Alabama Cities

Big cities in Alabama have both city police and county sheriff offices. City cops handle arrests inside city limits. But booking usually happens at the county jail, not the city. Pick a city below to find local arrest record info and contact details. Each city page tells you which county handles the records.

Major Alabama Cities

Understanding City Arrest Records

When city police arrest someone in Alabama, booking happens at the county jail. Not the city. So if Birmingham Police make an arrest, the person goes to Jefferson County Jail. Huntsville Police send people to Madison County Detention Center. This is how it works across the state. To search for arrest records, you need to use the county sheriff's inmate search. City police do not run their own jail databases.

Some bigger cities do have city jails. Birmingham is one example. They hold people for a short time there. But most get moved to the county jail within 24 to 48 hours. For court records, it does not matter who made the arrest. City cop or county deputy, the records go through the same system. Use Alacourt and search by county name to find court case info.

Each city page has info on the local police department. It tells you which county jail serves the city. You can find resources for searching arrest records too. Need help understanding your record? Legal aid offices in the bigger cities can help. They also assist with the expungement process if you want to get something removed from your record. These services are often free or low cost.