Chicago IL Arrest Records Lookup | Police & Court
Chicago, Illinois · CPD arrests, Cook County custody and criminal court verification
Trace a Chicago Police Arrest From CPD Booking to the Final Cook County Court Result
Chicago has an unusually useful official public arrest database, but it is only one layer of the search. CPD arrest records, Cook County Jail custody and Circuit Court case records are maintained in separate systems.
The strongest lookup starts with the CPD Central Booking Number and arrest details, checks current custody with the Sheriff, and then follows the criminal case until the actual disposition is found.
CHICAGO ARREST ROUTER
VERIFYING
CPD ARREST SEARCH
2014+
ARREST
CUSTODY
COURT
COOK COUNTY CASE
DISPOSITION
ARREST + CASE VERIFIED
An arrest record is an allegation, not proof of guilt. CPD itself states that people named in its public arrest database are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Always add the Cook County court disposition before drawing conclusions.
CPD coverage
Adult arrests from January 1, 2014 forward.
CPD only
No Sheriff, State Police or suburban arrests.
Current custody
Separate Cook County Sheriff search.
Current pretrial law
Illinois no longer uses cash bail for new cases.
Your ISP record
Fingerprint Access & Review has no ISP processing fee.
Which Chicago arrest record do you actually need?
CPD ARREST SEARCH
Was the person arrested by Chicago Police?
Search adult CPD arrests from 2014 forward, including booking identifiers, charges and arrest location.
COOK COUNTY JAIL
Is the person still in custody?
Use the Sheriff’s Individual in Custody Locator rather than assuming a CPD release field is current.
COOK COUNTY COURT
What happened to the charge?
Search the Clerk docket for filed charges, hearings and disposition.
CPD REPORT
What did the officers document?
Request the actual arrest or incident report separately from the public arrest-search entry.
CHICAGO RAP
Need your Chicago Police history?
CPD Access and Review can provide the local Chicago RAP sheet used in record-clearing work.
ILLINOIS STATE POLICE
Need statewide Illinois history?
Use ISP rather than treating a Chicago-only record as a statewide background check.
WARRANT
Is there an active warrant?
Use the current court docket plus direct verification with the court or law enforcement.
EXPUNGE / SEAL
Can the record be cleared?
Use the current Illinois statewide forms and Cook County filing procedure.
Search CPD arrest records from 2014 to the present
CPD search limits: the database covers arrests on or after January 1, 2014, the person must have been 18 or older at the time of arrest, and the arrest must have been made by Chicago Police.
Open the official CPD Arrest Record Search
Avoid people-search sites and mugshot aggregators.
Open Chicago Police Arrest Search
Select Search Arrests
CPD may require a human-verification screen before the search form opens.
Search the legal name
Use a middle name, suffix or narrower date information when multiple people have similar names.
Open the matching arrest event
One person can have multiple CPD arrests, each with a different Central Booking Number.
Record the Central Booking Number
This is one of the most useful Chicago identifiers for linking the arrest to other records.
Save the arrest date, time and location
These fields help distinguish different incidents.
Write down every listed charge
Do not collapse multiple counts into one generic label.
Record the police district and beat
These identify the geographic CPD assignment connected with the arrest location.
Check the release field
CPD can display when the person was released from a Chicago Police facility.
Continue to Cook County court records
The arrest screen cannot tell you the final prosecution result.
CPD warns that its newest arrest data can be delayed by several days before synchronization with the live public search.
