Alpena County Criminal Records Search

Alpena County criminal records are kept by the Sheriff's Office and the County Clerk in Alpena, Michigan. The county shares the 26th Circuit Court with Montmorency County, and both courts use a joint case management system. Whether you are searching for an arrest record, a court case, or criminal history, this page lays out your options clearly, from state databases to local contacts and fees.

Alpena County Sheriff and Court Offices

Sheriff Steven Keliszewski leads the Alpena County Sheriff's Office at 320 Johnson Street. The office handles local law enforcement across the county and is the agency to contact for arrest records, incident reports, and warrant information. Call (989) 354-9830 during business hours. For emergencies, dial 911.

The Alpena County Clerk's Office is at 720 W Chisholm Street, inside the courthouse. Clerk Bonnie Friedrichs manages court records and vital records. The Register of Deeds, Kathy Matash, can be reached at (989) 354-9547. Prosecuting Attorney Edward Black handles criminal cases from his office at (989) 354-9738. The 26th Circuit Court and the 88th District Court both serve Alpena County, with the circuit court shared with Montmorency County. For circuit court questions, the clerk's main line is (989) 354-9520. The district court number is (989) 354-9837.

The Alpena County Government website has department listings, office hours, and links to key county services including court and records access.

The county website is a good starting point to confirm which office handles the type of record you are looking for, along with current contact details for each department.

Searching Alpena County Criminal Records

The Michigan State Police ICHAT system is the main tool for searching criminal history in Alpena County. Under MCL 28.241, the state police maintain a repository of criminal history records that covers all 83 Michigan counties. Each ICHAT search costs $10 and runs by name. It returns felony and serious misdemeanor convictions, not just arrests. Results come back quickly.

Because Alpena County shares the 26th Circuit Court with Montmorency County, the joint court system at montmorencycourts.com may also have case records from Alpena. This site covers cases processed through the shared court. For district court matters specific to Alpena, the MiCOURT Case Search portal covers both courts. It is free and searchable by name or case number.

The joint circuit court system for Alpena and Montmorency counties gives you access to circuit-level case records that may not be fully reflected in the statewide MiCOURT portal. If you are searching for a felony case from Alpena County, this is worth checking first.

The MiCOURT portal gives free public access to case records from Michigan courts. For Alpena County, you can search both district and circuit court cases here, making it a solid option for researching most types of criminal records.

FOIA Requests for Alpena County Records

The Michigan Freedom of Information Act at MCL 15.231 gives you the right to request government records from Alpena County agencies. For law enforcement records like incident reports, send your written request to the Sheriff's Office at 320 Johnson Street. For court records and vital records, contact the Clerk's Office at 720 W Chisholm Street. Both offices accept requests by mail or in person.

Agencies must respond within 5 business days, with an option to extend by 10 more days if the request is complex. Under MCL 15.243, some records can be withheld if they relate to an active investigation or personal privacy. If a request is denied in whole or part, you can appeal to the agency head. Standard copy fees apply to all FOIA responses.

Fees for Alpena County Criminal Records

Standard FOIA copies cost $0.10 per page in Alpena County. Certified copies carry additional fees on top of the per-page rate. Court record fees follow the Michigan statute schedule. ICHAT criminal history searches through the state police cost $10 per name. If a request requires significant staff time to locate and process, a labor charge may be added at the rate of the lowest-paid employee capable of doing the work. Confirm fees with the specific department before submitting a request.

Additional Resources for Alpena County

The Michigan OTIS system lets you search for current and former state prison inmates for free. If you are looking for someone who has been incarcerated in the Michigan Department of Corrections system, OTIS is the fastest way to check. It does not cover local jails.

The Michigan Sex Offender Registry is searchable statewide at no cost. You can search by name, address, or county. Registered offenders in Alpena County appear in this database. The registry is maintained by the Michigan State Police and updated regularly.

Under MCL 780.621, Michigan allows automatic expungement of some criminal records. Certain misdemeanors can be cleared after 7 years without a new conviction, and some felonies may qualify after 10 years. Records removed through expungement will not appear in ICHAT or MiCOURT searches. If your search returns nothing unexpected, this could be why.

Communities in Alpena County

Alpena County is in the northeastern Lower Peninsula of Michigan along Lake Huron. Alpena is the county seat and the largest community in the area. Other communities include Ossineke, Posen, Spratt, and several small townships. None of these places meets the population threshold for a dedicated city page. All criminal cases from the county go through the courthouse in Alpena city.

Nearby Counties

Alpena County is in northeast Michigan and borders these counties. If you are unsure which county holds a specific record, check where the case was filed.