Tempe Released Inmate Lookup
Released inmate records for Tempe fall under the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office since the city does not run its own jail. When Tempe Police arrest someone, that person goes to a county facility for booking and detention. You can search released inmate data through the MCSO online tool or contact the Tempe Police Records Unit for arrest reports. The records unit handles requests seven days a week from 5 AM until midnight. Police records for Tempe cover the arrest side, while county jail records show custody and release details. Both matter when tracking released inmates who had contact with Tempe law enforcement.
Tempe Released Inmate Quick Facts
Maricopa County Jail Holds Tempe Released Inmates
Tempe sits in Maricopa County. The city has police but no jail of its own. This means all Tempe arrests that lead to detention go through the county system. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office operates five jail facilities in the Phoenix metro area. These handle all bookings from Tempe and other cities in the county.
When Tempe Police make an arrest, the officer takes the suspect to the county Intake, Transfer and Release facility at 2670 S. 28th Drive in Phoenix. This is where booking happens. The suspect gets processed into the MCSO system. Fingerprints are taken. A booking photo is captured. Charges are recorded. From that point forward, the person is in county custody even though the arrest started in Tempe.
The Maricopa County released inmate page has details on all five jail facilities and how to search for inmates. The county keeps an online database where you can look up current inmates and those recently released. This is the best starting point for finding someone arrested in Tempe who went to jail.
Note: Tempe Police arrest records and county jail records are separate systems that do not automatically share data.
Tempe Police Records for Released Inmates
The Tempe Police Department maintains its own records unit. This is where you go to get arrest reports, incident details, and case information from Tempe officers. The records unit is separate from the county jail system. It covers the police side of things.
You can submit a public records request online through the city portal. Select Police Records to start your request. The Tempe system uses an online form that walks you through the process. Requests go to staff who pull the documents and let you know when they are ready. Response times vary based on how complex your ask is and how many requests are in the queue ahead of yours.
The Tempe Police Records Unit is at 120 E. 5th Street in Tempe, Arizona 85281. Staff answer the phone seven days a week from 5 AM to midnight at 480-350-8588. You can also email requests to PD_RecordsRequests@tempe.gov. The extended hours make it easier for people who work during the day to get help with records for released inmates or other police documents.
Arizona State Database for Tempe Released Inmates
People convicted in Tempe who serve time in an Arizona state prison end up in the ADCRR system. This is different from county jail. State prisons hold inmates sentenced to more than one year. The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry runs an online database you can search for free.
The ADCRR Inmate Data Search covers state prison records from 1985 to today. You can look up released inmates by name or ADC number. Filter results by status to show inactive inmates who are no longer in state custody. The database returns mugshots, physical details, admission dates, and release information for Tempe residents who went to state prison.
ADCRR notes that release dates are estimates only. They have not been verified or audited by the department. If you need exact release information for someone convicted in Tempe who served state time, call ADCRR directly or check court records. The database also excludes dates of birth to prevent identity theft and fraud. For crime details, you must review the case file at the court where the case was heard.
How to Find Tempe Released Inmates
Start with the MCSO inmate search. Go to the sheriff's website and enter the person's name. The search covers current inmates and those released in recent months. If you have a booking number, you can enter that instead for a direct lookup. This is the fastest way to check if someone arrested in Tempe is still in jail or has been released.
If the MCSO search comes up empty, try the state database. Some people arrested in Tempe end up in state prison instead of county jail. The ADCRR database covers those cases. You can search by last name and first initial. Results show whether the person is active, inactive, on parole, or an absconder from the system.
For older records or specific case details, you may need to request documents from Tempe Police or the county court. Police records show what happened during the arrest. Court records show charges, plea deals, sentencing, and case outcomes. Jail records show custody dates and release information. These three sources together paint a full picture of a released inmate's history in Tempe.
Note: The MCSO database warns that information should not be used for legal purposes because people may give false names at booking.
Tempe Accident Reports and Other Records
The Tempe Police Records Unit handles more than just arrest files. They also process accident reports, incident reports, and other documents. Accident reports from November 1, 2021 onward are available through BuyCrash, a third party service. Older reports require a request directly to the records unit.
If you need records that connect to a released inmate case, like the police report from an arrest or details on an incident that led to charges, contact the records unit. They can tell you what is available and what it costs. Fees vary by document type and number of pages. Video footage and body camera files take longer to process than paper reports.
Victim Notification for Tempe Released Inmates
VINE is Arizona's victim notification system. It alerts you when an inmate's custody status changes. If someone arrested in Tempe is released from Maricopa County jail, VINE can notify you by phone, text, or email. The service is free and runs 24 hours a day.
Visit Arizona VINE to search for an inmate and register for alerts. You can also call the toll free line to speak with an operator. Live help is available in over 190 languages. Crime victims in Tempe use this system to stay informed about released inmates without having to check the jail roster constantly. VINE covers both county jails and state prisons across Arizona.
Under Arizona law, victims have the right to notification of release. Fill out a post-conviction notification request form to make sure you get updates. The form goes to the agencies responsible for holding the inmate. They then contact you before and after release happens. For Tempe cases that go to state prison, ADCRR Victim Services handles these notifications.
Arizona Public Records Law and Tempe Inmates
Arizona gives you the right to inspect public records during office hours. This comes from A.R.S. Section 39-121. It applies to Tempe Police records, county jail records, and court files. You can request to see or get copies of inmate information held by these agencies.
A.R.S. Section 39-121.01 says that if an agency fails to respond promptly to your request, access is deemed denied. At that point you can take steps to enforce your rights. Most Tempe requests get processed within a few days to a few weeks depending on what you need and how busy the records unit is.
Some records have limits. Inmate medical files require a signed release from the inmate. Juvenile records are sealed. Ongoing investigations may be withheld until cases close. Staff at the Tempe Police Records Unit can explain what you can and cannot get when you contact them about released inmates or other public documents.
Released Inmate Records in Nearby Cities
Tempe borders several other cities in Maricopa County. Each has its own police department that handles arrests. But all of them use the same county jail system for detention. If you cannot find the released inmate you are looking for in Tempe records, check the neighboring city police departments as well.
The main cities near Tempe include:
- Phoenix - Records: 602-534-1127
- Mesa - CJID: 480-644-2310
- Scottsdale - Records: 480-312-1999
- Chandler - Records: 480-782-4001
- Gilbert - Records: 480-635-7020
All these cities feed into Maricopa County jails. The MCSO inmate search covers people arrested anywhere in the county, not just one city. So someone arrested by Scottsdale Police shows up in the same database as someone arrested by Tempe Police. The release information is the same across all Maricopa County cities.
Contact Tempe Police About Released Inmates
The Tempe Police Records Unit is your first stop for local arrest information. They handle public records requests, accident reports, and case details. For jail and custody information, contact the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office instead.
Here is the contact information for Tempe released inmate and arrest records:
- Address: 120 E. 5th Street, Tempe, AZ 85281
- Phone: 480-350-8588 (7 days, 5 AM to midnight)
- Email: PD_RecordsRequests@tempe.gov
- Online: tempe.gov police records request portal
For county jail records, call the MCSO SIMS line at 602-876-0322. This line operates 24 hours a day. Staff can tell you if someone is in custody, give release dates, and confirm that a release has happened. The main sheriff number is 602-876-1000 for general questions about Tempe inmates held at county facilities.