Access McDonough County Police Records
McDonough County police records are managed by the Sheriff's Office and Circuit Clerk in Macomb. This page covers how to request reports, look up court cases, and understand the FOIA process.
McDonough County Quick Facts
McDonough County Sheriff's Office
The McDonough County Sheriff's Office is at 110 S. McArthur Street in Macomb, IL 61455. Call (309) 833-2323 to reach the office. The sheriff provides law enforcement for the unincorporated parts of the county, runs the jail, and handles court security. Macomb is home to Western Illinois University, which adds a large student population to the area and can affect the volume of police reports.
To get a police report from McDonough County, you file a FOIA request. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/) requires all records requests to be in writing. The FOIA officer for the sheriff's department is Bailey Rauch. You can email your request to brauch@sheriff.mcdonough.il.us. Put your request in writing with names, dates, and any case numbers. Clear requests get faster results.
The screenshot below shows the McDonough County Sheriff's Office website.
Visit the McDonough County Sheriff website for department contact info and patrol information.
The sheriff's website is a good starting point for learning about department services and how to reach the records division.
McDonough County has a generous fee structure. Paper copies are free for the first 50 pages. Electronic copies have no fee at all. That is better than what many counties offer. If you can take your records by email, do it. You save money and the staff can send them faster. The county also has a dedicated FOIA information page on the county government website.
The FOIA page for McDonough County is shown here.
Check the McDonough County FOIA page for submission details and officer contact info.
This page lists the FOIA officers for different county departments and explains how to submit your request.
| Address | 110 S. McArthur Street, Macomb, IL 61455 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (309) 833-2323 |
| FOIA Officer | Bailey Rauch |
| FOIA Email | brauch@sheriff.mcdonough.il.us |
| Website | mcdonoughcountysheriff.com |
| FOIA Page | mcg.mcdonough.il.us/FOIA |
How FOIA Works in McDonough County
Write your request. Be specific. Give names and dates. A case number helps if you have one. The FOIA officer has five business days to respond. Extensions to ten days are allowed for larger requests. You will get a written response in all cases.
If the agency denies your request, the denial must cite the specific exemption in the FOIA statute (5 ILCS 140/). Common reasons for denial include active investigations, personal privacy protections, and law enforcement safety. You can appeal any denial to the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor. The appeal costs nothing and does not need a lawyer.
McDonough County copy fees are straightforward. Paper copies are free for the first 50 pages. After that, $0.15 per page for black and white. Electronic records have no fee. That is worth repeating because it makes McDonough County one of the more affordable places to get police records in Illinois. Ask for email delivery whenever you can.
Not all records are fully releasable. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/) restricts what criminal history data the state makes public. Only conviction records appear in state-level searches. Arrest data without a conviction stays private through state channels, though you can still ask the local agency under FOIA.
McDonough County Circuit Clerk Records
Ian Fischer is the McDonough County Circuit Clerk. The office is at #1 Courthouse Square in Macomb, IL 61455. Call (309) 837-4889 for questions. Email ifischer@9thjudicial.org. McDonough County is part of the 9th Judicial Circuit. The Circuit Clerk's page on the county website has information about court services.
The Circuit Clerk's page is shown below.
Visit the McDonough County Circuit Clerk page for information on court filings and case lookups.
Court records show charges, plea agreements, trial outcomes, and sentencing for cases that began with a police report.
Court records and police records are different. The police report tells you what happened at the scene. The court record shows what the legal system did about it. If you want the full story on a case in McDonough County, get both. The sheriff has the police report. The circuit clerk has the court file. They are two separate offices with separate request processes.
| Clerk | Ian Fischer |
|---|---|
| Address | #1 Courthouse Square, Macomb, IL 61455 |
| Phone | (309) 837-4889 |
| ifischer@9thjudicial.org | |
| Website | mcg.mcdonough.il.us |
State Police Resources for McDonough County
ISP Troop 4 covers McDonough County. If a state trooper handled the incident, the report is held by ISP. Request it through the ISP FOIA page. Mail 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. Give the date, location, and driver names in your request. For criminal background checks, ISP runs the CHIRP system under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/). Only convictions show up. The fee is $16 per search.
The Illinois Sex Offender Registry is free to search. Look up registered offenders by name or address. The registry covers all of Illinois including McDonough County. No FOIA request needed.
Record Types in McDonough County
Several types of police records are held by agencies in McDonough County.
- Incident and offense reports from the sheriff
- Arrest records and jail booking data
- Traffic crash reports
- Criminal and civil court case files
- Warrant information (limited access)
- Sex offender data from the ISP registry
Send your request to the right agency. County road crashes go to the sheriff. State highway crashes go through ISP Troop 4. Macomb Police handle their own records for city incidents. Western Illinois University Police keep their own records too. All criminal court cases go through the McDonough County Circuit Clerk no matter which agency made the arrest.
Cities in McDonough County
Macomb is the county seat and the largest city. It is also the home of Western Illinois University. Other communities include Bushnell, Colchester, and Blandinsville. Each city with its own police department handles its own records. All court cases go through the McDonough County Circuit Clerk.
Nearby Counties
These counties border McDonough County. If your incident happened near a county line, check which county has jurisdiction.