Decode a Chicago Police arrest result correctly
| CPD field | What it tells you | What it does not prove | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Booking Number | Identifies the specific CPD arrest event. | It is not the Cook County criminal case number. | Use it when requesting police records and matching arrest details. |
| Mugshot | Booking image associated with the displayed CPD arrest. | Identity or guilt by itself. | Compare name, age, booking number and court record. |
| Charge | Offense recorded at the arrest stage. | What prosecutors ultimately filed or proved. | Compare with the Clerk docket. |
| Arrest date / time | When CPD recorded the arrest. | The exact offense time. | Compare with the police report and complaint. |
| Arrest location | Location associated with the arrest. | Where the alleged crime necessarily occurred. | Check the underlying incident report. |
| Police district / beat | CPD geography associated with the arrest. | Which court ultimately hears the case. | Use the case number or Clerk to find court assignment. |
| Released from CPD | When Chicago Police custody ended. | That the person was released from all custody. | Check Cook County Sheriff custody. |
| Bond amount / type | Historical release information for applicable arrests. | The current release procedure for a new 2026 arrest. | Use current Pretrial Fairness Act procedures. |
Do not use an old CPD bond field as current cash-bail instructions
Illinois eliminated cash bail for new pretrial release decisions on September 18, 2023. Older Chicago arrest records can still display bond type or bond amount because they reflect the rules that existed when that arrest occurred.
New arrest today
The court determines release with conditions or detention under the current pretrial system.
Old arrest before September 18, 2023
The historical CPD record can legitimately contain monetary bond information.
Legacy bond issue
Contact the Clerk or Sheriff before making any payment based on an older docket.
Scam check: never send money because a caller claims a Chicago warrant, arrest or detention order can be canceled by gift card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer or QR-code payment.
Find out whether the person is still in custody
Cook County Department of Corrections
2700 S. California Avenue
Chicago, IL 60608
Automated custody information: 773-674-5245
Customer Service: 773-674-1945
2700 S. California Avenue
Chicago, IL 60608
Automated custody information: 773-674-5245
Customer Service: 773-674-1945
Open the Individual in Custody Locator
Search Cook County custody
Use full first and last name
The live search requires the complete first and complete last name.
Or search the booking ID
Enter the Cook County booking identification number without a hyphen.
Verify the housing division
The housing code determines visitation location and current jail placement.
Save the Cook County booking number
This identifier is needed for mail and account transactions.
Recheck before sending money or visiting
A transfer, court release or discharge can change the correct instructions.
CPD release ≠ Cook County release. A person can leave a Chicago Police facility and then enter Cook County Department of Corrections custody.
Verify the Chicago arrest before relying on it
Full first and last name match
Middle name or suffix is consistent
Age matches the person
Central Booking Number identifies the exact arrest
Arrest date matches the known event
Arrest location is plausible
Cook County booking belongs to the same person
Court case follows the same arrest
Mugshots are not proof of guilt or even enough by themselves to establish identity. Match multiple official fields before publishing or relying on the record.
Why a Chicago arrest may not appear in CPD search
The arrest happened before January 1, 2014
The CPD public arrest site does not cover older arrests.
The person was under 18
The public CPD arrest database is limited to adult arrests.
Another agency made the arrest
Cook County Sheriff, Illinois State Police and suburban police arrests are outside the CPD database.
The arrest happened only a few days ago
CPD says the newest records can be delayed before reaching the public system.
The record was expunged
CPD says qualifying expunged records are removed from the public arrest search.
The name spelling differs
Check a middle name, suffix, former surname or alternate spelling.
The person is in Cook County Jail but not a CPD arrestee
Search the Sheriff locator and identify the arresting agency.
You are looking for the court result
A court docket is a different database from the arrest search.
Request the Chicago Police arrest or incident report
The CPD Arrest Search entry is not the complete police report. The underlying record can contain additional incident facts, narratives and identifiers.
Open the CPD arrest result first
Write down the full legal name, Central Booking Number, arrest date and arrest location.
Find the police report number if available
This is more precise than requesting every record associated with a person’s name.
Identify exactly what you need
Ask for the arrest report, incident report or another specifically named public record.
Submit the request to CPD—not Cook County Sheriff
Chicago Police and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office are separate agencies.
Use CPD Records Division
Current government guidance identifies the Chicago Police Department Records Division at 3510 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60653 for CPD records matters.
Ask for electronic delivery and an estimate when appropriate
Narrow the date, report number and record type to avoid unnecessary work and cost.
Copy-ready CPD records request
I request an electronic copy of the releasable arrest report, incident report and specifically identified related records concerning [full legal name] for the Chicago Police arrest on [date] at or near [location]. Known identifiers include Central Booking Number [number], police report number [number if known] and Cook County court case number [number if known]. Please advise me of any permitted copying cost before processing if the charge will exceed $[amount].
