Search Baldwin County Arrest Records

Baldwin County arrest records are on the Sheriff's Office website. Their online search shows bookings from the past 24 hours up to custom date ranges. Baldwin County is the largest by land area in Alabama. It runs one of only two accredited jails in the state.

Baldwin County Sheriff's Office

The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office keeps all arrest records and runs the county jail. Sheriff Hoss Mack leads the department. It serves the largest county in Alabama by area. The office handles law enforcement for areas outside city limits. They also serve warrants and run the jail. Baldwin County has grown fast in recent years. The Sheriff's Office has added more services to keep up.

Online Arrest Search

The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office has an online arrest search portal. It gives the public free access to booking info. You can search for anyone booked into the Baldwin County Corrections Center. Filter by time with quick picks like last 24 hours or last 7 days. There's also a custom date range. But it caps at 31 days max.

The arrest search shows basic booking info. You get the name, date of birth, booking date and time, charges, and bond if one is set. Click on a name to see more details. The system updates as new arrests come in. For the most current info on a recent arrest, try the 24-hour view first.

Citizen Connect Portal

Baldwin County also has a Citizen Connect portal powered by Southern Software. This is a separate system. It gives you another way to search for current inmates and recent bookings. Citizen Connect may show extra info not on the main Sheriff's site. Some folks find it easier to use for detailed searches.

Through Citizen Connect, you can browse current inmates and search by name. The system shows mugshots, charges, bond info, and booking details. Both the Sheriff's arrest search and Citizen Connect pull from the same jail system. So the info should match. Having two portals helps if one site is down or slow.

Baldwin County Corrections Center

The Baldwin County Corrections Center is the main jail for the county. It sits in Bay Minette at 200 Hand Avenue. The jail holds people waiting for court and those serving time for misdemeanors. About 550 inmates are there on any given day. This is one of only two accredited jails in all of Alabama. Accreditation means it meets national standards for safety and how inmates are treated.

Booking Process

When someone gets arrested in Baldwin County, they go to the Corrections Center in Bay Minette. It doesn't matter who made the arrest. Could be the Sheriff's Office, Gulf Shores PD, Fairhope PD, or any other agency. Booking means fingerprints, photos, and a health check. They also enter the person into the jail system. After booking wraps up (usually a few hours), the person shows up in the online search. Bond gets set then too.

Baldwin County is huge. Transport times to the jail can vary a lot. An arrest in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach means a longer drive to Bay Minette. That can slow down how fast booking info shows up online. If someone got arrested in the southern part of the county, give it extra time. Their record may take a while to show up.

Warrants Division

The Warrants Division handles outstanding warrants. They can tell you if someone has an active warrant in Baldwin County. Call them if you need to check on a warrant or verify one exists.

Court Records for Criminal Cases

After an arrest, charges go through the courts. Baldwin County is part of the 28th Judicial Circuit. That court handles felonies and civil cases. District Court deals with misdemeanors and felony prelim hearings. Most court business happens in Bay Minette. Some services are at other spots too.

28th Judicial Circuit Court

Circuit Court handles all felony cases in Baldwin County. This is where arraignments, pretrial hearings, trials, and sentencing happen. Court records show up on Alacourt once the DA files charges. The Circuit Clerk in Bay Minette keeps the paper files. They can give you certified copies of court docs when you need them.

Baldwin County District Court

District Court handles misdemeanors, traffic tickets, and prelim hearings for felonies. Many arrests end up here instead of Circuit Court. DUI cases, simple assault, and minor drug charges usually go to District Court. They also handle small claims and civil cases under $20,000.

Alacourt Case Search

The Alacourt Public Access system lets you search court records for free. It covers all of Alabama, including Baldwin County. Pick Baldwin County from the dropdown. Choose the case type (Criminal, Traffic, etc.). Enter the name. Results show case numbers, charges, hearing dates, and case status. This is the best way to find case info after charges are filed. An arrest alone won't create a court record. You have to wait until the DA files.

