Tempe City, Arizona Inmate Search
An inmate search is a process people use to find law enforcement records on people who are in jail. These records are created following an arrest, when an arrested individual is taken to the jail where they are booked. During booking, an officer collects an inmate’s basic identification information and biometric data and documents it alongside vital information related to the arrest, such as the reason for the arrest, the arrest location, court case information, etc.
The process of retrieving these details by members of the public is known as an inmate search. Although the Tempe Police Department makes arrests, most arrestees are released or transferred to the Maricopa County Jail, as the department only operates a temporary facility for the initial booking and processing of arrested individuals. The Maricopa County Jail operates a public-facing facility for inmate searches, with the main jail facility located in Phoenix.
How to Find an Inmate in Tempe Jail
To find an inmate arrested in Tempe, a person first needs to check with the city police department to ascertain if the inmate is held at the city jail or the county jail. A more convenient alternative is the Inmate Information portal. This online jail roster is maintained by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and can be searched using an inmate’s booking number or first and last name and date of birth. The sheriff’s office is also in charge of the Maricopa County Jail, and is located at:
550 West Jackson
Phoenix, AZ 85003
How to Use the Tempe Jail Roster
The online jail roster is a free resource searchable by an inmate’s first and last name or booking number. Name-based searches typically require the inmate’s date of birth for increased accuracy. Since the booking number is unique for each inmate, it is a more reliable search parameter. To access the jail roster, visit the Inmate Information portal and follow the steps below:
- Depending on your preferred search type, select “Search by Booking Number” or “Search by Name & DOB”
- Depending on your previous selection, the site will display fields to enter the inmate’s booking number or first name, last name, and date of birth (YYYY-MM-DD format)
- Check the “I’m not a robot” box and complete the CAPTCHA verification, then proceed to click the “Submit” button.
For a more complete arrest record or older inmate rosters, a researcher will have to contact the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office or the Tempe Police Department. Members can also visit any of these agencies to submit an official record request.
What Information is Included in the Tempe Inmate Roster
During an inmate search on the Inmate Information portal, a researcher should expect to find the following information:
- Inmate name: the person’s name as recorded in the jail records
- Booking number: an inmate’s unique jail identification number
- Booking information: date and time of booking
- Custody status: whether the individual is currently in custody of the county jail
- Mugshot: a photograph of the inmate taken upon intake at the jail
- Charges: Criminal charges associated with the current incarceration
- Release information: Only available if the individual has been released from custody
- Bail/bond information: Information about bond or applicable release conditions
N/B: Certain arrest/incarceration information may not be available to the public if it has been expunged or sealed by a court order.
Contact Details for Tempe Jail or Sheriff’s Office
For more incarceration-related information, contact the sheriff’s office or the city police department. See below for the contact information of the Tempe Police Department and the Maricopa County Jail:
| Agency | Address | Phone | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office–4th Avenue Jail | 550 West Jackson, Phoenix, Arizona 85003, United States | (602) 876-1000 | On-site inmate visitation is allowed only for professionals. |
| Tempe Police Department | 120 East 5th Street Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States | (480) 350-8311 | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. |
How to Send Money to an Inmate in the Maricopa County Jail?
Friends and loved ones can send money to inmates housed at any of the jail facilities run by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office through the TouchPay service. Deposits can be made by phone, online, or via cash kiosks located at the jail facilities:
- Phone – call the toll-free line (866) 355-9593
- Online – visit the TouchPay website and follow the prompts to deposit money using a bank card
- Cash kiosks – use TouchPay systems located at the jail to deposit money (cash, Visa, or MasterCard) in an inmate's account (the inmate’s name or booking number is required)
Inmate Search by Jail Facility
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) is the main law enforcement agency in the county and is in charge of all jail facilities. This agency also houses inmates from Tempe County. All inmate searches are processed through the Inmate Information portal (see a previous header for information on how to use this portal).
See below for the various jail facilities maintained by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, including their addresses and phone numbers.
| Facility | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| 4th Avenue Jail | 201 South 4th Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85003 | (602) 876-0322 |
| Estrella Jail | 2939 West Durango Street Phoenix, AZ 85009 | (602) 876-0322 |
| Intake, Transfer, and Release (ITR) | 2670 South 28th Drive Phoenix, AZ 85009 | (602) 876-0322 |
| Lower Buckeye Jail | 3250 West Lower Buckeye Road Phoenix, AZ 85009 | (602) 876-0322 |
| Towers Jail | 3127 West Gibson Lane Phoenix, AZ 85009 | (602) 876-0322 |
| Watkins Jail | 2680 South 28th Drive Phoenix, AZ 85009 | (602) 876-0322 |
Tempe Visitation Rules and Schedules
The Tempe Police Department lobby is open to visitors Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Since this agency does not operate a standard jail facility, it is best to call in for inquiries about any arrested individual suspected to be in its custody. On-site inmate visitation is currently suspended at the Maricopa County Jail.
Presently, the sheriff’s office only allows remote visits through the ViaPath GettingOut video visitation service. This service costs $0.25 per minute and requires visitors to install the application on their mobile device and create an account with a valid email address. With this service, friends and family can receive a remote visitation call from an inmate or schedule a visit. While inmates can initiate a call to friends and loved ones at any time using the Visit Now feature of the application, people outside the facility do not have access to this service and must schedule their visitation calls in advance.
Professionals—like attorneys, medical professionals, case managers, and other professions whose communications with an inmate should not be recorded and/or charged—are required to go to a MCSO visitation center at any MCSO jail facility. During such visits, they must possess their State Bar card and a government-issued ID for verification.
Note the following general onsite/remote visitation rules:
- Visitors must be at least 18 years old to own a ViaPath account
- Under-18 visitors must be accompanied by an adult throughout the visit
- Visitors must possess a means of identification throughout the duration of the visit
- Nudity and any form of sexual stimulation by the visitor or the inmate during the visit is prohibited
- Visitors must be properly dressed; inappropriate clothing includes see-through dresses, tank tops, excessively tight clothing, clothing that reveals undergarments, or excessive cleavage.
- No clothing
- Visitors must wear shoes during on-site visitation
- No head dress, unless an approved religious item
- No electronic recording of any kind is allowed
- Visitors must not be physically intoxicated during a visit
Violating any of the above rules may result in immediate termination of the visit, a 30-day restriction on the visitor account, and could result in the visitor being barred from further visitation. Defaulting inmates may be subject to disciplinary action.
Mailing and Commissary Information | Tempe Jail
For mailing and commissary information and relevant instructions, call the specific jail facility where an inmate is being held. Alternatively, inquiries can be routed to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Note that the inmate’s name and booking number are often required, and mail must include a return address. Generally, the following format applies:
Inmate’s full name
Inmate’s ID number
Jail address