Records connected with an active investigation, protected victim information, juvenile information and other legally restricted material can be withheld or redacted.
Find what prosecutors actually filed after the Chicago arrest
The Clerk states that its online case information is a summary of the electronic docket and is not the official court record. Updates can also lag by several days.
Open Cook County online case information
Search Cook County case information
Search the defendant’s legal name
Use the case number when you already have it.
Match the arrest year and charge
Separate unrelated people with the same name.
Identify the criminal division
Chicago misdemeanor cases and felony preliminary proceedings can begin in First Municipal District criminal courts.
Check whether a felony moved to the Criminal Division
Serious felony prosecutions proceed at the George N. Leighton Criminal Court Building.
Read events in date order
Look for complaint, first appearance, detention/release order, preliminary hearing, information or indictment, plea, dismissal, trial and sentencing.
Review each charge independently
One count can be dismissed while another ends in conviction.
Locate the final disposition
Use dismissal, acquittal, plea, finding of guilt or another actual result—not the CPD arrest charge.
Use a courthouse public-access terminal for very recent events
The Clerk recommends checking courthouse terminals when the online docket has not updated yet.
Obtain a certified disposition when proof matters
Do not present an online docket screenshot as a certified court record.
Know which Cook County court handles the case
| Court / location | Main role | Address | Useful contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Appearance Court | Initial pretrial release or detention proceedings. | 2650 S. California Ave., Room 111 | Central court location. |
| Criminal Division | Chicago felony cases. | 2650 S. California Ave., Chicago | 773-674-3140 |
| Criminal Department / First Municipal | Misdemeanors, felony preliminary hearings and quasi-criminal matters. | Chicago branch courts / Daley Center administration | 312-603-4641 |
| Domestic Violence Court | Qualifying Chicago domestic-violence matters. | 555 W. Harrison St. | 312-325-9500 |
| Branches 23 / 29 | Chicago First Municipal criminal branch proceedings. | 5555 W. Grand Ave. | Check docket for courtroom. |
| Branches 35 / 38 | Chicago First Municipal criminal branch proceedings. | 727 E. 111th St. | Check docket for courtroom. |
| Branches 43 / 44 | Chicago First Municipal criminal branch proceedings. | 3150 W. Flournoy St. | Check docket for courtroom. |
What typically happens after a Chicago arrest?
CPD arrest
The arrest receives a Central Booking Number and public CPD entry when it falls within the public-search rules.
Police processing
Fingerprints, charging information and release/custody decisions are processed.
First appearance
The court addresses release conditions or detention under Illinois’s current pretrial system.
Misdemeanor or felony path
A misdemeanor remains in the appropriate municipal criminal court; a felony moves through preliminary proceedings and felony prosecution.
Prosecutor’s charge
The Cook County State’s Attorney can pursue a charge that differs from the original arrest allegation.
Pretrial litigation
Motions, discovery, detention/release conditions and plea discussions can occur.
Plea, trial or dismissal
This—not the mugshot—is where criminal liability is resolved.
Final disposition
Record the outcome of each charge.
Expungement or sealing review
Eligible records may later qualify for restricted public access or destruction.
Check a Chicago warrant through the case—not a random warrant website
There is no single public Chicago warrant database that should be treated as definitive for every criminal matter.
Search the defendant in Cook County court records
Look for warrant-related entries, missed appearances and later orders.
Find the case number
This is safer than trying to verify a warrant from name alone.
Read the newest docket activity
An old warrant entry may have been executed or recalled.
Call the Clerk for the court handling the case
Ask for current case and court-date information.
Contact counsel when the warrant is yours
The Cook County Public Defender advises represented people to contact their attorney immediately.
Do not attempt to arrest anyone yourself
Give information to law enforcement rather than confronting the person.
The Public Defender advises people without counsel who discover an outstanding warrant to identify the issuing court through the Clerk and address the case through the court process. There is no guarantee against arrest until the warrant is judicially addressed.
Use the Cook County Public Defender Arrest Hotline immediately after arrest
Free 24/7 Arrest Hotline: 844-817-4448. The service covers people detained by law enforcement anywhere in Chicago and throughout Cook County.
