Find Evanston Booking Records
Evanston 24 hour booking records are created by the Evanston Police Department each time an arrest takes place in the city. Evanston is in Cook County with about 76,000 residents. It borders Chicago to the north and is home to Northwestern University. The police department operates a lockup at 1454 Elmwood Ave for temporary holds after arrests. People who stay in custody get transferred to Cook County Jail in Chicago. Booking records from Evanston are public under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. You can request them from the Records Division or search for inmates through the Cook County Sheriff's online tool.
Evanston Booking Quick Facts
Evanston Police Booking Records
The Evanston Police Department handles all arrests in the city. Each arrest creates a 24 hour booking record at the station on Elmwood Avenue. The record has the person's name, date of birth, charges, time of arrest, and arresting officer. Evanston runs a lockup for short-term holds. Long-term custody goes to Cook County Jail at 2700 S California Ave in Chicago. The department has a strong community policing focus and operates with specific policies about how arrest and booking data get shared.
The Evanston Police Department website provides information on department services, community programs, and records access.
The City of Evanston website connects to all city departments and services.
The state FOIA contact page lists all agencies that accept public records requests, including Evanston city offices.
Evanston is home to Northwestern University, which has its own police department. University police handle arrests on campus. However, people arrested by Northwestern police may still be booked into the Evanston Police system or transferred to Cook County Jail, depending on the charges.
| Department | Evanston Police Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 1454 Elmwood Ave, Evanston, IL 60201 |
| Phone | 847-866-5000 (Non-emergency) |
| Records Email | records@cityofevanston.org |
| Records Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
Search Evanston 24 Hour Booking
The Cook County Inmate Search is the main tool for finding people booked and held after an Evanston arrest. You can search by name or booking number. Results show charges, bond amount, booking date, and custody status. The database updates throughout the day as new bookings come in from police departments across Cook County, including Evanston.
The Evanston Police Records page has details on how to request specific booking records. You can also email the Records Division at records@cityofevanston.org for help with a particular record. The Records Division processes all report requests during business hours.
Note: Not every Evanston arrest leads to time at Cook County Jail, so some people may not show up in the county inmate search even though they have a booking record with Evanston Police.
Evanston Booking Record Requests
Evanston booking records are available through FOIA requests. Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140), arrest records are public documents. Submit your request to the Evanston FOIA office. The first 50 pages are free and extra pages cost 15 cents each. The city must respond within five business days. Records requests take 5 to 7 business days to process. You can email the Records Division or submit your request through the city clerk.
Under 5 ILCS 140/2.15, Evanston police must release basic arrest information within 72 hours of a booking. This includes the person's name, age, address, charges, and time and place of arrest. Contact the department at 847-866-5000 for specific fee information on police reports.
The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) requires Evanston Police to report felony and Class A and B misdemeanor arrests to the Illinois State Police. These records feed into the statewide criminal history database. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635) limits what the ISP shares with the public to conviction data only. Local FOIA gives broader access to Evanston booking records.
Evanston Booking Record Laws
Under 5 ILCS 140/2.15(e), Evanston police cannot post mugshots on social media for minor offenses like petty crimes and Class B or C misdemeanors. This rule applies to all Illinois police departments, including Evanston. For your own criminal history, the ISP Access and Review process is free. Go to any law enforcement agency or fingerprint vendor in Illinois. Your full statewide transcript gets mailed to you at no charge from the ISP.
The CHIRP system run by the ISP allows name-based background checks. Paper results cost $16. Electronic results cost $10. No consent from the subject is needed for name-based searches. Under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2, old Evanston booking records can be sealed or expunged if the case ended in dismissal, acquittal, or completed supervision. Expungement destroys the record. Sealing makes it invisible to most public searches.
Cook County 24 Hour Booking
Evanston is in Cook County. People held after arrest go to Cook County Jail at 2700 S California Ave in Chicago. The Cook County Sheriff runs the jail and manages all booking records for people in custody. For more on county-level booking records, jail rosters, and the inmate search, visit the Cook County page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Evanston in the northern Chicago suburbs. All are in Cook County and use the same Cook County Jail for detained individuals.