Find Will County Police Records

Will County police records come from the Sheriff's Office, local police departments, and the Circuit Clerk in Joliet. With over 700,000 residents, Will County is one of the largest in Illinois. Here is how to find the records you need.

Will County Sheriff Police Records

The Will County Sheriff's Office is at 14 W Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432. The sheriff's website has department details and service information. The sheriff handles law enforcement in unincorporated areas and runs the county jail. With a county this large, the sheriff's office deals with a high volume of cases and FOIA requests.

The Will County Sheriff has one of the most developed FOIA systems in Illinois. They accept requests through an online FOIA form on their website. They also use the NextRequest portal for tracking and managing requests. These tools make it easier to submit and follow up on your request without calling or mailing anything.

The screenshot below shows the Will County Sheriff's website.

Visit the Will County Sheriff's site for department and FOIA information.

The sheriff's main page has links to FOIA, inmate lookup, and other services.

The online FOIA form is shown below. You can submit a request from home without printing or mailing anything.

Access the online FOIA form directly on the sheriff's website.

Fill out the form with your contact info and a description of the records you want.

The NextRequest portal gives you another option for submitting and tracking FOIA requests.

You can also use NextRequest to manage your records requests.

NextRequest lets you track request status and communicate with staff online.

The FOIA information page has the full details about the request process, response times, and fee schedule.

This page covers everything from how to write your request to what happens if records are denied.

Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/), the sheriff has five business days to respond. Extensions to ten days are possible with written notice. Fees follow the state standard. The first 50 pages are free. Extra pages cost $0.15 for black and white. Color copies and non-standard formats cost more.

Joliet Police Department Records

The Joliet Police Department is separate from the Will County Sheriff. If an incident happened within Joliet city limits, the Joliet PD has the report. If it happened outside the city but in Joliet Township, the Will County Sheriff handled it. This is an important distinction that trips people up.

The Joliet Police Department accepts FOIA requests in person, by mail, by fax, and by email. Send your written request to the department. Include the date, names, and the type of record you need. The city police have their own FOIA officer and their own response timeline. It runs on the same five-day clock as every other public body in Illinois.

Other cities in Will County also maintain their own police forces. Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Plainfield, and New Lenox all have departments. Each one keeps its own police records. You need to contact the specific city department if the incident occurred within those limits. The Will County Sheriff only covers areas not served by a municipal police force.

Will County FOIA and Court Records

Will County also has a county-wide FOIA page that covers all county departments, not just the sheriff. Tom Bahar serves as the Circuit Clerk FOIA Officer. If you need court records through FOIA, direct your request to him.

The Will County government FOIA page is shown below.

Visit the Will County FOIA page for information on all county departments.

This page lists FOIA officers for each county department and explains the request process.

The circuit clerk keeps all court records for Will County. Criminal cases, civil suits, traffic citations, and small claims are on file. Court records track the legal proceedings after an arrest. They are separate from police reports. The police report covers the incident. The court file covers charges, hearings, plea deals, trials, and sentencing.

Will County is in the 12th Judicial Circuit. With over 700,000 people, the court system is busy. Having a case number when you visit the clerk's office will save you a lot of time. Name searches work but take longer. Certified copies cost extra but are needed for legal purposes.

Record Restrictions and Denials

Not all police records in Will County are public. The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630/) restricts access to arrest records that did not result in a conviction. Sealed and expunged records are off limits. Juvenile records stay sealed by default. Active investigation files can be withheld under FOIA exemptions.

If any part of your request is denied, the agency must provide a written denial with the specific legal citation. You can appeal to the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor. The appeal is free. The counselor reviews whether the agency followed the law. Given the volume of requests in Will County, denials do happen, so knowing the appeal process is worth it.

State Resources for Will County

ISP Troop 3 covers Will County. State troopers handle highway incidents and crashes on state routes. Reports from state troopers go through the ISP FOIA portal. The sheriff's office will not have them.

Criminal background checks use the CHIRP system. The cost is $16 for a name-based search. Only conviction data shows up under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/). Live Scan vendors handle fingerprint-based checks. The ISP Sex Offender Registry is free at sor.isp.illinois.gov.

Cities in Will County

Will County has several large cities with their own police departments. Each city keeps its own police records. For incidents within city limits, contact the city police directly.

Romeoville, Plainfield, Lockport, and New Lenox also maintain police departments in Will County.

Nearby Counties

Will County borders several counties in the Chicago metro area. If the incident was near a county line, verify the location before sending your request.

Kankakee and Kane counties also border Will County.