Sheriff's Office
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement, patrol, jail, inmate information, public records, crime reporting, warrant lookup, victim assistance, and several specialized services throughout Maricopa County. This article explains how to identify the correct Sheriff's Office service, when to call for emergency or non-emergency help, how to locate inmates and warrants, how Sheriff's Office records differ from court records, what information to prepare for a records request, and where major patrol and administrative offices are located.
Sheriff's Office Services
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, commonly referred to as MCSO, handles several different types of public-safety and custody services. A person contacting the agency may be trying to report a crime, locate someone in county jail, request an incident report, look up a warrant, obtain another type of public record, reach a patrol district, or contact victim services. These functions use different offices and systems, so identifying the type of information or assistance needed is an important first step.
MCSO patrol operations include areas under Sheriff's Office jurisdiction, including unincorporated portions of Maricopa County. The agency also operates county jail facilities and related intake, release, and inmate transportation functions. Other responsibilities described by MCSO include criminal records services, sex offender registration, public fingerprinting, judicial enforcement functions, public records coordination, and specialized investigative activities.
Residents should not assume that every law-enforcement, court, jail, or criminal-record matter is handled through the same MCSO office. For example, an incident report may be requested through the Departmental Reports Section, while broader Sheriff's Office public records are coordinated through the Public Records & Request Management Section. Court records and court dispositions are maintained by the appropriate court rather than by the Sheriff's Office.
Emergency and Crime Reporting
Crimes Happening Now
For a crime in progress, a crime just witnessed, or an immediate danger, MCSO directs the public to call 911. The agency's crime reporting instructions advise callers to get to safety first when possible and then provide the dispatcher with clear information about what is happening.
The first question from a 911 dispatcher is generally the location of the emergency. An exact address is best, but callers who do not know the address can provide a street name, nearby landmark, or other details that help identify the location. Callers should also tell the dispatcher if anyone is injured or needs medical assistance.
Information that may help responding personnel includes:
The location of the emergency or the best available description of that location.
Whether anyone is injured or requires medical help.
Physical characteristics of people involved, such as height, weight, hair color, eye color, tattoos, or scars.
The type and color of clothing worn by people involved.
Whether the person involved is on foot or using a vehicle.
Whether weapons are present.
MCSO also tells crime victims and witnesses not to destroy or disturb evidence that could assist investigators, including objects or clothing that may contain fingerprints, hair, skin, blood, or other physical evidence. Foreign-language assistance can be connected to 911 calls when needed.
Crimes Already Completed
If a crime is no longer in progress and there is no immediate emergency, MCSO directs callers to its non-emergency number, 602-876-1011, or to the appropriate patrol district. This distinction matters because 911 is intended for emergencies and crimes actively occurring or just witnessed.
Someone reporting an older incident should be prepared to explain where and when the incident occurred and what happened. If the location falls within a Sheriff's Office patrol area, the correct district may be able to provide assistance. The MCSO patrol district directory identifies the agency's district offices and Lake Patrol location.
Crime Tips and Leads
A crime tip is different from reporting an emergency. MCSO's Sheriff's Intelligence, Leads and Operations unit accepts information that may assist an investigation or lead to an arrest. The agency allows information and tips to be submitted anonymously through its crime tip service. The tip line listed by MCSO is 602-876-TIPS (8477) and is available Monday through Friday during normal business hours.
Information about a crime should not be treated as a substitute for a 911 call when someone is in immediate danger or a crime is actively occurring.
Patrol District Offices
MCSO divides patrol operations among several district locations, along with a Lake Patrol office. The district directory identifies Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7. District 1 is listed at a temporary Mesa location and marked as under construction in the Sheriff's Office reference information.
District offices can be useful for non-emergency matters connected to a particular Sheriff's Office patrol area. Before visiting a location, residents should consider whether the issue is actually a patrol matter. Jail information, warrant searches, records requests, sex offender registration, and other specialized services use separate Sheriff's Office functions.
