Columbia Arrest Records and Recent Bookings
Columbia is the capital city of South Carolina and the seat of Richland County. When someone is arrested by the Columbia Police Department or the Richland County Sheriff's Department, they are booked at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. This page covers how to find Columbia recent bookings, how to request arrest records from the Columbia Police Department, and what state-level tools are available for anyone searching booking information in the capital city area.
Columbia Quick Facts
Where Columbia Recent Bookings Are Processed
Columbia sits within Richland County. Arrests made by the Columbia Police Department within city limits result in bookings at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. The facility is located at 201 John Mark Dial Drive, Columbia, SC 29209. The detention center phone number is (803) 896-2700. The Richland County Sheriff's Department runs the facility and maintains the booking records for all people held there.
The Columbia Police Department is headquartered at 1 Justice Square, Columbia, SC 29201. The non-emergency line is (803) 252-2911. The police department makes arrests, but the county sheriff holds the booking data once a person is transported to the detention center. This means you need to check Richland County resources to find recent bookings for Columbia arrests.
Columbia Recent Bookings Inmate Search
The Richland County Sheriff's Department maintains an inmate lookup tool through its website at rcsd.net. This portal allows you to search for people currently in custody at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. You can search by name to find anyone recently booked in connection with Columbia arrests.
The Richland County official website at richlandcountysc.gov also provides links to county resources including the sheriff's department and detention center information. For any booking made in Columbia, that record flows to the county system after processing.
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-30(D), the names of people confined in any jail or detention center must be made available to the public during normal business hours for the preceding three months. You do not need to file a formal written request to get a name from the current jail roster. This applies to Richland County's detention center the same as any other facility in the state.
Note: Crime reports and arrest reports from the past 14 days are also available without a formal written FOIA request under the same statute. Older records require a written request with standard response timelines.
SLED Criminal History for Columbia Arrests
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division maintains the main website at sled.sc.gov and runs the CATCH system for statewide criminal history checks. CATCH is available at catch.sled.sc.gov. A name-based check costs $25 plus a $1 online convenience fee. You need a last name, first initial, and date of birth to run the search. SLED processes requests online, by mail, or in person at its Columbia office at 4400 Broad River Road.
SLED's records include convictions, pending charges, and arrest records reported by South Carolina law enforcement agencies. The Columbia Police Department and Richland County Sheriff's Department both report to SLED. Results do not include juvenile records, sealed or expunged records, or federal offenses.
The SLED main page provides links to all available search tools and resources for public records related to criminal history in South Carolina, including records that originate from Columbia and Richland County arrests.
Requesting Columbia Arrest Records by FOIA
To request arrest reports or incident reports from the Columbia Police Department, submit a written request to the CPD Records Division at 1 Justice Square, Columbia, SC 29201. You can submit the request in person, by mail, or through the city's process. Include the case number, the names of people involved, and the date of the incident. The more detail you provide, the faster staff can locate and process your request.
Columbia follows South Carolina's FOIA guidelines under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10. The city must acknowledge your request within 10 business days for records less than two years old. For older records, acknowledgment is required within 20 business days. Records are then produced within 30 calendar days of that acknowledgment for recent records, or 35 calendar days for older ones.
Copy fees generally follow state FOIA guidelines and typically run $0.10 to $0.25 per page. Search and retrieval fees may apply for extensive requests. Deposits of up to 25 percent of estimated costs may be required before work begins on large requests. Contact the Columbia Police Department at (803) 252-2911 for current fee information before submitting your request.
Richland County Sheriff Booking Records
The Richland County Sheriff's Department handles all booking records for people arrested in Columbia. The sheriff's website at rcsd.net is the primary point of access for inmate searches and booking information. The department serves both the City of Columbia and all unincorporated areas of Richland County.
For court records tied to Columbia arrests, the Richland County Clerk of Court at the Richland County Judicial Center maintains criminal case filings. The SC Judicial Branch public index allows free online searches of case records by name, case number, or filing date for Richland County. Basic case information like party names, filing dates, and case status is available at no charge. For copies of documents, contact the clerk's office directly.
The Richland County Sheriff's Department page at rcsd.net includes direct links to the detention center, inmate search tools, and information about booking procedures for people arrested in Columbia.
Victim Notification and State Inmate Search
The VINE network at vinelink.com provides free custody status notifications. You can register to receive an alert by phone, text, or email when an inmate's status changes. VINE covers the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Columbia. This is useful for victims, families, and others who need to track an inmate's release or transfer status.
For people sentenced and serving time in state prison, the South Carolina Department of Corrections maintains a separate search at doc.sc.gov. SCDC records only cover those currently incarcerated in a state prison facility. If you are looking for someone who has not yet been sentenced, the county detention center search is the right place to start.
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 17-1-40, arrest records must be destroyed when charges are dismissed or the person is found not guilty. This means not all historical arrest records for Columbia will be available through a FOIA request.
VINE is available 24 hours a day and covers most county detention centers across South Carolina, providing an accessible way for victims to stay informed about the custody status of offenders connected to their cases.
Richland County Recent Bookings
Columbia is located in Richland County. The county sheriff's department processes and maintains booking records for all Columbia arrests. For full details on the Richland County detention center, sheriff's office contact information, and additional search tools, visit the Richland County recent bookings page.
Nearby South Carolina Cities
Other cities across South Carolina handle recent bookings through their own county detention centers. Select a city below to find booking and arrest record resources in that area.