Holmes County Booking Reports

Holmes County booking reports are kept at the Sheriff's Office in Bonifay, Florida. Sitting in the western panhandle along the Alabama border, Holmes County is a small rural county with a low volume of arrests each year. The sheriff runs the jail division and handles all booking data for the county. You can look up recent arrest information by calling the office or checking the jail division page on the sheriff's website. All booking records in Holmes County are public under Florida law, and the sheriff's staff can help you get what you need.

Holmes County Sheriff's Office

The Holmes County Sheriff's Office is on Lonny Lindsey Drive in Bonifay. This is the only law enforcement agency that runs a jail in the county. All arrests made by deputies or local police go through this one office. The booking process starts when someone arrives at the jail. Staff take fingerprints, a photo, and write down the charges. This creates the booking report that goes into the county records system.

The sheriff's website has a jail division page with info about the facility. You can find details about how the jail works and who to call for questions about inmates. The phone number is 850.547.3681 (press option 1 for the jail). Call during business hours for records requests or after hours if you just need to check on someone in custody at the Holmes County jail.

The jail division page is useful for getting basic info about the facility and its operations. For specific booking data, a phone call to the office is the fastest route. Holmes County is small, so the staff can usually check on a name right away.

Holmes County Arrest Records Access

Booking reports in Holmes County are public records. Under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, all government records in the state are open for anyone to see. You do not need a special reason. You do not need to be related to the person. The sheriff must let you inspect or copy booking data when you ask.

What does a Holmes County booking report include? The core info covers the person's full name, date of birth, charges, date of arrest, bond amount, and booking photo. If the person has been released, that date shows up too. The arresting agency and officer name are part of the record as well. Some things stay private. Medical and mental health data is exempt. Juvenile arrest records are sealed in most cases. But the basic booking report is open to all.

The sheriff may charge a copy fee. This is usually a small amount per page. Ask about the current rates when you make your request. For a quick check, calling the Holmes County jail is often enough to get the basic info you need without paying for copies.

How Booking Works in Holmes County

The arrest process in Holmes County follows Chapter 901 of the Florida Statutes. When a deputy picks someone up, they transport the person to the jail in Bonifay. At the jail, staff go through the booking steps. They take fingerprints, a facial photo, and record all charge details. For adults charged with felonies or misdemeanors, this data must also be sent to FDLE electronically under Chapter 943.

After booking, the person goes before a judge for first appearance within 24 hours. Holmes County is in the 14th Judicial Circuit, which also covers Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Jackson, and Washington counties. The judge sets bond at this hearing. That bond info then gets added to the booking report.

Holmes County processes a modest number of bookings. The jail is not large. Most people either bond out or, for serious cases, get moved to a bigger facility. The booking record stays on file at the sheriff's office no matter what.

Booking Photos in Holmes County

Every person booked at the Holmes County jail gets a photo taken. This photo is public. Anyone can ask for it. But Section 901.43 of the Florida Statutes protects people from sites that try to profit from booking photos. No website can charge money to take down a mugshot. The fine is $1,000 per day if a site does not remove the photo within 10 days of getting a written request. That fine goes up to $5,000 per day if the site puts the photo back up.

This law covers all 67 Florida counties. If your Holmes County booking photo ends up on a website that asks for payment, you have the right to demand removal. Keep your request in writing and save a copy with the date.

State Search Tools for Holmes County

State databases can help when the Holmes County jail does not have what you are looking for. The Florida Department of Corrections runs a search that covers all state prison inmates. If someone arrested in Holmes County went to state prison, they will be in this database. It refreshes every week. Release dates update each night.

The Florida Department of State has a full list of county jails with phone numbers and addresses. This is a good way to verify the Holmes County jail contact info or find a neighboring county's office. The FDLE sex offender search covers the entire state and lets you search by name or location. For a formal criminal history check, call FDLE at (850) 410-7000.

Note: State prison searches do not cover people held at the Holmes County jail before trial or sentencing.

Nearby Counties

Holmes County borders several other panhandle counties. Each one keeps its own booking records at the local sheriff's office.