Search Memphis Booking Reports
Memphis booking reports are processed through the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, which runs two jail facilities and averages around 56,000 bookings each year. That makes it the busiest jail system in Tennessee by a wide margin. The Memphis Police Department handles most of the city's arrests, but all booking reports end up at the Shelby County Jail. You can search for inmates online through the county's lookup tool, request police reports from the Memphis PD Records Center, or visit the jail in person. Memphis booking reports are public records under Tennessee law and free to view.
Memphis Quick Facts
Memphis Booking Reports at Shelby County Jail
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office runs two jail facilities that process all Memphis booking reports. The men's facility sits at 201 Poplar Avenue in downtown Memphis. The women's facility, called Jail East, is at 6201 Haley Road. Both are accredited by the American Corrections Association. On any given day, the two jails hold about 2,600 inmates combined.
Every arrest in Memphis goes to one of these two facilities for booking. Deputies log the person's name, date of birth, charges, bond amount, and arresting agency. The booking process creates the official record that feeds into the public search system. With 56,000 bookings per year, the Shelby County Jail is the largest booking operation in the state. Memphis Police make the bulk of those arrests, but the Sheriff's deputies, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and other agencies also bring people in. All of them end up in the same system.
The following screenshot shows the Shelby County Sheriff's Office website, the main hub for Memphis booking report information.
From this site, you can access the inmate lookup tool, jail information, and the fugitive division's warrant search.
Search Memphis Inmate Booking Data
The Shelby County Inmate Lookup Tool at imljail.shelbycountytn.gov lets you search for anyone booked in Memphis. The tool has two search modes. Option one lets you search by first and last name. Option two uses a booking number, permanent number, or state ID. You can also check a box to include released inmates in the results. This makes it easy to find both current and past Memphis booking reports.
Results show the inmate's full name, booking date, charges, bond, and custody status. The data updates throughout the day as new bookings come in. If you are trying to find out whether someone was arrested in Memphis, this is the first place to look. The search is free and works on any computer or phone. You do not need to create an account or give your name to search.
Note: Bond amounts can change after a court appearance, so check with the court clerk if you need the most current figure.
Memphis Police Department Records
The Memphis Police Department is the city's main law enforcement agency. All arrest reports from Memphis PD go into the department's record system. The Records Center handles requests for police reports, accident reports, and arrest data. You can reach them at 901-222-5690. For general police info, the main line is 901-636-3650.
Memphis Police arrest reports are separate from the jail booking report. The police report covers what happened during the arrest, the reason for the stop or investigation, and the officer's account. The booking report focuses on the intake process at the jail. You may need both if you want the full picture of a Memphis arrest. The police report comes from Memphis PD. The booking report comes from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. Together, they give you all the facts.
Shelby County Corrections and Memphis Cases
After conviction, some inmates move from the jail to the Shelby County Division of Corrections. This facility is at 1045 Mullins Station Road, Memphis, TN 38134. Phone is 901-222-8500. SCDC handles offenders sentenced to misdemeanors up to 11 months 29 days and felonies up to 12 years. If the sentence is longer, the person goes to state prison.
The Shelby County Fugitive Division at shelby-sheriff.org/fugitive manages warrant information and tracks fugitives. They run an Outstanding Warrants Search and a Most Wanted list. Call 901-222-5620 to report tips. Crimestoppers takes calls at 901-528-2274. These resources tie back to Memphis booking reports because outstanding warrants often lead to new bookings. Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503, all of these records are open to public inspection during normal business hours.
Memphis Booking Reports Under Tennessee Law
Tennessee's Public Records Act makes Memphis booking reports available to anyone. You do not have to be a party in the case or have a legal reason to ask. Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503, the custodian must produce records promptly. If that is not possible, they have seven business days to respond. Requests do not need to be in writing. Walk in and ask.
Copy fees follow the schedule from the Office of Open Records Counsel. The first hour of staff time is free. After that, charges apply based on the schedule set under Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-4-604. Black and white copies cost about $0.15 per page. Online searches at the Shelby County inmate lookup are completely free. If a Memphis office denies your records request, the Office of Open Records Counsel at 615-401-7891 can help resolve the issue.
Statewide Databases for Memphis Searches
Two state tools can supplement your Memphis booking report search. The TBI runs TORIS for $29 per search. It pulls statewide criminal history, not just Shelby County. The Tennessee Department of Correction runs FOIL, which is free and covers anyone who has been in state prison. FOIL shows photos, sentences, and current status.
If someone was arrested in Memphis and later sent to state prison, FOIL is where you track them. For a full criminal history that spans all 95 counties, TORIS is the better option. Between the local Shelby County tools and these state databases, you can trace a Memphis arrest from the booking to the prison gate.
Shelby County Booking Reports
Memphis sits in Shelby County, and all booking reports go through the county jail system. The county page covers the full range of resources including the jail facilities, court records, and the Division of Corrections. For more detail on county-level booking processes, visit the Shelby County page.
Nearby Tennessee Cities
Cities near Memphis in the Shelby County area have their own police departments, but booking reports all go through the county system. Pick a city below for local booking details.