Search Lima Booking Releases
Lima booking releases document arrests in the county seat of Allen County, a city of about 35,500 people in northwest Ohio. The Allen County Jail at 333 North Main Street holds inmates for both the Lima Police Department and Allen County Sheriff's Office. The jail posts a public inmate roster that updates every 24 hours with names, mugshots, charges, and bond amounts. This page walks through how to search Lima booking releases, request police reports, and use free tools to look up arrest data.
Lima Overview
Lima Police Department Records
The Lima Police Department is at 117 E Market Street, Lima, OH 45801. Chief Kevin Martin leads a force of 88 officers. You can reach the main line at (419) 221-5270 or fax at (419) 221-5114.
The department's Records Division handles all police reports and arrest records. Their hours are limited compared to most departments. They are open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. You can call the Records Division directly at (419) 221-5135 or email them at LPDRecords@cityhall.lima.oh.us.
Record requests can go in person, over the phone, or by email. Ohio law does not require you to state why you want a record. As long as the report is tied to a closed investigation, it is public. The department keeps reports on crimes, traffic accidents, and arrest incidents within city limits.
Note those limited hours. If you plan to visit in person, check the schedule first. The office is closed on Mondays, Fridays, and weekends.
Allen County Jail and Booking Process
The Allen County Jail sits at 333 North Main Street, Lima, OH 45801. It is a minimum to maximum security facility with a capacity of up to 250 inmates. The jail houses people awaiting court dates and those serving sentences. Sheriff Matthew B. Treglia oversees the facility, with Chief Deputy Todd Mohler and Major Shane Hartman on staff.
When someone gets arrested in Lima, they go to the Allen County Jail for processing. Staff create a booking record with the person's name, mugshot, charges, bond amount, and other identifying details. Under ORC Chapter 341, the sheriff must maintain a jail register. That register includes each prisoner's name, the date and cause of commitment, and the date and manner of discharge. This is the law that makes booking releases public in Ohio.
The Allen County Sheriff's Office runs three main divisions: uniform, corrections, and communications. The corrections division manages the jail and all booking activity. The jail roster updates every 24 hours and lists inmates alphabetically. You can search for a specific person by first and last name.
How to Search Lima Booking Releases
The Allen County Sheriff's inmate inquiry system is the best place to start. This free online tool shows active inmates in the Allen County Jail. You can search by name and view booking details right away. No account or fee is needed to use it.
The Allen County Sheriff's Office website also has an "Inmate Inquiry" section on the main page. This links to the same search tool. The roster lists inmates alphabetically with their name, mugshot, charges, and bond amount.
Ohio's public records law protects your right to search these records. ORC 149.43 says public records must be made available for inspection and copying at all reasonable times. You do not need to give your name. You do not need to explain your reason for looking. Booking releases are public records under this law.
If the online tool does not have what you need, call the jail at (419) 227-3535. Staff can confirm whether someone is in custody. For older booking records, you may need to visit the sheriff's office in person.
Booking Releases and Court Records
The Lima Clerk of Courts maintains a separate database where you can search court case information. This covers traffic cases, criminal cases, and civil cases. When someone gets booked in Lima and their case moves to court, you can track it through the clerk's system. This is useful when you want to see what happened after an arrest.
A booking release record itself is not a conviction. It documents that someone was arrested and processed into the jail. The court system handles everything after that. Charges can be dropped, reduced through a plea deal, or taken to trial. The Allen County Common Pleas Court handles felonies. The Lima Municipal Court takes misdemeanors and traffic offenses.
Lima Booking Releases and Records Requests
Beyond the online tools, you can file a formal public records request with the Lima Police Department or the Allen County Sheriff. For police records, visit the Records Division at 117 E Market Street during their open hours. You can also call or email your request.
Response times vary. A single police report is usually ready in a few business days. Larger requests that need redactions or cover many files take more time. Under Ohio law, agencies must respond within a "reasonable time." If they deny your request, they must give a written explanation with the specific legal basis for the denial.
Inspecting records in person costs nothing. Copies may have a small fee for paper and printing. Electronic copies sent by email are typically free.
Allen County Warrants
The Allen County Sheriff's Office warrants division processes and returns all warrants of arrest and criminal summons for the county. They handle between 1,000 and 1,300 active warrants and summons at any given time. That is a high volume for a county of about 102,000 people.
Warrant information is only released in person at the sheriff's office. You need proper identification to check on a warrant. Neither the Lima Police Department nor the Allen County Sheriff's Office maintains a most wanted list at this time. If you think there may be an outstanding warrant, you have to go to the office at 333 North Main Street in Lima.
Statewide Booking Release Search Tools
If someone arrested in Lima gets sentenced to state prison, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction runs an offender search tool covering all state inmates. Search by name or offender number to find out where someone is housed, how long their sentence is, and when they might get out.
VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) is a free service that tracks offender custody status across Ohio. You can sign up for alerts by phone, email, or text. VINE covers both county jails and state prisons, including the Allen County Jail. Crime victims use this tool to stay informed about when someone is released from custody.
Under ORC 5120.21, the state must keep records on all people sent to state correctional institutions. The ODRC website is the main place to access this data. You can look up an inmate's name, criminal convictions, photograph, and supervision status through their portal.
Crime in Lima
Lima has a crime rate of 477, which is 1.8 times the national average. The city ranks higher than almost 95% of all cities and towns in the US for crime. Over the past year, the overall crime rate went up by 2%. Looking at the longer trend, the last five years show a decline in both violent and property crimes despite that recent bump.
Crime rates in Lima run 121% higher than the Ohio state average. That makes it one of the higher-crime cities in the state. The livability score sits at 61 out of 100, which is below average. This level of crime means the Allen County Jail stays busy. The booking volume is steady, and the 250-inmate capacity gets used regularly.
The Allen County Sheriff's inmate inquiry system is the primary tool for looking up Lima booking releases. The screenshot above shows the search interface where you can look up inmates by name.
Allen County Booking Releases
Lima is the county seat of Allen County. All bookings go through the Allen County Jail. For more on the county jail roster and booking release records, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities
Other Ohio cities near Lima with booking release information.