Call as soon as someone is in police custody
The arrested person, family member or friend can make the call.
Give the detained person’s full name
Add the police station or location if known.
Ask for an arrest-response attorney
The Public Defender can dispatch an attorney to assist at the police station.
Do not discuss the case with police while waiting
The Public Defender expressly advises people in custody to invoke the right to remain silent and ask for counsel.
Request appointed counsel in court if financially eligible
Court representation follows the judicial appointment process.
Chicago felony cases
Felony Trial Division
George N. Leighton Criminal Court Building
2650 S. California Ave.
773-674-3217
Chicago misdemeanor / preliminary hearing cases
First Municipal Division
69 W. Washington St., Floor 17
312-603-8343
Track custody and court dates after a Chicago arrest
Cook County State’s Attorney Victim Witness Unit
2650 S. California Ave., 1st Floor
Chicago, IL 60608
Phone: 773-674-7200
2650 S. California Ave., 1st Floor
Chicago, IL 60608
Phone: 773-674-7200
Save the defendant name and report number
Add the Cook County case number when it becomes available.
Contact the Victim Witness Unit
Staff can help explain the criminal process, rights and available support.
Register for Cook County Automatic Victim Notification
Telephone registration is available at 877-846-3445.
Use VINE for text or email notification
Open VINElink
Track both custody and the next court date
Cook County’s notification system can provide qualifying custody and court-event information.
Use the inmate’s housing location before scheduling a visit
Find the person in the custody locator
Open Cook County Individual in Custody Locator
Apply for visitor approval
Adult visitors must complete the Sheriff visitor application for the individual they want to visit.
Allow the background check to process
The Sheriff instructs applicants to wait seven business days before checking approval status.
Call the Visitor Information Center
773-674-8225.
Find the housing division and tier
Visiting schedules depend on the individual’s current division and housing unit.
Use the current visitation option
Cook County currently supports in-person visitation and family video visits through Microsoft Teams.
Visitor approval can be denied for reasons including inaccurate application information, certain open criminal cases, outstanding warrants, recent correctional discharge, protective orders or security concerns.
Address inmate mail with the booking number
Mail format
[INDIVIDUAL IN CUSTODY NAME]
[BOOKING NUMBER]
2700 S. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60608
[INDIVIDUAL IN CUSTODY NAME]
[BOOKING NUMBER]
2700 S. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60608
Search the booking number first
Obtain it from the Sheriff custody locator or automated system.
Use the exact custody name
Do not substitute a nickname.
Include the booking identification number
The Sheriff specifically requests this identifier on inmate mail.
Do not spray or saturate the mail
Perfume, cologne or another foreign substance can cause the mail to be treated as contraband.
Check restrictions before sending a package
If any portion of a package is prohibited, the Sheriff states that the entire package can be returned.
Add Cook County inmate funds only after verifying the booking ID
Confirm current custody
Do not deposit using a search-engine result or old booking record.
Copy the exact name and booking number
Both are needed by the approved payment providers.
Choose an approved Sheriff-listed method
Current methods include Western Union, MoneyGram, JailATM, mail and jail lobby kiosks.
Use Western Union code CCDOC
The Sheriff’s published city code is CCDOC or COOK COUNTY DEPT CORRECTION.
Use MoneyGram receive code 1750
Match the inmate information exactly.
Allow online funds to post
The Sheriff currently states that provider deposits generally take one to two business days.
Never mail cash
Cook County Department of Corrections expressly prohibits cash through the mail.
Money orders sent by mail are limited to $100 each; cashier’s checks are accepted up to $1,000 each under the current Sheriff instructions.
Do not confuse a CPD RAP sheet with an Illinois statewide record
Chicago Police RAP sheet
Used to review Chicago Police arrest history. Cook County Clerk legal-aid guidance directs Chicago arrestees to CPD Access and Review at 3510 S. Michigan Avenue.
Illinois State Police record
Use ISP Access and Review to obtain your fingerprint-based Illinois criminal-history transcript and challenge inaccurate information.
