North Charleston Arrest Booking Reports
North Charleston is the third-largest city in South Carolina and part of Charleston County. The North Charleston Police Department at 2500 City Hall Lane handles arrests within city limits. Booking reports for North Charleston are created when arrested individuals are processed at the Charleston County detention facility. Searching for these records involves both the city police department and the county sheriff. This page explains how to access North Charleston booking reports, what they contain, and which agencies hold the records you need.
North Charleston Quick Facts
Searching North Charleston Booking Reports
The fastest way to search for North Charleston booking reports is through the Charleston County inmate search. The county sheriff runs an online lookup tool at inmatesearch.charlestoncounty.org that covers all arrests booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center. This includes North Charleston arrests. You can search by name and view booking dates, charges, and bond details.
For records held by the city, contact the North Charleston Police Department Records Unit. Captain Howard Thomas oversees the unit at (843) 740-2510. The records unit handles clerical management of daily reports and maintains arrest records for city arrests. You can reach the main department line at (843) 740-2500. The Administrative Services Division at (843) 740-2836 can also direct your request.
Written FOIA requests are required for detailed booking reports from North Charleston. Include the name of the person, the approximate date of arrest, and what records you need. The department must respond within the time frame set by S.C. Code Ann. 30-4-30. Allow 10 to 20 business days for processing.
The SLED CATCH system at catch.sled.sc.gov provides statewide criminal history searches that include North Charleston arrest data. This is a good option when you need records from across South Carolina, not just one city.
Where North Charleston Booking Reports Are Held
North Charleston booking reports are split between two agencies. The police department keeps arrest reports and incident reports. The Charleston County Sheriff holds the full booking reports from the detention center.
The North Charleston Police Department has a holding facility at its City Hall Lane location. This unit handles initial photographing and fingerprinting of arrested individuals. After processing, prisoners are either released or lodged at the Charleston County Detention Center. In some cases, arrests in areas near the Dorchester County line may be processed through the Dorchester County Detention Center instead.
The Al Cannon Detention Center at 3694 Leeds Avenue in North Charleston is where most booking reports are created. The Charleston County Sheriff at (843) 202-1700 operates this facility. The full booking report with charges, bond, and mugshot is generated there. Contact the sheriff for copies of these records.
Below is the City of North Charleston website, which provides access to city department information and public services.
The city website links to police department services and provides contact details for records requests.
Note: The detention center is physically located in North Charleston even though it serves all of Charleston County.
North Charleston Booking Report Details
A standard booking report from North Charleston includes identifying information about the arrested person. This covers their full legal name, date of birth, height, weight, hair color, and eye color. The report also records scars, marks, and tattoos noted during intake.
Arrest details are a key part of every North Charleston booking report. The arresting officer's name and badge number are listed along with the arrest date, time, and location. Charges appear with their South Carolina statute codes. Each charge is marked as either a misdemeanor or felony. Warrant numbers and issuing court information are included when the arrest was based on a warrant.
Bond information shows the type and amount set by a magistrate. Release details are added when the person leaves custody. The booking report tracks whether someone posted bond, was released on their own recognizance, or was transferred to another facility. All of this information is part of the public record under S.C. Code Ann. 30-4-50.
The North Charleston Police Department website is shown below. It provides details about the department's divisions and how to request records.
You can find contact information for specific divisions and learn about the records request process on the police department site.
Public Access to North Charleston Records
South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act gives the public broad access to booking reports. Under S.C. Code Ann. 30-4-10, government records in the state are presumed to be open. This includes booking reports created by North Charleston police and the Charleston County detention center.
Certain records are available without filing a formal request. Documents that identify people held in any jail or detention facility must be available for the preceding three months. This means recent North Charleston booking reports should be accessible by asking at the detention center or police department. For records older than three months, a written FOIA request is needed. Fees for copies and staff time may apply.
The duty officer unit at the North Charleston Police Department handles walk-in and telephone reports. If you need basic information about a recent arrest, this unit can help. For detailed copies of booking reports, the records unit processes those requests. State law under S.C. Code Ann. 17-1-40 further supports public access to arrest information in South Carolina.
Additional state tools include the SC Department of Corrections inmate search at doc.sc.gov for people serving prison sentences, and VINELink at vinelink.com for custody status notifications. Court records from North Charleston cases can be searched through the SC Judicial Department at sccourts.org.
How Arrests Work in North Charleston
The North Charleston Police Department patrols one of the most populated cities in the state. It covers both residential neighborhoods and large commercial and industrial areas. When officers make an arrest, the person is first brought to the department's holding facility for initial processing.
At the holding facility, staff take photographs and fingerprints. This is the first step in creating a booking report. After initial processing in North Charleston, the person is transported to the Al Cannon Detention Center for full booking. The county facility completes the intake and generates the formal booking report.
A bond hearing follows within 24 hours. The magistrate reviews the charges and decides on bond conditions. The bond decision appears on the North Charleston booking report. People who post bond are released. Others remain in county custody until their court date. Cases then move to either the North Charleston Municipal Court for city ordinance violations or the Charleston County Court of General Sessions for more serious charges.
Charleston County Booking Reports
North Charleston is in Charleston County. All city arrests are processed through the county detention system at the Al Cannon Detention Center. The county page provides more information about the sheriff's department, the inmate search system, and how to request booking reports at the county level.
Nearby South Carolina Cities
Several cities in the Charleston area share the same county detention system. Other cities across the state have their own booking report procedures. Choose a city to learn more.