Phillips County Recent Bookings
Phillips County arrest records and recent bookings are available through the sheriff's office in Holyoke. All people arrested in Phillips County get processed at the county jail. The facility maintains a log of everyone booked into custody. This log includes names, booking dates, charges, and bond amounts. Under Colorado law, these records are public information. Anyone can ask to see the booking log or find out who is currently in the Phillips County jail. You can contact the sheriff's office by phone or in person to search for recent arrests.
Phillips County Jail System
The Phillips County Sheriff operates the jail in Holyoke. This is where all county arrests get processed. The jail runs 24 hours a day every day of the year. Staff book people into custody as arrests happen. Each booking creates a record in the jail's system.
Booking records include basic information about the arrest. Staff write down the person's name, birth date, and address. They also note the charges and who made the arrest. This information must be kept in a daily log per Colorado law. The statute is C.R.S. 17-26-118. It requires jails to make the log available to the public at reasonable times.
You can call the Phillips County jail to check if someone is in custody. Staff can give you basic information over the phone. They can tell you the booking date, charges, and bond amount. For more detailed records, you may need to visit the sheriff's office in person or send a written request.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation keeps statewide arrest records. If you need to check someone's criminal history beyond Phillips County, you can request a CBI report. The CBI database includes fingerprint-based arrest records from all Colorado counties. This gives you a broader view than just local booking records.
Public Access to Arrest Records
Colorado law requires agencies to release most booking records to the public. The Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act governs this area. The law is at C.R.S. 24-72-301. Booking information counts as an official action record. Official action records must be released when requested.
Phillips County follows the same rules as all Colorado counties. The sheriff's office must respond to records requests within three working days. This deadline is in the Colorado Open Records Act. If the office needs more time, they can take up to seven additional days. They must tell you in writing why they need the extension.
Most basic booking information is free or low cost. If you want copies of reports, the county can charge 25 cents per page after the first 25 pages. If staff must spend more than an hour finding old records, they can charge for their time. State law sets the maximum fee at about $41 per hour. These fees help cover the cost of processing records requests.
If you request booking photos, you must sign a statement. Colorado law at C.R.S. 24-72-305.5 requires this. The statement says you will not use the photos for profit. You cannot post them on a website that charges money to remove booking photos. This protects people from commercial exploitation. The sheriff's office will provide the form when you ask for mug shots.
Court Dockets and Legal Proceedings
People arrested in Phillips County appear in the Phillips County Combined Court. The courthouse is in Holyoke. First court appearances usually happen within 48 hours of arrest. The judge sets bond at this initial hearing. You can attend most court hearings as they are open to the public.
Court records provide more information than jail booking records. The court file includes charging documents, police reports, and court orders. You can search Phillips County court cases through the Colorado Judicial Branch website. The docket search is free and shows case numbers, charges, and court dates. You type in a name or case number to search.
The court clerk maintains files for all cases. Some documents in the file may be sealed or restricted. The clerk can tell you what records are available for a specific case. You may need to pay fees for copies of documents. The fees go to cover the cost of making copies and staff time.
If a defendant cannot afford a lawyer, the court appoints a public defender. Phillips County residents have access to the Colorado State Public Defender office. The public defender provides free legal representation to people who meet income requirements.
Note: Small rural counties may have limited staff and resources for handling records requests compared to large urban counties.
Colorado Statewide Record Searches
For people in state prison, use the Colorado Department of Corrections inmate search. County jails only hold people awaiting trial or serving short sentences under one year. State prison houses people with longer sentences. The CDOC search tool shows anyone currently in the state prison system. It does not include county jail inmates.
The CBI criminal history check gives you a complete record of arrests across Colorado. The check costs $6.00 per result. You can order it through the CBI website. The report shows all arrests where fingerprints were taken. It includes convictions and court outcomes. Warrant information and sealed records do not appear on the report. Only currently registered sex offenders show up in the criminal history check.
Nearby County Bookings
If the person is not in Phillips County, check nearby jails. Sedgwick County is south of Phillips County. Yuma County sits to the east. Logan County borders Phillips County to the west. Each county operates its own jail and keeps separate booking records. The person may have been arrested in a different county.