Chicago RAP sheet
Chicago Police Department Access and Review
3510 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60653
Published Access & Review contact: 312-745-5118
3510 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60653
Published Access & Review contact: 312-745-5118
Cook County Clerk resources currently publish morning Access and Review hours of 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., Monday–Friday, and a $16 Chicago RAP fee. Another Clerk record-clearing page advises calling CPD at 312-746-6000 to schedule or confirm the visit. Verify current appointment and payment requirements before traveling.
Your Illinois State Police criminal history
Use ISP Access and Review
This is the official process to view your own Illinois criminal-history transcript.
Open ISP Access & Review
Visit an Illinois law-enforcement agency or licensed Live Scan vendor
Fingerprints and identification information are submitted to ISP.
Select where the response should be mailed
ISP can send the transcript to your residence or the participating facility.
Review every arrest and disposition
Compare questionable Chicago entries with CPD and Cook County court records.
Use the Record Challenge form when information is wrong
The challenge form is included with the Access and Review response.
ISP does not charge a processing fee for Access and Review or Record Challenge. The fingerprint provider can charge its own fingerprinting/service fee.
Use ISP when you need statewide conviction information—not a Chicago mugshot search
Under Illinois’s Uniform Conviction Information Act, the public State Police criminal-history product is based on conviction information. It is different from CPD’s public arrest database.
| Inquiry | Manual / paper | Electronic / Live Scan |
|---|---|---|
| Name-based UCIA inquiry | $16 | $10 |
| Fingerprint-card UCIA inquiry | $20 | $15 |
Electronic CHIRP access has account and authorization requirements. For an individual’s own complete record review, use the fingerprint-based Access and Review process rather than assuming a public conviction search shows everything.
Correct the source before expecting every database to change
Identify which record is wrong
Separate CPD arrest information, Cook County court information, Sheriff custody information and ISP criminal history.
Save the exact identifier
Use the Central Booking Number, Cook County booking ID or court case number.
Obtain the controlling court disposition
A certified dismissal or judgment is stronger than a website screenshot.
Correct the originating agency
Police-record errors begin with CPD; court-record errors begin with the Clerk or court.
Use ISP Access and Review for statewide errors
Submit a Record Challenge when the ISP transcript is inaccurate.
Recheck all systems after correction
One database may update before another.
The FBI and ISP rely on information submitted by contributing criminal-justice agencies. A state or federal repository generally cannot simply rewrite a local court disposition without correction from the responsible source.
Expunge or seal an eligible Chicago arrest record
Expungement and sealing are not the same. Expungement removes qualifying law-enforcement records and impounds the court record; sealing makes qualifying records unavailable to the ordinary public while preserving access for legally authorized entities.
Dismissal / acquittal / release without charge
These outcomes can often be candidates for expungement, subject to the complete Illinois record and eligibility rules.
Qualifying supervision or probation
Some successfully completed dispositions can qualify after applicable statutory conditions and waiting periods.
Qualifying conviction
Many Illinois misdemeanor and felony convictions may be sealable even when they are not expungeable, but important exclusions remain.
Chicago micro-step filing workflow
Get the Chicago RAP sheet
Record-clearing assistance in Cook County typically starts with an accurate CPD arrest history.
Get the statewide ISP record when arrests occurred outside Chicago
Do not build a petition from CPD records alone when there are cases elsewhere in Illinois.
Search every Cook County case
Record the case number, arresting agency, charge and final disposition.
Download the current 2026 Illinois forms
The Illinois Courts adult expungement/sealing suite was revised in June 2026.
Open current statewide forms
Complete the Request to Expunge and/or Seal Criminal Records
Add the Case List and additional-arrest pages when required.
Use the court district with jurisdiction over the arrest
Cook County Clerk states that Chicago arrests can be filed at its designated Chicago locations, while suburban arrests belong in the suburban district with jurisdiction.
Pay the current filing fee or request a waiver
Cook County’s published Second Chance guidance lists a $152.04 filing charge for an expungement/sealing petition, but verify the current amount with the Clerk before payment.
Wait for the objection period and hearing process
Cook County’s guidance states that the State’s Attorney has 60 days from filing to object.
