Find Etowah County Jail Mugshots

Etowah County jail mugshots are available online through the sheriff's office jail roster. The Etowah County Sheriff's Office provides free access to current inmate information including booking photos. You can search for someone in custody anytime without calling or visiting the office.

Etowah County Sheriff Online Jail Roster

The Etowah County Sheriff's Office provides a full online jail roster with mugshots. This is one of the more comprehensive systems in northeast Alabama. You can search for current inmates anytime from your computer or phone.

To search the Etowah County jail roster, visit the Etowah County Sheriff's jail roster page. The roster shows all current inmates with their mugshot photos, booking dates, and charges. Search by name to find a specific person.

The roster updates in real time as people are booked in and released. What you see reflects current custody status. If you searched earlier and found nothing, check again. Someone might have been arrested since your last search. The same goes for releases.

The online roster only shows current inmates. Once someone leaves custody through bond, release, or transfer, their information comes off the active roster. For historical records, contact the sheriff's office directly.

How to Find Mugshots in Etowah County

There are several ways to search for jail mugshots in Etowah County. The online roster is fastest for current inmates, but you have other options too.

Start with the online jail roster for current inmates. Go to the sheriff's website and click on the roster section. Browse the full list or search by name. Each entry shows the mugshot along with booking details and charges. The roster works around the clock.

For in-person requests, visit the Etowah County Sheriff's Office at 827 Forrest Avenue in Gadsden. Staff handle records requests during regular business hours. Under Alabama Code Section 36-12-40, jail records are public and must be made available for inspection.

Phone requests work for basic information. Call the sheriff's office at (256) 546-2825. Staff can confirm if someone is in custody, tell you the charges, and give you bond amounts. For copies of mugshots, the online roster or an in-person visit is more practical.

For background checks going back many years, contact ALEA at 334-676-7897. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency maintains statewide criminal history records. The fee is $25 by mail or $15 online.

Etowah County Detention Center

The Etowah County Detention Center is in Gadsden, the county seat. This is one of the larger jail facilities in northeast Alabama. The jail processes all arrests made in Etowah County by sheriff's deputies and by police departments in Gadsden, Attalla, Rainbow City, and other cities.

When someone is arrested, they are transported to the detention center for booking. Staff take the mugshot photo and record personal information including name, date of birth, physical description, and all charges. Under Alabama Code Section 36-22-8, the sheriff must maintain a log of all prisoners.

Etowah County is its own judicial circuit, the 16th. The circuit court handles felony cases while municipal courts deal with misdemeanors and traffic violations. All criminal arrests go through the county detention center regardless of which court will hear the case.

The detention center has a significant capacity and processes hundreds of bookings each month. Gadsden is the fifth largest city in Alabama, and the surrounding area has a substantial population. The jail serves as the main detention facility for this urban area.

Contact the detention center at (256) 546-2825 for information about visiting inmates, bond amounts, and other jail-related questions. The online roster answers many basic questions about custody status.

What Etowah County Mugshots Include

When someone is booked into Etowah County Detention Center, the record includes the mugshot photo plus several other pieces of information.

Etowah County booking records typically show:

• Full legal name and any aliases
• Date of birth and current age
• Physical description including height and weight
• Race, sex, hair color, and eye color
• Booking number and booking date
• All charges at time of arrest
• Bond amount if set
• Arresting agency

The mugshot is a front-facing photo taken during booking. It shows the person from the shoulders up. The online roster displays this photo alongside the booking information. The photo becomes part of the permanent arrest record.

Some personal information stays private. Home addresses, Social Security numbers, and medical details are not released publicly. The basic booking information and mugshot are public records under Alabama law.

Alabama Laws on Jail Records

Alabama law makes jail mugshots and booking records public. Several state statutes govern how these records are kept and made available.

Alabama Code Section 36-12-40 establishes the Open Records Act. Every Alabama citizen has the right to inspect and copy public records. Jail mugshots are public records. You do not need to explain why you want them. The sheriff's office must make records available during normal business hours.

Alabama Code Section 36-22-8 requires the sheriff to maintain a prisoner record book. This book must show each inmate's name, age, sex, race, and distinguishing marks. It also records charges and dates of commitment and release. The law says this book must be open for public inspection.

Alabama Code Section 14-6-1 puts the sheriff in charge of the county jail and all inmates. The Etowah County Sheriff has legal custody and responsibility for proper record keeping. This includes booking records and mugshots.

Alabama allows expungement in certain cases. Under Alabama Code Sections 15-27-1 and 15-27-2, records can be expunged if charges were dropped or you were found not guilty. The filing fee is $500, but fee waivers are available for those who qualify.

Cities in Etowah County

Etowah County has several cities and towns. All arrests in the county are processed through the Etowah County Detention Center in Gadsden.

Gadsden is the county seat and largest city with about 35,000 residents. It ranks as the fifth largest city in Alabama. The Gadsden Police Department handles law enforcement within city limits. All arrestees go to the county detention center.

Attalla, Rainbow City, and Southside are other cities with their own police departments. These departments transport arrestees to the county detention center for booking.

Smaller communities include Glencoe, Altoona, Hokes Bluff, and Sardis City. Some have local police while others rely on the sheriff's office. All arrests in Etowah County go through the county detention center.

The sheriff's office patrols unincorporated areas and provides backup for local police. All bookings happen at the detention center in Gadsden.

Nearby Counties

Etowah County borders several other Alabama counties. If you cannot find someone in the Etowah County jail, they may have been arrested in a neighboring county.

Search Etowah County Jail Records

Use our search tool to find jail mugshots and arrest records in Etowah County, Alabama.