Municipal Courts

Several cities in Baldwin County have their own municipal courts. These handle city ordinance violations and minor offenses in city limits. Gulf Shores, Fairhope, Foley, and Daphne all have municipal courts. If the offense broke a city law, check with that city's court. The county court won't have those records.

Additional Arrest Record Resources

Alabama VINE

The Alabama VINE system lets you track an inmate's status. You can sign up for release alerts too. It's free and covers Baldwin County plus the rest of the state. Call 1-877-846-3425 or use the website. Search by name. You can get email, phone, or text alerts when the inmate's status changes. Handy if you need to know when someone gets out of the Baldwin County jail.

ALEA Criminal History

For official criminal history reports, ALEA keeps statewide records. Request a check through the ALEA Criminal Records Unit in Montgomery. You'll need to fill out Form 46 and give fingerprints. The fee is $25. Results include arrest records from all over Alabama, not just Baldwin County. Go in person and they can do it same day.

City Police Departments

Several city police departments work in Baldwin County. They make arrests that get booked at the county jail. These departments can give you arrest reports for cases they handled. Major ones include Gulf Shores PD, Fairhope PD, Foley PD, and Daphne PD. Call the right department to get the arrest report.

Federal Cases

Federal cases in Baldwin County go to U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama in Mobile. That covers federal crimes like drug trafficking, immigration issues, and crimes on federal land. Search federal case records on PACER. Find federal inmates with the Bureau of Prisons locator.

Fees for Arrest Records

Payment Methods

The Circuit Clerk takes cash, money orders, and credit cards. Some fees can be paid online through Alacourt. The Sheriff's Office usually takes cash and money orders. Call ahead to check what they accept before you go.

Legal Framework

Alabama law controls who can see arrest records. Under Alabama Code Section 36-12-40, every citizen can look at and copy public records. Some records are exempt, but most arrest records, jail rosters, and court info are public. The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office posts records online to follow these laws.

Some info stays private even if the arrest is public. Juvenile arrests are protected under Alabama Code Section 12-15-102. Expunged records are sealed under Alabama Code Title 15, Chapter 27. Open investigation files and warrants not yet served are usually kept private too.

Expungement in Baldwin County

You can ask to have some arrest records expunged. This works for dismissed charges, not guilty verdicts, and some non-violent offenses after a waiting period. File the petition at the 28th Judicial Circuit Court in Bay Minette. If the court says yes, the record gets sealed. It won't show on standard background checks. Call an attorney or the Alabama Legal Help hotline at 1-866-456-4995 if you need help.

Cities in Baldwin County

Baldwin County has several growing cities along the Gulf Coast and inland. All arrests by city police go through the Baldwin County jail in Bay Minette. None of the cities here meet the population limit for their own page on this site. But here are the major towns where arrests happen most.

Gulf Shores is a beach town on the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf Shores PD handles arrests in city limits. About 16,000 people live there year-round. That number jumps way up in tourist season.

Fairhope sits on Mobile Bay. About 22,000 people live there. Fairhope PD stays busy and makes regular arrests that go to the county jail.

Foley is a retail hub with about 20,000 people. Foley PD handles law enforcement in the city.

Daphne sits on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. About 28,000 people live there. Daphne PD handles arrests in town.

Other towns include Orange Beach, Robertsdale, Loxley, Summerdale, Spanish Fort, and Bay Minette (the county seat). No matter where an arrest happens in Baldwin County, the person ends up at the jail in Bay Minette. They'll show up in the online search.

Nearby Counties

Not sure which county the arrest was in? You may need to check nearby jail rosters too. Baldwin County borders several Alabama counties and touches Florida to the east. Here are the counties next to Baldwin.

Mobile County to the west has the most people. If the arrest was in the Mobile area, check their jail roster. Escambia County to the east borders Florida. If the arrest might have been across state lines, you'll need to check with Escambia County, Florida.

Search Arrest Records

Use the search tool below to look up arrest records in Baldwin County and throughout Alabama.