Jurisdiction is particularly relevant when an incident occurs within a city that has its own police department. The Sheriff's Office reference information specifically describes MCSO jurisdiction as including unincorporated areas of Maricopa County. A patrol district location should therefore not automatically be treated as the correct office for every incident occurring somewhere within county boundaries.
Inmate Search and Booking Records
Searching by Booking Number
MCSO maintains an official inmate information search for people in Sheriff's Office custody. One search method uses the inmate's booking number. When the correct booking number is known, it can be entered directly to retrieve inmate information.
A booking number should not be confused with a court case number, incident report number, public-record request number, or payment invoice number. Each identifies a different process. Entering the wrong type of number may prevent a search or payment from matching the agency's records.
Name and Birth Date Search
The inmate system also permits a search using the person's last name, first name, and date of birth. The date must be entered in YYYYMMDD format. For example, the system expects the year first, followed by the two-digit month and two-digit day.
MCSO warns that inmate information should not be relied upon for legal action and that the agency cannot represent that all information is current, accurate, or complete. The Sheriff's Office also notes that a person may use false identifying information and that true identity can only be confirmed through fingerprint comparison. Users should therefore avoid treating a name match alone as definitive proof of identity.
County Jail Operations
The Sheriff's Office operates multiple detention facilities serving different custody and operational purposes. Facilities identified by MCSO include Fourth Avenue Jail, Towers Jail, Watkins Jail, Estrella Jail, Lower Buckeye Jail, Intake Transfer and Release, and the 512 Facility. The Sheriff's Office also operates a Transportation Hub connected with the county jail system.
Intake, Transfer, and Release
The Intake Transfer and Release facility, commonly identified by MCSO as ITR, handles major intake and release functions within the jail system. The facility replaced the former Central Intake processing center at Fourth Avenue Jail. It processes bookings and releases and handles people who self-surrender under a court order to serve a jail sentence.
ITR also includes courtrooms and a transportation hub used in the movement of defendants through the Sheriff's Office jail system. The attached 512 Facility functions as a temporary holding facility for inmates moving through intake and classification.
Different Jail Classifications
MCSO jail facilities do not all house the same inmate population. Fourth Avenue Jail includes high-security housing as well as other classifications. Towers Jail is described as a male medium-security general-population facility. Watkins Jail houses male medium- and minimum-security general-population inmates. Estrella Jail houses female inmates across multiple classifications. Lower Buckeye Jail houses several male classifications along with specific female and juvenile populations described by MCSO.
Because inmates may be housed according to classification and operational needs, a person searching for someone in custody should rely on the current inmate information system rather than assuming the person remains at the facility associated with the original booking.
Warrant Lookup
MCSO provides an online warrant lookup system. The search interface includes fields for first name, last name, agency, city, and five-digit ZIP code. Users should enter identifying information carefully because people can have similar names and a search result should be evaluated using the information provided by the official system.
Warrant Payment Scams
The Sheriff's Office warns about impersonation scams in which a caller claims to be an MCSO employee and tells the victim that an arrest warrant exists, sometimes claiming it is connected to missed jury duty. The caller then demands payment to cancel or remove the supposed warrant.
MCSO specifically warns that scammers may request gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, cash, jewelry, gold, or other precious metals. The agency states that law enforcement or government agencies will not call, email, or text someone and demand money or payment in this manner. A threatening call demanding immediate payment should not be treated as confirmation that a valid warrant exists.
The official warrant lookup system is the appropriate Sheriff's Office source for checking warrant information provided through MCSO rather than relying on an unsolicited caller's statements.
Incident and Accident Reports
Incident Report Requests
The Departmental Reports Section handles requests for incident reports and certain related records. MCSO states that requests are processed in the order received. Processing time varies according to the number of requests pending, the nature and volume of the material, and the amount of redaction required.
High-profile investigations may take significantly longer because the records can be extensive. MCSO also states that incident reports involving aggravated factors, or criminal violations against a juvenile, require approval from the case agent or the agent's supervisor before release.
