Clark County Booking Records

Clark County 24 hour booking records track the people held in the county jail in Arkadelphia, Arkansas each day. The Clark County Sheriff's Office runs the jail and keeps the booking files. You can find recent arrests by calling the sheriff, visiting the office, or filing a written request. This page covers the steps to search 24 hour booking records in Clark County, the Arkansas laws that keep them open, and the state tools that back up a local search.

Clark County Sheriff and Booking Records

The Clark County Sheriff's Office is at 406 South 5th Street in Arkadelphia. The main phone line is (870) 246-2111. The fax is (870) 246-8824. Office hours run from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays. The jail itself runs 24 hours a day. Staff take calls and process new bookings around the clock. The sheriff holds every 24 hour booking record for the county.

Clark County sits in southwest Arkansas. Arkadelphia is the county seat and home to two universities. That mix of college and small town life means the sheriff handles a wider range of cases than you might see in a county that size. The county jail takes in every arrest made in Clark County. City police, state troopers, and campus police all book at the same sheriff's jail.

Under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-103, a public record is any writing, photo, or data kept by a public agency. A Clark County booking sheet fits that rule. A mugshot fits that rule. The FOIA rule at Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105 gives Arkansas citizens the right to ask for those files and sets a three business day deadline for the sheriff to answer.

Search Clark County 24 Hour Booking

The fastest way to check on a Clark County booking is to call the sheriff at (870) 246-2111. Give the full name and date of birth if you have it. Staff can tell you if the person is in custody, the charge, and the bond amount. For copies of the booking sheet or the mugshot, you need a written FOIA request. That rule comes from Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105.

The state court site Arkansas CourtConnect can help on the court side. Once a charge is filed, the case may show up there. A name search pulls up every case tied to that person in the counties that feed the site. Clark County cases may appear on CourtConnect the next business day after filing.

CourtConnect does not post booking sheets or mugshots. It shows case filings, hearing dates, and judge info. To get the full 24 hour booking record, go back to the Clark County Sheriff.

The Arkansas Counties Association has a directory of every county sheriff and clerk in the state. That is a useful starting point if you need to compare booking policies across nearby counties or find a sheriff's main page.

Clark County Jail Information

The Clark County jail is run by the sheriff. It holds people arrested anywhere in the county. The booking process takes about an hour. Staff take prints, a photo, and a medical screen. They log the charge with an Arkansas Code cite. They search the person and store the property. A bond is set by a local court judge or by a fixed bond schedule for minor charges.

Bond types are cash, surety, property, and own recognizance. Most minor charges have a fixed bond. A felony charge needs a judge to set bond at a first appearance. Those hearings happen in district court or circuit court depending on the case. Most first appearance hearings in Clark County happen the next weekday after the booking.

After a charge is filed, the case goes to the Clark County Circuit Clerk. The clerk keeps the file for all felony and most civil cases. The district court in Arkadelphia handles minor misdemeanors and traffic. Each court has its own docket and its own clerk. Case records are open to the public under FOIA and under court rule.

Arkadelphia Police and Campus Forces

The Arkadelphia Police Department at (870) 246-2377 handles arrests inside city limits. A busy college town means the city police see a lot of call volume. Arkadelphia PD does not run its own jail. Every arrest ends up at the Clark County Sheriff's jail for booking. The city police hold their own arrest reports, but the booking record stays with the sheriff.

Arkadelphia is home to Henderson State University and Ouachita Baptist University. Both schools have campus police forces. The Ouachita Baptist University Police can be reached at (870) 245-5600. Henderson State has its own department as well. Campus police make arrests on school grounds. Those arrests also book at the county jail. Campus incident reports stay with the school.

So for a full record of an incident at Henderson State or OBU, you may need three files. The campus police report has the narrative. The sheriff's booking sheet has the jail in take facts and the mugshot. The Circuit Clerk has the case file if charges are filed. Each is a separate request.

State troopers from the Arkansas State Police cover Interstate 30 and other state highways in the county. Troopers book their arrests at the sheriff's jail. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission also makes arrests for hunting and fishing rule violations on state land in the area.

Request Clark County Booking Records

A written FOIA request is the clean way to get paper copies. Send it to the Custodian of Records at the Clark County Sheriff's Office, 406 South 5th Street, Arkadelphia, AR 71923. State the full name, the date of birth, and the approximate booking date. Ask for the booking sheet, the mugshot, and the charge list. The sheriff has three business days to respond under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105.

Fees are low. Paper copies run 25 cents per page under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105(d). The sheriff cannot charge for staff time. If the total copy cost goes over $25, the sheriff may ask for payment up front. A certified copy with the sheriff's seal costs more and may be needed for court or for out of state use.

Only Arkansas citizens may use the FOIA. Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105(a)(1)(A) sets that rule. Out of state requests may be denied. A lawyer in the state or a friend who lives in Arkansas can make the request for you if needed. The Arkansas FOIA Handbook has sample letters and clear tips.

If the sheriff says no, you can sue in circuit court under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-107. The judge can rule quickly on a FOIA case. The court can order the agency to pay your attorney fees if you win. The Arkansas Attorney General FOIA page runs a free hotline at (501) 682-2007.

Tracking Custody with VINELink

VINELink is a free custody tracking tool. It covers most Arkansas county jails and state prisons. You can use it to track a Clark County inmate. Sign up is simple. Enter the name and a phone or email. VINE sends free alerts when the person is released, moved, or placed under a new hold.

The image below shows the VINELink site. You can sign up at vinelink.com at no cost.

VINE does not post the booking sheet or the mugshot. For those, you still need the sheriff. VINE is useful when you want to know the moment a person is released from jail.

State Level Search Tools

A few state tools back up a Clark County booking search. The Arkansas Crime Information Center runs a name search for $22 per name. It shows arrests and charges statewide. ACIC is held by the Arkansas Department of Public Safety. The tool is name based. It does not post mugshots or current roster info.

The Arkansas Department of Corrections inmate search covers state prisons, not county jails. A Clark County 24 hour booking does not show up on ADC unless the person is later sent to state prison. The Arkansas Division of Community Correction runs a free parolee and probation search.

The Arkansas Sex Offender Registry is open and free. It shows photos, current addresses, and prior offenses for people who must register. It does not post booking data. But it can be a useful cross check in some cases.