Search Free Lake County Arrest Records: Find Out Who’s Detained

Conduct a free Lake County arrest records search right away to find out about anyone detained, charged, or held in jail in northwest Indiana.

Nestled along the banks of Lake Michigan, this county is a mixture of rural, urban, and suburban communities within the Chicago, IL metropolitan area. Even though it’s a relatively small region, there are multiple county and local law enforcement agencies and jails that process arrestees daily.

Whether you’re searching for the location to bail out a detainee, trying to find criminal records, or protecting yourself from crime, this information is valuable to many record seekers. This resource helps identify the relevant record custodians and provides contact information and procedures for a quick and stress-free lookup.

How To Search Up-to-Date Lake County Arrest Records & Mugshots for Free

Any interested party can obtain records of recent arrests and mugshots from Lake County or anywhere in Indiana. The legislature deemed most criminal information as public records with the Indiana Access to Public Records Act (APRA).¹

The Lake County Sheriff’s Department provides law enforcement services, including detainment of arrestees and incarceration in the jail. Within that office, the Bureau of Identification keeps records of recent arrests. Interested parties can phone the office at (219) 755-3316 to ask about any recent arrests. Searchers need to know the first and last name of the arrestee for the officials to look up the information.

Interested pirates can also obtain incident reports and accident reports from the Bureau. These reports cost $4 and 415 respectively.

You can also schedule an appointment by phone to visit the bureau at:

Lake County Sheriff
Bureau of Investigations
2293 North Main St.
Building-C, Door J-2
Crown Point, IN 46307

Information about detainees can also be acquired from the Lake County Jail, which is located at the same complex as the Sheriff. Begin by calling (219) 648-6300 to find out if someone is held in jail or any other relevant details of the incarceration.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office – Corrections
Lake County Jail
2293 North Main St.,
Crown Point, IN, 46307

Sometimes, record seekers also want more information about the incident where there was a request. The Bureau of Identification maintains criminal records, offense records, incident reports, and accident reports. You can phone the bureau at (219) 755-3316 or fax the desk at (219) 755-3323 to request reports between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm on Monday-Friday.

There are fees for copies of reports, paid by cash or money order:

• Accident reports: $15
• Offense reports: $4
• Record checks: $7

Mail-in requests are accepted for the background records check. These background checks for the purpose of employment are only available with the permission of the party.

Send the Sheriff $7 along with a copy of your driver’s license or state ID card, a copy of your social security card, and a notarized signed release from the individual you are background checking. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for reply. Send to:

Lake County Sheriff’s Department
Bureau of Identification
2293 North Main St.,
Crown Point, Indiana 46307

Sometimes, interested parties will seek information on an arrest or detainment made by a local police department. Some offenders are held in the municipal jail briefly before being transferred to the Lake County facilities.

For example, the largest city in Lake County is Gary. Gary operates a police department with a small attached jail. This local law enforcement might have direct records of an arrest and may hold an arrestee in jail while awaiting arraignment.

To find out information, call the police department at (219) 881-1214/1215/1216. To inquire about records or documents, call the records desk at (219) 881-1226.

Gary Police Department and Jail
555 Polk Street
Gary, IN 46402

Sometimes, third-party services that aggregate arrest and incarceration information can also be helpful. Keep in mind that these are not official services, and the information is not always reliable or up-to-date.

One such part that is recommended is VINELink. This database was founded to help victims of crime find out when and if someone is released or incarcerated. Interested parties can inquire with an Indiana Offender Search.²

The local or county officials can help provide information about a recent arrest. These and other authorities maintain arrest records along with more detailed criminal records that may also be of interest.

How To Gain Insight on Criminal Charges & Former Arrests Made in Lake County

You can gain insight into criminal incidents, arrests, and records through county officials. Many of the records are administered by the Lake County Clerk of the Courts. You can begin an inquiry with a call to the Clerk’s office in order to determine if they hold the record.

Lake County Clerk of the Courts
Courts Building, 1st Floor
2293 N. Main Street
Crown Point, IN 46307

Phone: (219) 755-3460
Fax: (219) 755-3520

The records may be directly located at a court site. The entire county court system is called the Lake County Courts and can be reached at (219) 755-3000. Most criminal inquiries will be transferred over to the Lake County Circuit Court.

The Circuit Court can be contacted at (219) 755-3488. The courts are open Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Lake County Courts
2293 N. Main Street
Crown Point, IN 46307

Though these county officials are a helpful direct contact point, statewide agencies also facilitate searches for criminal records. In Indiana, the statewide database is the most widely used and available way to search for case records.