The agency's incident and accident report page should be used to distinguish these report requests from broader Sheriff's Office public-record requests.
Accident Report Availability
MCSO states that vehicle accident reports are generally uploaded after seven business days. Accident reports involving serious or fatal injuries, or accidents connected with a criminal offense, are not available through the online accident-report process described by the agency.
Users looking for an accident report should allow the stated seven-business-day period before assuming the report should already be available through the online system.
Report Fees and Payment
The Departmental Reports Section lists the following fee schedule:
First 10 pages: $5.
Pages 11 and above: $0.50 per page.
Report on digital media, including CD: $15.
First copy for a qualifying victim under the cited Arizona statute: free.
Online payment is intended for people who have already received an invoice from the Departmental Reports Section. The payer must provide the invoice number shown at the top right of the invoice and the same requester name used on the original request. MCSO warns that a payment can be rejected when the submitted information does not match its records.
After payment has been reviewed and approved, the requested records are sent to the email or mailing address shown on the payment receipt within five business days. Records sent by mail require an additional four to seven business days for delivery.
For payments made in person or by mail, MCSO accepts cash, money order, cashier's check, or business check as described on the report-request page. Personal checks are not accepted. The agency also advises against sending credit or debit card information through U.S. Mail.
Other Public Records
Records Beyond Incident Reports
The Public Records & Request Management Section coordinates the preparation and release of Sheriff's Office records responsive to public-record requests, subpoenas, requests from county departments, and requests from public entities. This process is broader than the Departmental Reports Section process used for incident and CAD reports.
MCSO's public records instructions allow requests to be submitted through an online portal, by email, by mail, or in person. A useful request should identify the specific records sought rather than asking for every record associated with a broad subject.
Details That Identify Records
MCSO states that it cannot process requests for “all records.” Providing specific identifying details can help staff locate responsive material. When known, a request may include:
Names of the people involved.
Dates of birth.
Dates of incidents or records.
Booking numbers.
Other details that identify the requested records.
An email address and contact telephone number for the requester.
Processing depends on the number of requests pending, where the records are located, the amount of material involved, the type of information requested, and required redactions. High-profile investigations can require additional time because of the volume of records.
Public Records Fees
For Public Records & Request Management requests, MCSO lists a separate fee structure. Pages 1 through 10 are $5, and additional pages are $0.50 per page, although those page fees are waived when records are provided through electronic file sharing. Audio and digital photos on CD or DVD are $15 per disc, with the fee waived when the material is delivered through electronic file sharing. Video and body-worn-camera footage is charged at $25 per video-hour, and MCSO states that this fee is not eligible for the same waiver.
After records have been collected, the requester receives an invoice by email or U.S. Mail. The invoice identifies the total fee and acceptable payment methods. For online public-record payments, the requester must use the request number located at the bottom of the invoice and the same requester name used when the original request was submitted.
Once the Public Records & Request Management Section reviews and approves payment, records are shared electronically within five business days according to MCSO's instructions.
Court Records Are Separate
A common source of confusion is the difference between Sheriff's Office records and court records. MCSO explicitly states that it does not maintain court records or court dispositions. Someone seeking an official court document or the disposition of a case must contact the court where the case was heard.
An incident report, booking record, and court record can concern the same underlying event while remaining separate records maintained for different purposes. The Sheriff's Office should therefore not be treated as the source for an official court judgment, disposition, or other document maintained by the court.
Criminal Records Services
Sex Offender Registration
The MCSO Criminal Records Section processes sex offender registrations for people required to register under Arizona law. Registration is conducted at the Criminal Records Section office within the Maricopa County Superior Court Complex.
Registration hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays. MCSO instructs first-time visitors to arrive no later than 3:00 p.m. Address changes and updates must be completed in person.
Certain other information may be updated by phone, including phone numbers, vehicle information, employment information, and school information. Emails and other online identifiers, including social media identifiers, may be updated through the method provided by MCSO.
