Search St. Louis Jail Mugshots

St. Louis jail mugshots are maintained by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) and processed through the St. Louis City Justice Center. St. Louis is unique in Missouri because it operates as an independent city, separate from St. Louis County. That means the city has its own police force, its own jail, and its own court system. Mugshots and arrest records are public under Missouri's Sunshine Law. This page explains how to search St. Louis jail mugshots through online portals, records requests, and state databases.

SLMPD and St. Louis Jail Records

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is headquartered at 1915 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63103. SLMPD handles all law enforcement for the independent city and operates the booking and detention process. When officers make an arrest, the person goes through intake at the St. Louis City Justice Center, where staff take a mugshot and record booking details.

SLMPD launched a new website with better tools for the public. The site includes a "Data and Reports" section with crime statistics, weekly CompStat reports, and a policies page. The news section posts crime alerts and investigation updates. These resources can help you understand the context around arrests in St. Louis, even if they do not show individual mugshots directly.

The Records Division at SLMPD is open Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM. Staff can provide in-person access to police reports and criminal background checks. For mugshots specifically, you can submit a records request through the Sunshine Law process.

How to Search St. Louis Jail Mugshots Online

SLMPD's Sunshine Law records portal is the place to start. The online system lets you submit, track, and communicate about records requests. You can request crash reports, criminal incident reports, police calls for service, background checks, and other records. Mugshot requests go through this same portal. Submit your request online, by mail to SLMPD at 1915 Olive Street, Attn: Sunshine Law Unit, or in person at the Records Division.

VineLink covers St. Louis and allows inmate searches by name or ID number. You can check custody status, charges, and bond information. Missouri Case.net tracks criminal cases through the St. Louis City Circuit Court (22nd Judicial Circuit). Search by name or case number to follow a case from arrest through disposition.

Keep in mind that St. Louis City is separate from St. Louis County. If you are looking for someone arrested in the county, you need to check the St. Louis County Justice Center instead. The Buzz Westfall Justice Center in Clayton handles county inmates at 100 S Central Avenue (314-615-5245).

St. Louis Mugshots and Missouri Sunshine Law

Mugshots are public records under Missouri's Sunshine Law. Under § 610.100, arrest reports are open to the public. That includes booking photos taken at the St. Louis City Justice Center. Records stay open as long as charges are filed within 30 days. SLMPD must comply with the Sunshine Law, and the department's online portal makes the request process straightforward.

Records close if charges are not filed within 30 days, or if a case gets dismissed or ends in acquittal. For active cases where charges go forward, St. Louis jail mugshots remain accessible. § 610.011 sets Missouri's default at openness, and courts interpret exceptions narrowly. Social Security numbers are redacted per § 610.035. SLMPD charges reasonable fees for copies, typically around $0.10 per page for standard documents.

The Attorney General's Sunshine Law page has sample request forms and a citizen's guide if you need help navigating the process.

St. Louis City Justice Center

The St. Louis City Justice Center is where inmates are held after arrest by SLMPD. It handles pretrial detention for people facing charges in the 22nd Judicial Circuit. The facility processes bookings, holds inmates for court, and manages releases. Because St. Louis is an independent city, the Justice Center operates separately from St. Louis County's jail in Clayton.

The Municipal Court handles city ordinance violations, while the Circuit Court covers felony and misdemeanor charges. Both court systems create records that can be searched on Case.net. If you are trying to track someone from booking to court outcome in St. Louis, start with VineLink for custody status and then use Case.net for the court side.

State Databases for St. Louis Inmate Searches

The Missouri DOC Offender Search covers people who moved from the St. Louis City Justice Center to state prison. Search by name or DOC ID to find current mugshots, facility locations, and sentence details. The MACHS system provides statewide criminal history checks for $15 per name search, with results in five to seven business days.

MOVANS sends free alerts when an offender's custody status changes. Register through VineLink to get phone, email, or text notifications. The DOC Sunshine Law Data File contains records going back to 1974 and updates nightly. It includes information on both current and former offenders under state supervision.

St. Louis Court and Case Tracking

St. Louis operates under the 22nd Judicial Circuit. Criminal cases from St. Louis arrests move through the city circuit court. Case.net is free to use for basic searches and shows filings, motions, hearings, and dispositions. The help desk at (888) 541-4894 can assist with technical issues.

St. Louis Municipal Court handles city ordinance violations separately from the circuit court. Municipal court cases may not always appear on Case.net. For those, contact the Municipal Court directly. The circuit court handles the more serious charges and is where most jail mugshot-related cases will appear.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near St. Louis. Some are in St. Louis County and use a different jail and court system than the independent city.