Access St. Francois County Police Records
St. Francois County police records are public files maintained by the St. Francois County Sheriff's Office in Farmington, Missouri, and they cover arrest reports, incident reports, booking logs, warrant data, and other law enforcement documents available to the public under Missouri's Sunshine Law.
St. Francois County Police Records Quick Facts
St. Francois County Sheriff's Office and Records
The St. Francois County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for the county and the primary keeper of local police records. Sheriff Daniel Bullock heads the office at 1550 Doubet Road, Farmington, MO 63640. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Phone is (573) 756-3252 and fax is (573) 756-3254. The department's website is stfrancoissheriff.org. Sheriff Bullock serves as Missouri Sheriffs' Association Zone 10 Leader.
The sheriff's office keeps incident reports, arrest records with full booking details, accident reports from county roads, active warrant data, booking photographs, inmate information, and civil process records tied to court orders served in the county. Under RSMo Chapter 610, these are presumed public records. Any person can request them. The agency must justify any decision to withhold a record, not the other way around.
St. Francois County includes the city of Farmington and several smaller municipalities. City police departments in Farmington, Park Hills, and Bonne Terre keep their own records separately. If the incident you need occurred inside a city, contact that city's police department. The sheriff's records cover unincorporated areas of the county and incidents involving county deputies.
How to Request St. Francois County Police Records
The St. Francois County Sheriff's Office takes records requests in person and by mail. Walk-in requests are accepted at 1550 Doubet Road, Farmington, MO 63640 during business hours. Mail a written request to the same address if visiting in person is not possible. Call (573) 756-3252 for questions before you submit.
Your request should be in writing. Include the subject's full name, date of birth if known, approximate incident date and location, the type of record you need, and your own contact information. Case numbers or report numbers are helpful. The more specific your request, the less time the office spends researching, which typically means lower fees and faster results.
Under Section 610.023 RSMo, the office must respond within three business days. If the request is complex, additional time can be requested but must be explained in writing. Copy fees are $0.10 per page under Section 610.026. Research fees are tied to the hourly rate of the lowest-paid staff member capable of doing the work. Make checks payable to the St. Francois County Sheriff's Office. Social security numbers are not released from public records per RSMo 610.035.
For circuit court records, the 24th Judicial Circuit Court Clerk is located at the St. Francois County Courthouse in Farmington. You can also search the 24th Judicial Circuit for free on Missouri Case.net.
Missouri Sunshine Law in St. Francois County
The Sunshine Law, found in RSMo Chapter 610, is the foundation of public records access in Missouri. It applies to the St. Francois County Sheriff's Office, the 24th Judicial Circuit, every city police department in the county, and every other public body. Records are open unless the law explicitly says otherwise.
Section 610.100 covers police records specifically. Incident and arrest reports become public once investigations close. Information from active cases, records that could endanger witnesses, and data about informants or undercover operations can be withheld temporarily. But most finalized police files are open. Booking photos are public records in Missouri. Arrest logs are also generally open once a booking has taken place.
Section 610.023 gives agencies a three-day window to respond. Section 610.026 limits fees to $0.10 per page for copies. If you think the St. Francois County Sheriff's Office has denied a valid request or charged more than the law allows, file a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General's Office. The AG enforces the Sunshine Law and can take action against agencies that do not comply.
Online Resources for St. Francois County Records
Missouri Case.net covers criminal and civil cases in the 24th Judicial Circuit, which includes both St. Francois County and Ste. Genevieve County. Search by name, case number, or date. You can find charges, court dates, and dispositions at no cost. Case.net is the fastest way to check for filed cases without visiting a courthouse.
The Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS) provides statewide criminal history searches. A name-based search costs $15. A fingerprint-based search costs $20 plus vendor fees. MACHS is useful for checking records across multiple Missouri counties at once. It is run by the Missouri State Highway Patrol CJIS Division. Name searches show public conviction and arrest records statewide. Fingerprint searches return more complete data.
For sex offenders, the Missouri Sex Offender Registry lets you search by name or location to see registered offenders in St. Francois County. For state prison inmate information, check the Missouri Department of Corrections offender search at doc.mo.gov. Inmates at the St. Francois County Jail can be found by calling the sheriff's office at (573) 756-3252.
Municipal and State Records in St. Francois County
Farmington, Park Hills, Bonne Terre, Desloge, and other cities in St. Francois County each have their own police departments with their own records. Contact the relevant city department for incidents inside city limits. Each city department is also subject to the Sunshine Law and must respond to records requests within three business days.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop C covers this region of southeast Missouri. Crash reports from state highway accidents in St. Francois County can be requested from Troop C or through the MSHP services portal at statepatrol.dps.mo.gov. Fees for state patrol crash reports are set by state statute. Court records for the 24th Judicial Circuit are filed with the circuit court clerk at the St. Francois County Courthouse in Farmington.
Nearby Counties
St. Francois County is in the lead belt region of southeast Missouri. Each nearby county maintains its own sheriff and police records.