Dukes County 72 Hour Booking

Dukes County 72 hour booking records are managed by the sheriff's office in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. This island county has one of the smallest jails in Massachusetts, holding around 15 inmates on an average day. When someone is arrested in Dukes County, the sheriff's office handles the booking process and logs the charges, personal details, and bail info. Searching for 72 hour booking records here means calling the office or sending a written request. This page explains the full process for finding booking records in Dukes County and what makes this location different from mainland counties.

Dukes County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff Keith R. McKenna runs the Dukes County Sheriff's Office at 9 Wells Street in Edgartown, MA 02539. The phone number is (508) 627-5171. You can also reach them by fax at (508) 627-8456 or email at dukes@dukesheriff.com. The office handles all 72 hour booking intake for the county. When local police on Martha's Vineyard make an arrest, the person is brought here for processing.

The Dukes County jail is one of the smallest in the entire country. It holds about 15 people on any given day. The facility is designed for short term stays. People waiting for arraignment or serving brief sentences stay here. Anyone with a longer sentence or more serious charges typically gets transferred to Barnstable County on Cape Cod. That transfer involves a ferry ride or air transport off the island, which adds time and complexity to the process that mainland counties never deal with.

The Dukes County government website has general information about county services. The sheriff's page lists contact details and basic info about the office.

The Dukes County Sheriff's Office website shows the basic layout of services and contact options available for 72 hour booking inquiries.

Because of the island setting, booking procedures in Dukes County have quirks you won't find elsewhere. Summer months bring a much larger population to Martha's Vineyard, and arrest numbers can jump during tourist season. The small jail fills up fast during those peak weeks.

Search Dukes County 72 Hour Booking

Dukes County has no online inmate search tool. To find 72 hour booking records, call (508) 627-5171 during business hours. Have the full name of the person you are looking for. A date of birth or approximate arrest date helps the staff pull the right record. They can tell you if someone is in custody at the Edgartown jail or if they have been moved to Barnstable County.

You can also send a written request. Under M.G.L. c. 66, § 10, you have the right to request public records from the Dukes County Sheriff's Office. Address your letter to the Records Access Officer at 9 Wells Street, Edgartown, MA 02539. Or try emailing dukes@dukesheriff.com with your request. The office has 10 business days to respond under state law. They can ask for up to 20 more days with a written explanation.

If the person you are looking for has been moved off island, try the VINELink system or the DOC inmate locator. VINELink tracks inmates in state prisons and some county facilities. The DOC locator covers state correctional institutions only. Neither tool may show someone held at the small Dukes County jail, but they will show transfers to larger facilities.

Dukes County Public Records Access

The Massachusetts public records law covers all 72 hour booking records held by the Dukes County Sheriff's Office. Under state law, criminal booking data is public unless a judge has sealed the case. You have the right to ask for these records. The office must respond within 10 business days and can charge a small fee for copies. The first four hours of search time are free. Black and white copies cost five cents per page.

If the Dukes County Sheriff's Office denies your request or charges more than you think is fair, you can appeal. The Supervisor of Records at the state level handles these complaints. They review the denial and can order the release of records. The Public Records Law Guide from the Secretary of the Commonwealth explains all the rules, exemptions, and appeal steps in detail.

Some records are always off limits. Mental health commitment records under M.G.L. c. 123, § 36 are private. Sealed cases and juvenile records are also exempt. But a standard 72 hour booking record from the Dukes County jail is public information.

Dukes County Island Booking Process

Dukes County faces challenges that no other Massachusetts county deals with. Martha's Vineyard is an island. There are no bridges. Getting to the mainland requires a ferry from the Steamship Authority or a short flight. This affects every part of the criminal justice process, from arrest to transfer to court appearances. When someone is booked at the Dukes County jail and needs to go to a larger facility, the sheriff's office has to arrange transport by boat or air. That takes more time and costs more money than a van ride down the highway.

Court proceedings in Dukes County happen at the Edgartown District Court. But some cases get moved to mainland courts, especially serious felonies. If a person's case goes to the Superior Court in Barnstable, they may be held there instead of coming back to the island. This means their booking record stays in Dukes County, but their current custody may be in Barnstable County. Always check both locations if you can't find someone.

The summer population on Martha's Vineyard can triple or more. That means more arrests and more bookings during June through September. The small jail stretches to handle the volume. Staff at the sheriff's office are used to the seasonal spike but response times for records requests may be a bit longer during peak months.

Dukes County Arrest Logs

Under M.G.L. c. 41, § 98F, every police department in Dukes County must keep a daily arrest log. The log shows the name of the person arrested, the date and time, the charges, and the location. It is public. You can walk into the Edgartown Police Department, Oak Bluffs Police, Tisbury Police, or any other island station and ask to see the log.

The arrest log is separate from the 72 hour booking record at the sheriff's office. The police log captures the initial arrest. The booking record comes later, when the person reaches the county jail. Both are public documents in most cases.

Dukes County 72 Hour Booking Fees

Getting 72 hour booking records from Dukes County costs the same as any other Massachusetts county. The first four hours of staff time are free. After that, the office can charge $25 to $50 per hour. Copies are five cents per page. You can ask for a fee waiver if your request serves a public interest purpose. The fee clock resets every 30 days, so regular requesters get that free window each month.

The iCORI system for personal criminal history checks costs $25 online. That covers your statewide Massachusetts record. It does not show Dukes County booking records specifically, but it can confirm convictions and pending cases that started with an island arrest.

Legal Resources for Dukes County

If someone you know has been arrested and booked in Dukes County, they have the right to a lawyer under M.G.L. c. 276, § 12. The court will appoint one if they can't afford it. The Committee for Public Counsel Services runs the public defender system in Massachusetts. They cover Dukes County cases at Edgartown District Court.

For mental health holds under M.G.L. c. 123, § 12, the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee at 1-800-342-9092 provides free legal representation. Martha's Vineyard Hospital can initiate Section 12 holds. These records are always private and cannot be obtained through a public records request. The person held has the right to two phone calls and access to legal counsel right away.

The Massachusetts Department of Correction manages records for anyone transferred from Dukes County to a state prison after sentencing.

Contact Dukes County Sheriff

Nearby Counties

Dukes County is an island county. The closest mainland county is Barnstable on Cape Cod. Most long term Dukes County inmates are held at the Barnstable County facility.