The State of Indiana holds a statewide criminal records system. Begin by opening the Indiana Judicial Branch website. Then, navigate to the criminal records search.

Choose the option to search cases.³ From here, users can enter the subject’s last name and any other narrowing details. The record provides case details such as case number, date filed, type of case, charges, and status.

To locate inmates and detainees, the Indiana Department of Correction provides the Incarcerated Search.⁴ Enter the name of the person you are inquiring about into the search tool. The results will list any names matching the search.

From the list, you can click on the blue hyperlinked inmate number to pull up the offender record. Then, the system displays relevant data about the incarcerated persons, such as their Department of Corrections (DOC) number, first and last name, date of birth, gender, and race. Additionally, the record shows information about the facility where the person is housed and the earliest possible release date.

Sometimes, inquiring parties feel more comfortable starting with the local police or municipal agency where a criminal incident occurred. Most larger municipalities do house records, such as the largest city in the county – Gary.

To find out information, call the police department at (219) 881-1214/1215/1216. To inquire about records or documents, call the records desk at (219) 881-1226.

Gary Police Department and Jail
555 Polk Street
Gary, IN 46402

Obtaining records of arrest and criminal history can be valuable for researching and documenting criminal situations. However, if someone you care about has been arrested, you may want to take action to help them by posting a bond.

How To Pay Bail After an Arrest in Lake County IN

After being arrested, many detainees can be released by posting a bond. In Indiana, anyone can post a bond by cash or with a surety bond purchased through a licensed bail bond company. Both these procedures ask the arrestee to post an amount of money as an assurance that they will return to the court for any hearings or trials.

Some arrestees, their friends, or family may want to pay the bond in cash. This is a “self-bail” or “cash bond” procedure, where ordinary citizens pay the full amount of the bond.

The entire amount is refundable to the person who posts the bond once the entire case is over, even if the person is convicted, as long as they attend all court dates. The cash bond can be paid in cash, credit card, or money order.

To bail someone out, start by calling the Lake County Jail.⁵ Call (219) 648-6300 to find out if the person is held in jail and the amount of the bond in the case. Note that most arrestees have a bond amount, some can be released on their own recognizance, and those accused of the most serious crimes may have no bond allowed at all.

To pay the bond and pick up the person who is being released, report to the Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division/Jail:

Lake County Sheriff’s Office – Corrections
Lake County Jail
2293 North Main Street
Crown Point, IN, 46307

In many cases, the individual or their representatives cannot put up the entire amount of bail. Instead, they can post a special type of surety bond called a bail bond. A bail bond is a form of surety certificate that is given to the court as a promise to pay the full amount of the bond if the releasee flees the jurisdiction or fails to appear at required court hearings by a bail bond company which guarantees payment if the detainee flees and fails to appear.

To obtain a bond, first contact a reputable and licensed bail bond company. Then, you and the person held will sign a contract. In return for the bond, you will pay a non-refundable fee of around 10% of the bail.

As a condition of the bond, the released person must attend all court hearings and assure that there is no reason for the bond to be revoked. If they fail, the fleeing person and/or the person who obtained the bond is then responsible for paying the bail bond company the full amount of the bail. The company can even send bounty hunters to capture the person and bring them back to the court for a fee.

Most reputable bail bond agencies require you to provide a driver’s license or state-issued ID, proof of income, and proof of address like a utility bill. However, make sure to check with the company for their individual terms. A lawyer or the county public defender’s office can help you locate a reputable bail bond company.

The person who was arrested is not always taken to the Lake County Jail. Local police departments also detain individuals in their municipal jail, especially right after an arrest.

If the county has no record of the person, you can try the local police department. For example, the largest city in the county, Gary, operates a jail.

To post bail in the municipality, you have to first contact the Gary Police Department. Who makes the local arrests and houses some detainees. The police can provide information about who might be detained at their jail and if there is any possibility for bail.

Note that there may not be any bail set since the arrested may have to be taken to court and arraigned before being assigned a bond amount and being transferred to Lake County Jail. To post the bond by cash or through a bail bonds company, payment must be made to the Gary City Clerk.⁶

To find out information, call the police department at (219) 881-1214/1215/1216. To inquire about records or documents, call the records desk at (219) 881-1226.

Gary Police Department and Jail
555 Polk Street
Gary, IN 46402

Regardless of the situation, an arrest is a serious situation that concerns the detainee, their loved ones, victims of crime, and interested citizens. These parties may seek information about the arrest, detention, bail, or or criminal proceedings. Use this resource to begin the process of a Lake County arrest records search.