Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest and crime counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 9, 2026.
Jefferson County, Illinois, has about 36,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Jefferson County depends on where the incident happened: the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office for the unincorporated county, the agency that reports for the city inside a city. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Illinois Freedom of Information Act requires of it.
This guide covers which agency, the sheriff's reports, the cities' reports, how many reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Jefferson County public records, Jefferson County arrest records, Jefferson County warrants, Jefferson County inmate search, Jefferson County criminal records, Illinois arrest records and Illinois inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Jefferson County
A crime, incident or collision report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, and that agency releases it, not the court, the jail or the prosecutor.
In Jefferson County that is the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office for the unincorporated county and for any city that contracts with it for police service, and the agency that reports for a city where the city has one of its own.
The FBI's list also carries Rend Lake College (campus police), with a records office of its own.
Reports from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 15 violent and 145 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 11 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit, reached through the office at (217) 753-2372. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its jail page, at ilsheriff.org/county/jefferson (page title: Jefferson County | Illinois Sheriffs' Association), phone (217) 753-2372, 911 Casey Ave., Mt. Vernon, IL 62864, a site that blocks automated checks (HTTP 403), so open it in a browser.
Reports from the City Agencies in Jefferson County
The two cities the FBI lists in Jefferson County with a reporting agency of their own:
- Mount Vernon: 81 violent and 283 property crimes reported for 2025; 203 arrests reported for 2025.
- Ina: 0 violent and 2 property crimes reported for 2025; 2 arrests reported for 2025.
A city on that list is reported separately whether the officers are the city's own or the sheriff's under contract; the FBI's list does not say which.
How Many Reports: Jefferson County in 2025
The three agencies in Jefferson County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 96 violent and 430 property crimes to the FBI that year, each one a report taken by the agency that holds it.
Together, the three agencies in Jefferson County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 216 arrests to the FBI that year, and each arrest is a report of its own.
What the Illinois Freedom of Information Act Requires
Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act the agency must answer a request within 5 business days, with one 5-day extension, and it may charge copying only after the first 50 pages. The request goes to the agency that holds the report, in writing, and does not have to say why the report is wanted.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Jefferson County?
From the agency whose officer took it: the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office for its own arrests, or the agency that reports for the city where it happened. Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act the answer is due within 5 business days, with one 5-day extension.
How long does an agency in Jefferson County have to answer?
Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, within 5 business days, with one 5-day extension. It may charge copying only after the first 50 pages.
How do I get a report from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit, reached through the office at (217) 753-2372. Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act the answer is due within 5 business days, with one 5-day extension.
Is this the official Jefferson County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.