Find St. Louis County Recent Arrests
St. Louis County recent arrests are processed at the Buzz Westfall Justice Center in Clayton, which holds up to 1,400 inmates. This is the largest county in Missouri by population and processes thousands of bookings every year. Sheriff Scott Kiefer runs the office. You can search for inmates through the county's online jail roster, check VINE for real-time updates, or look up court records on Case.net. This page walks through every way to find recent arrest data in St. Louis County.
St. Louis County Quick Facts
St. Louis County Arrest Records Online
The Buzz Westfall Justice Center at 100 S. Central Ave. in Clayton is where all St. Louis County bookings happen. This 1,400-bed facility is one of the largest in the state. The county posts a jail roster online so you can search for who is in custody right now. The roster lists names, charges, bond amounts, and booking dates.
Sheriff Scott Kiefer's office can be reached at (314) 615-4724 for general questions. The justice center itself is at (314) 615-5245. The county also has dozens of municipal police departments that make arrests, but all county-level bookings go through the Westfall center. Some municipalities run their own short-term holding, but felony and most misdemeanor cases end up at the county jail.
Keep in mind that the City of St. Louis is a separate jurisdiction from St. Louis County. The city runs its own jail at 200 S. Tucker Blvd called the City Justice Center. If someone was arrested in the city, you need to check that system instead of the county roster.
St. Louis County Recent Arrests Search
The screenshot below shows the St. Louis County jail roster page where you can look up current inmates and recent bookings.
The online roster is free and open to the public. With a facility this large, new bookings come in throughout the day and night. Check back often if you are looking for a recent arrest that may not have been processed yet.
St. Louis County Court Records
St. Louis County is part of the 21st Judicial Circuit, one of the busiest in Missouri. All court records are on Case.net, set up under Section 476.055 RSMo. Search by name, case number, or filing date. No account is needed for basic searches.
Given the volume of cases, Case.net is the most efficient way to look up St. Louis County court records. Docket entries, hearings, charges, and case status are all available. Documents filed on or after July 1, 2023 can be viewed from your own device. Older records may need a visit to the circuit clerk in Clayton.
The "Track This Case" tool is helpful for monitoring a case over time. It sends updates by email or text. The Case.net help desk is at 888-541-4894.
State Tools for St. Louis County Arrests
The Missouri Automated Criminal History Site covers St. Louis County. A name search costs $15 for open records including convictions, recent arrests, and pending charges. A fingerprint search is $20 for the complete history. Name searches give instant results and are live around the clock.
The Missouri VINE system tracks inmates at the Westfall Justice Center. VINE is free. Search by name or register for release alerts. The toll-free number is 877-654-8463. The DOC Offender Search covers people on state supervision.
Arrest Record Laws in St. Louis County
Under Section 610.100 RSMo, arrest reports are open records. They include the name, charge, arresting officer, and evidence seized. Records stay open while charges are pending or after conviction. If no charges come within 30 days, the record closes.
Dismissed cases and acquittals also close records. SIS records seal after probation ends. Copying fees are 10 cents per page under Section 610.026 RSMo. With the volume of requests St. Louis County gets, using the online tools is usually faster than a formal Sunshine Law request.
Recent Arrests in Nearby Counties
St. Louis County is the core of the St. Louis metro area. Check these surrounding counties for arrest records.
Remember that the City of St. Louis operates independently from the county. It has its own police department, jail, and court system.
City Arrests in St. Louis County
St. Louis County has several qualifying cities with their own pages. Florissant is one of the larger cities in the county with its own police department. The City of St. Louis is technically independent and not part of the county. Many of the county's 88 municipalities have their own police departments, but county-level bookings all go through the Buzz Westfall Justice Center in Clayton.