Ottawa County, MI

To search for inmates in Ottawa County, MI, the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office Inmate Lookup at https://www.miottawa.org/Departments/Sheriff/ shows current detainees at the Ottawa County Jail in West Olive. The Sheriff is at 12130 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460 (616-738-4000). For state-prison inmates from Ottawa County, the Michigan Department of Corrections Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) at https://mdocweb.state.mi.us/OTIS2/otis2.aspx shows current and former state-prison inmates. The Federal BOP locator at https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/ covers federal facilities. Michigan FOIA (MCL 15.231) governs disclosure. Sources: Ottawa County Sheriff (https://www.miottawa.org/Departments/Sheriff/), MDOC OTIS (https://mdocweb.state.mi.us/OTIS2/otis2.aspx).

To run a background check in Ottawa County, MI, the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office at 12130 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460 (616-738-4000) issues local Police Records Checks for $20. For a Michigan State Police statewide criminal history (ICHAT), use https://apps.michigan.gov/ichat/ ($10 per name search). FBI fingerprint-based checks for licensure or employment go through IdentoGO at https://www.identogo.com/. Court records are free at https://micourt.courts.michigan.gov/. Employment screening must follow the FCRA and MI Compiled Laws §37.2205a, which limits use of arrest-only records. Sources: MI State Police ICHAT (https://apps.michigan.gov/ichat/), Ottawa County Sheriff (https://www.miottawa.org/Departments/Sheriff/).

To look up warrants in Ottawa County, MI, contact the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office at 12130 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460 (616-738-4000) or use the warrant search at https://www.miottawa.org/Departments/Sheriff/. Some active warrants are listed publicly, but most are released only by request because Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (MCL 15.231) allows agencies to withhold pending warrants that could compromise an investigation. Court-issued bench warrants are searchable on the 58th District Court and 20th Circuit Court records at https://www.miottawa.org/Courts/. To check your own warrant status, walk in with photo ID. Sources: Ottawa County Sheriff (https://www.miottawa.org/Departments/Sheriff/), MI FOIA (https://www.michigan.gov/ag/initiatives/foia).

Ottawa County, MI background check: Michigan State Police ICHAT (https://apps.michigan.gov/ICHAT/) — $10 name-based instant, MCL §28.273 (http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S())/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-28-273). Fingerprint $30 via IdentoGO MI (https://www.identogo.com/locations/michigan). Ottawa County Sheriff (https://www.miottawa.org/Departments/Sheriff/) for local records and inmate search. Court records: Michigan One Court of Justice (https://courts.michigan.gov/case-search/) free name search statewide. FBI Identity History Summary $18. Michigan FOIA (MCL §15.231). Ban-the-box: Michigan Public Act 84 of 2018 for state employment.

For information on a historical family murder in West Olive, Michigan (Ottawa County), the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Team is the lead investigating unit. The team has worked multiple unsolved homicides going back over 50 years and publicly profiles cases at https://www.facebook.com/OttawaCountyColdCases/. Contact: Ottawa County Sheriff's Office, 12130 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460, phone 616-738-4000, https://www.miottawa.org/Departments/Sheriff/. Recent high-profile cold cases include the 1994 Matilda homicide (victim later identified as Shelly Rae Kephart) and the 1983 Sheri Jo Elliott homicide. News coverage at the Holland Sentinel (https://www.hollandsentinel.com/) and the Ottawa News Network (https://www.ottawanewsnetwork.org/four-victims-of-unsolved-crimes-who-they-were-how-they-died/) chronicles unsolved Ottawa County crimes. The Michigan State Police Cold Case Unit (https://www.michigan.gov/msp/) co-investigates many of these. For court records of any prosecution, search the 20th Circuit Court of Ottawa County (https://www.miottawa.org/Departments/CircuitCourt/). Michigan Death Certificates from the Department of Health and Human Services (https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside-mdhhs/statisticsreports/vitalrecords) confirm date and place of death; fee 34 dollars. Tips on cold cases: 616-738-4000 or anonymously through Silent Observer 1-877-88-SILENT.

To get a criminal background check in Fenton, MI (Genesee County), the Fenton Police Department Records Section at 301 South Leroy Street, Fenton, MI 48430 (810-629-5311) issues local clearance letters. For statewide criminal history, the Michigan State Police ICHAT at https://apps.michigan.gov/ichat/ provides name-based statewide searches for $10. For fingerprint-based statewide and FBI checks, use authorized Live Scan vendors. Court records are free at https://micourt.courts.michigan.gov/. Michigan FOIA (MCL 15.231) governs disclosure. Employment use must comply with the FCRA and MCL 37.2205a. Sources: MSP ICHAT (https://apps.michigan.gov/ichat/), Fenton (https://www.cityoffenton.org/).