St. Joseph County Police Records Search

St. Joseph County police records come from multiple agencies serving this north Indiana county of over 273,000 people, including the St. Joseph County Sheriff, South Bend Police Department, Mishawaka Police Department, and several other city and campus police agencies. Records cover arrests, incidents, and law enforcement calls across the county. Indiana state tools provide access to criminal history, court data, and public safety registries beyond what local agencies hold.

St. Joseph County Sheriff and City Police

The St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement for unincorporated parts of the county and operates the county jail. South Bend Police and Mishawaka Police are the two largest city agencies. Each keeps records independently for incidents within their jurisdiction.

Contact the sheriff's office for incidents that occurred outside city limits. For incidents in South Bend, contact the South Bend Police Department. For Mishawaka incidents, contact the Mishawaka Police. Notre Dame campus police handle incidents on university property and coordinate with county and city agencies.

• Phone: (574) 245-6500
• County Seat: South Bend, IN
• Website: sjcpd.org
• APRA Portal: stjosephcountyin.justfoia.com

St. Joseph County uses the JustFOIA portal for public records requests. This lets you submit APRA requests online, track their status, and receive records digitally. It is one of the more accessible request systems among Indiana county sheriffs.

The St. Joseph County Police Department (SJCPD) website has current contact information and department news for the sheriff's office.

Indiana's criminal history services through the Indiana State Police provide statewide background check tools relevant to St. Joseph County residents and those searching county-level records.

JustFOIA Online Records Request Portal

St. Joseph County uses the JustFOIA portal for submitting public records requests to the sheriff's office. The system lets you file requests online, track their progress, and receive responsive records electronically. It is the preferred method for formal APRA requests to the county.

Be as specific as possible when filing through JustFOIA. Include the type of record, the incident date, the location, and any case numbers you already have. Broad requests take more time and may lead to higher fee estimates. Once submitted, the agency has 7 days under Indiana law to respond.

For records from South Bend Police or Mishawaka Police, contact those city departments directly. They do not share the county's JustFOIA portal. Each city has its own APRA process and response procedure.

St. Joseph County Criminal History Records

The Indiana State Police operates the Limited Criminal History (LCH) system. It is the primary statewide background check tool in Indiana. The LCH covers felony and misdemeanor convictions from all 92 counties.

Online searches cost $15.70 by credit card. Mail requests are $7 and take longer to return. Results from the online system come back quickly. The LCH does not include arrests without conviction, juvenile records, or sealed cases.

For case-level detail from a specific St. Joseph County incident, contact the relevant local police agency. Given the size of the county and the number of agencies, the LCH is useful for statewide conviction history but not for specific incident reports.

For ISP-specific records, use the ISP APRA portal to submit requests online.

The Indiana State Police APRA portal handles formal records requests for ISP files, including reports from ISP posts that cover St. Joseph County highways and state roads.

Court Records in St. Joseph County

St. Joseph County is served by the St. Joseph Circuit Court and St. Joseph Superior Court. Case records for criminal and civil matters are searchable for free through Indiana's MyCase portal. Search by name or case number to find filings, hearing dates, and case outcomes.

Court records and police records are different. Police reports document the incident. Court records begin when charges are filed. Use MyCase to find a case number, then contact the relevant police agency for the underlying incident report if you need both.

Some records from lower-level or older cases may not be fully indexed in MyCase. For those, visit the St. Joseph County Circuit Court Clerk's office in South Bend.

Sex Offender Registry and Protection Orders

Registered sex offenders in St. Joseph County are searchable through iCrimeWatch. Search by name, city, or ZIP code to find offenders in South Bend, Mishawaka, and other communities. Results include photos and address details when available.

Active protection orders in Indiana are public and searchable through the Indiana Protection Order Registry. Search by name at no cost. The registry covers civil and criminal orders statewide and is maintained by the Indiana Supreme Court.

Crash reports from St. Joseph County are available through BuyCrash. Reports from the sheriff, South Bend Police, Mishawaka Police, and Indiana State Police for US-20 and other major roads are all available through the same system.

Cities in St. Joseph County

South Bend and Mishawaka both have dedicated police records pages. Each city has its own police department and records system.

Other communities in St. Joseph County access police records through the county sheriff or their local police department.

Nearby Counties

St. Joseph County is in north Indiana near the Michigan border. It borders LaPorte, Elkhart, and Marshall counties.