Keep the signed order permanently
Save both electronic and paper copies.
Verify CPD, Cook County and ISP afterward
Allow record custodians time to process the order before rechecking.
Free Chicago record-clearing help
CGLA Expungement Help Desk
Richard J. Daley Center
50 W. Washington Street, Room 1006
Chicago, IL 60602
Current Clerk listing: Monday–Wednesday, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
First come, first served.
Richard J. Daley Center
50 W. Washington Street, Room 1006
Chicago, IL 60602
Current Clerk listing: Monday–Wednesday, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
First come, first served.
The Help Desk assists with criminal-history research and preparation of Cook County expungement/sealing petitions for people who qualify. Bring the required Chicago RAP sheet when your arrests were made by CPD.
Police, jail and court contacts for a Chicago arrest
Chicago Police Department
3510 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60653
Chicago, IL 60653
Non-emergency: 312-746-6000
CPD Access & Review
3510 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60653
Chicago, IL 60653
Cook County Jail
2700 S. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60608
Chicago, IL 60608
Custody Automated Line
Custody, housing and jail information.
Cook County Criminal Division
2650 S. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60608
Chicago, IL 60608
Criminal Department
Chicago misdemeanor and preliminary-hearing matters.
Public Defender Arrest Hotline
Free, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Victim Witness Unit
Cook County State’s Attorney.
Chicago Police Headquarters map
George N. Leighton Criminal Court / Cook County Jail map
Avoid these common Chicago arrest-record mistakes
CPD starts at 2014
An older Chicago arrest will not be found simply by repeatedly changing the CPD public-search filters.
CPD database is agency-specific
A Cook County Sheriff or Illinois State Police arrest is not missing merely because CPD does not display it.
New records can lag
A fresh arrest may take several days to synchronize with the CPD public system.
Central Booking Number matters
Save it before moving to records requests and court research.
CPD release is not jail release
The person may move from police custody to Cook County custody.
Historical bond fields can mislead
Illinois eliminated cash bail for new cases in September 2023.
Online court data is not certified
The Clerk expressly describes the public online docket as general case information rather than the official record.
Chicago RAP is not statewide
Use ISP when arrests occurred elsewhere in Illinois.
Expunged CPD records leave public search
An old third-party screenshot may therefore conflict with today’s official CPD result.
Chicago IL arrest-record questions answered
How do I search Chicago arrest records?
Use the official Chicago Police Arrest Record Search for qualifying CPD arrests and then search Cook County court records for the final criminal case outcome.
How far back does Chicago Police arrest search go?
The public database covers adult arrests made by Chicago Police on or after January 1, 2014.
Does CPD search include arrests by Cook County Sheriff?
No. It does not include Sheriff arrests, Illinois State Police arrests or arrests made by surrounding municipal police departments.
What information can a CPD arrest result show?
CPD states that records can contain name, mugshot, age, address, Central Booking Number, charges, arrest date and time, arrest location, release information, historical bond information and police area, district and beat.
How do I find whether a Chicago arrestee is still in jail?
Use the Cook County Sheriff’s Individual in Custody Locator and search by full first and last name or booking ID.
How do I find the final court outcome?
Search the Cook County Clerk’s case information and follow every charge to its final disposition. Obtain the actual court file or certified disposition when official proof is required.
How do I get the actual Chicago Police arrest report?
Use the CPD arrest search to collect the Central Booking Number, arrest date and other identifiers, then request the underlying police record through the Chicago Police Department Records Division.
How do I check a Chicago warrant?
Search the corresponding Cook County court case and verify current status with the Clerk, issuing court or law enforcement. Do not rely on an unofficial warrant list.
How do I get my Chicago RAP sheet?
Cook County record-clearing resources direct people with CPD arrests to Chicago Police Access and Review at 3510 S. Michigan Avenue. Use ISP Access and Review for your statewide Illinois criminal-history transcript.
Can a Chicago arrest record be expunged or sealed?
Some arrests and criminal cases qualify depending on the disposition and offense. Use the current 2026 Illinois Courts expungement/sealing forms and file through the proper Cook County court district.