International Travel Notices
For registered offenders subject to the Sheriff's Office requirements described by MCSO, notice of international travel must be submitted in person at least 21 days before travel. The agency directs individuals to provide the required documents and detailed information in printed or legibly written form.
Public Fingerprinting
The Criminal Records Section also provides public fingerprinting. MCSO describes this service as ink-rolled fingerprinting offered on a walk-in basis, with no appointment required. The Sheriff's Office does not offer Live Scan fingerprinting to the public through this service.
Public fingerprinting hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., excluding holidays. The fee is $10 per card, payable by cash or card.
Victim Assistance Services
The Sheriff's Office provides services and notifications for victims of crime through its Victim Assistance & Notification Unit. MCSO states that the unit is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. The victim information line is 602-876-8276.
The unit makes notification calls around the clock, including holidays. MCSO also warns that its phone number will not appear on Caller ID when these notification calls are made. That detail can help recipients understand why an expected Sheriff's Office victim-notification call may appear without an identifiable agency number.
Victim services do not replace emergency response. Anyone in immediate danger should call 911.
Judicial Enforcement Functions
MCSO also identifies several functions under Judicial Enforcement, including adult business licensing and permits, civil process, federal firearms applications, pawn detail functions, and a tax unit. These services are separate from patrol, inmate lookup, jail information, and records-request functions.
Someone contacting MCSO for one of these judicial enforcement matters should avoid directing the request to a jail or patrol district simply because both are part of the Sheriff's Office. Using the agency function associated with the particular service reduces the chance of starting with the wrong office.
Sheriff's Office Locations
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Headquarters
550 W. Jackson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-876-1000
District 1
2050 W. University Dr., Mesa, AZ 85201
602-876-1853
District 2
695 N. 105th Ave., Avondale, AZ 85353
602-876-1865
District 3
13063 W. Bell Road, Surprise, AZ 85374
602-876-1602
District 4
37622 N. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek, AZ 85331
602-876-1742
District 7
16705 E. Avenue of the Fountains, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268
602-876-1869
Lake Patrol
7307 N. Bush Hwy., Mesa, AZ 85215
602-876-1636
Departmental Reports Section
111 S. 3rd Avenue, 3rd Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-876-1078
Criminal Records Section
Maricopa County Superior Court Complex, 111 S. 3rd Ave., 4th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-876-1070
Intake Transfer and Release
2670 South 28th Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85009
602-876-0322
Sheriff's Office FAQs
Can I report a crime if I am underage or concerned about immigration status?
Yes. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office states that people can report a crime and receive police assistance regardless of their age or immigration status. A person should not avoid seeking help solely because they are a minor or have concerns about immigration status. The Sheriff's Office provides additional guidance on its official crime reporting page, including information for people who have experienced or witnessed a crime.
Why might a 911 caller be connected to a translator?
The Sheriff's Office states that 911 calls can be connected to a translator when foreign-language assistance is needed. This allows callers who are not comfortable communicating in English to provide important information about the emergency. Callers should give the best available description of their location and situation so the dispatcher can determine what assistance is required.
Does the Sheriff's Office publish a Most Wanted list?
Yes. The Sheriff's Office maintains an official Maricopa County Most Wanted page for certain violent fugitives wanted on arrest warrants or probable cause. The Criminal Apprehension Surveillance Team works with other Sheriff's Office investigative units and federal, state, and local law-enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend these individuals. The page should be checked directly because listed suspects may change as cases develop.
Which areas are included in the Sheriff's Office offender mapping system?
The offender mapping and email-alert functions described on the official Sheriff's Office website do not necessarily include every jurisdiction in Maricopa County. The listed participating areas include unincorporated portions of the county under Sheriff's Office jurisdiction as well as several participating municipal police jurisdictions. Someone checking an address should therefore confirm that the location is currently covered before assuming the absence of a map result means no registered offender information exists for that area.