Des Plaines Released Inmates

Des Plaines released inmates records are held by the Cook County Sheriff's Office and the Des Plaines Police Department. This city of about 59,000 people sits in northwest Cook County near O'Hare Airport. Des Plaines Police make arrests in the city, but there is no local jail. All arrested individuals are transported to the Cook County jail at 2700 South California Avenue in Chicago for booking. The Cook County Inmate Locator lets you search for current and recently released inmates for free, and the Des Plaines Police accept FOIA requests for arrest records.

Des Plaines Police Department

The Des Plaines Police Department is at 1420 Miner Street. The department covers patrols, traffic, investigations, and arrests throughout the city. When someone gets arrested in Des Plaines, officers process them at the station. After processing, the person is taken to Cook County jail. Des Plaines has no local holding facility for inmates beyond initial booking.

For arrest records, file a FOIA request with the Des Plaines Police. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act at 5 ILCS 140 gives you the right to request public records from any government agency. Your request should be in writing. Include the full name of the person and any dates or case numbers you have. The department has five business days to send a response. Basic requests are usually free. Large document requests could have copy fees.

Des Plaines sits near O'Hare Airport, which makes it a high-traffic area. The police department handles calls from both residential neighborhoods and the commercial zones near the airport. All arrests, no matter what the charge, go through Cook County for jail booking.

Cook County Jail Search

Every person arrested in Des Plaines ends up in the Cook County system. The Cook County Inmate Locator is a free tool that shows current inmates and recent releases. Search by name to find booking dates, charges, bond amounts, and custody status. It works at any time and covers all of Cook County.

The Cook County Sheriff's Office manages the jail at 2700 South California Avenue. For questions about a Des Plaines inmate, call (773) 674-1945. The Cook County website at cookcountyil.gov has an info page on how to find inmates with links to the search tools and contact info for the corrections division. The jail takes in inmates from Des Plaines and more than 130 other municipalities.

The screenshot below shows the IDOC FAQs page, which answers common questions about how to find info on released inmates from Des Plaines and other Illinois cities.

The FAQ covers topics like how to get public info about current and past inmates.

For people released from Cook County jail who no longer appear in the online system, file a FOIA request with the sheriff. They keep historical booking records. See the Cook County released inmates page for more detail on county resources.

Note: Cook County jail handles inmates from over 130 suburbs, so the system is large and records can take time to locate.

Des Plaines FOIA Requests

FOIA is the standard way to get records that are not available online. The Des Plaines Police handle arrest reports and incident records. The Cook County Sheriff handles jail booking and release data. If someone went to state prison, you need to contact the Illinois Department of Corrections. Each agency processes its own FOIA requests separately.

The IDOC FOIA office is at DOC.FOIARequest@illinois.gov or 217-558-2200 ext. 4166. The IDOC FOIA page has all the details. The first 50 pages are free. As of 2026, FOIA requests sent by email must include the request in the email body itself, not as an attachment. This applies to all Illinois government agencies under 5 ILCS 140.

State Resources for Des Plaines

People from Des Plaines who get sentenced to more than a year end up in state prison. The IDOC Offender Search lets you look up anyone in the state system. It covers current inmates, released offenders, and parolees. Search by name, IDOC number, or date of birth. It costs nothing.

The Illinois VINELink system tracks custody status for free. Register and get alerts when someone is released, transferred, or moved. This covers Cook County jail and state prison. Call 1-866-277-7477 for VINELink help. The Illinois State Police offer name-based background checks through the CHIRP system. This paid service pulls criminal history from across the state. The Illinois Unified Code of Corrections at 730 ILCS 5 sets the rules for sentencing, credits, and release.

Finding Des Plaines Released Inmates

The Cook County Inmate Locator is the fastest free tool. It shows current and recent jail records. For Des Plaines arrest records, submit a FOIA to the police at 1420 Miner Street. IDOC covers state prison inmates.

VINELink helps if you want alerts on custody changes. The ISP background check gives you a full criminal history search for a fee. These tools cover the main paths for finding someone who went through the system in Des Plaines.

• Cook County Inmate Locator for jail booking data
• Des Plaines Police FOIA for arrest records
• IDOC offender search for state prison inmates
• VINELink for free custody alerts
• ISP background check for criminal history

Nearby Cities

These suburbs are close to Des Plaines in northwest Cook County. Most share the same Cook County jail system.