name or address to see if any registered offenders live near you in Macoupin County. No FOIA request needed for that tool.
For statewide criminal history checks, ISP uses the CHIRP system. This is a name-based search that pulls only conviction records per the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/). The fee is $16 per search. Arrests that did not lead to a conviction are not included in this system.
Types of Police Records in Macoupin County
Several types of police records exist in Macoupin County. The one you need depends on the incident and the agency that responded.
- Incident and offense reports from the sheriff
- Arrest records and jail booking logs
- Traffic crash reports from county roads
- Criminal and civil court case files
- Warrant data (limited public access)
- Sex offender info from the state registry
Make sure you contact the right agency. County road crashes go through the sheriff. State highway crashes go through ISP Troop 8. City police departments in Carlinville, Staunton, or other municipalities handle their own records. All criminal cases eventually go through the Macoupin County Circuit Clerk, though. That part stays the same no matter which agency made the arrest.
Warrants are not always easy to access. The sheriff may confirm if a specific person has an active warrant, but do not expect a full list. Call the non-emergency line to ask about a particular person. The circuit clerk may have warrant data linked to open criminal cases as well.
Cities in Macoupin County
Carlinville is the county seat and the center of government operations. Other communities include Staunton, Gillespie, Virden, and Girard. Each city with its own police department handles its own records. All court cases for the county go through the Macoupin County Circuit Clerk.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Macoupin County. If your incident happened near a county line, check which county has jurisdiction.