Kent County Released Inmates

Kent County released inmates records are managed by the Kent County Sheriff's Office, which runs the county's detention facility at 104 Vickers Drive Unit B in Chestertown, Maryland. As one of the smallest counties on the Eastern Shore, Kent County handles a lower volume of bookings and releases than most Maryland jurisdictions. The Sheriff's Office does not operate an online inmate locator, so all records requests for released inmates go through direct contact with the office. Sheriff Dennis Hickman oversees operations, and his staff processes requests for criminal investigation reports, incident reports, and booking records on released inmates who have passed through Kent County custody.

Kent County Sheriff's Office

The Kent County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency in the county. The office sits at 104 Vickers Drive Unit B, Chestertown, MD 21620. Call 410-778-2279 for non-emergency matters. For emergencies, dial 911. The office handles arrests, detention, and records for the county. All released inmates from Kent County have their booking records stored here.

Sheriff Dennis Hickman heads the office. All records requests must go through him or his designated staff. Chief Deputy Harry Kettner and Patrol Commander Lt. Scott Duhamell support operations. Office Manager Kimberly Dixon handles administrative tasks including records processing. The chain of command is small, which can actually make getting records a bit more straightforward than in larger counties. You deal with fewer people and fewer layers of review.

The Kent County Sheriff's Office website is shown below.

Contact the Sheriff's Office directly for any questions about released inmates in Kent County.

Released Inmates Records Requests

Getting released inmates records in Kent County takes direct contact with the Sheriff's Office. There is no online portal for submitting records requests. You have three options: call, mail, or visit in person.

By phone, call 410-778-2279 and ask for the records section. Staff can tell you what they have on file and how to submit a formal request. By mail, send a written request to the Kent County Sheriff's Office at 104 Vickers Drive Unit B, Chestertown, MD 21620. Include the full name of the released inmate, their date of birth if you know it, and any case numbers you have. The more details you give, the easier it is for staff to find the right records. In-person visits work too. Bring a valid photo ID. The office handles requests during regular business hours.

Kent County charges flat fees for reports. A criminal investigation report costs $5. An incident report is $5. A traffic accident report runs $5 as well. These fees apply per report. Booking records for released inmates typically fall under the criminal investigation report category. Payment is expected at the time of the request.

Maryland Public Information Act in Kent County

The Maryland Public Information Act governs access to released inmates records across the state, including Kent County. Under General Provisions Section 4-201, booking records and release information are defined as public records. That means you have a legal right to request them. The MPIA applies to all county agencies, and the Kent County Sheriff's Office falls under its scope.

If the Sheriff's Office does not respond to a standard request, you can file a formal MPIA request. The Maryland Attorney General's MPIA page explains the process and your rights. Under GP Section 4-206(c), the first two hours of search time are free. After that, you pay actual costs. Kent County's flat fee structure for reports may apply instead of the per-page rate that larger counties use. Either way, the cost for released inmates records in Kent County tends to be low.

GP Section 4-203 sets the timeline. Custodians have 10 business days to respond to an initial request. They can take up to 30 days if the search is complex. For a small county like Kent, most requests get handled faster than that. The Sheriff's Office deals with a lower volume of requests compared to places like Baltimore County or Montgomery County.

No Online Inmate Locator

Kent County does not have an online inmate locator. Many larger Maryland counties run web-based tools where you can search for current inmates by name. Kent County has not set up that kind of system. The county's smaller size and lower inmate population make the cost of building and running an online database hard to justify.

This means you cannot check the Kent County Sheriff's website to see if someone is in custody or has been released. You need to call the office at 410-778-2279 and ask directly. Staff can confirm whether a person is currently held or has been released from Kent County custody. For released inmates specifically, a phone call is often the fastest way to get a basic answer about someone's status before you file a formal records request.

State Tools for Kent County Released Inmates

While Kent County itself does not offer online search tools, several state-level databases can help you find released inmates from the county. These are free to use and cover multiple jurisdictions across Maryland.

The DPSCS Incarcerated Individual Locator tracks people in state prison facilities. If someone from Kent County was sentenced to more than 18 months and moved to a state facility, they would appear in this database while still in custody. The locator does not cover county-level detention, so it will not show people held only at the Kent County Sheriff's facility.

VINELink Maryland covers both state and county facilities. You can search by name and register for notifications when someone's custody status changes. If a released inmate from Kent County gets out, VINELink can alert you by phone, email, or text. This is a strong option for a county that does not run its own online lookup tool.

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search pulls court records from across the state. Search for criminal cases filed in Kent County Circuit Court or District Court. Case outcomes, charges, and sentencing data all show up. These records complement what you can get from the Sheriff's Office about released inmates.

Legal Rules for Released Inmates Records

State law controls what released inmates records are public in Kent County. The MPIA under GP Section 4-201 defines these records as public. The Correctional Services Article adds rules that apply to detention facilities. CS Section 3-601 covers inmate records at county jails. CS Section 3-612 sets standards for correctional programs and services documentation.

Not everything is available. Medical records stay confidential. Juvenile records are sealed. Victim information gets redacted. Social Security numbers are removed from any documents shared with the public. Mental health treatment records are private under both state and federal law. Internal disciplinary records from the detention facility are restricted. These rules apply in Kent County the same way they apply in every other Maryland county. The Sheriff's Office follows state guidelines on what can and cannot be shared.

What Kent County Released Inmates Records Include

A booking record from the Kent County Sheriff's Office for a released inmate typically contains the person's full name and any aliases. Date of birth is listed along with a physical description. The booking photograph is part of the file. Charges appear with the relevant Maryland statute citations. If bail was set, the bond amount and conditions are noted. For inmates who served time, the sentence length and release date show up in the record.

The criminal investigation report, which costs $5 in Kent County, goes deeper than the basic booking data. It includes details about the arrest itself, the circumstances of the case, and the investigating officer's notes. This report can be useful when you want context on a released inmate beyond just the dates and charges. Incident reports cover specific events and cost the same $5 fee. Depending on what you need, you might request one or both types of records for a released inmate from Kent County.

How to Contact Kent County for Records

Here is the full contact information for the Kent County Sheriff's Office, where all released inmates records requests are handled.

• Address: 104 Vickers Drive Unit B, Chestertown, MD 21620
• Phone: 410-778-2279
• Emergency: 911
• Sheriff: Dennis Hickman (dhickman@kentgov.org)
• Office Manager: Kimberly Dixon (kdixon@kentgov.org)

When you call or write, be ready with the released inmate's full name. A date of birth helps narrow the search. If you have a case number from the Maryland Judiciary Case Search, include that as well. Kent County's small staff handles requests efficiently, but giving them clear details up front saves time for everyone involved. Plan to pay the $5 report fee when you pick up or receive your records.

Records That Remain Confidential

Some released inmates records in Kent County are off limits to the public.

Medical records are confidential. Any treatment a person received while in custody stays private under state and federal law. Juvenile records are sealed. If someone was under 18 at the time of their arrest, those records are not available through a standard request. Mental health records are protected. Victim details get removed from any documents the Sheriff's Office provides. Social Security numbers are always redacted. Pre-sentence investigation reports require a court order. Internal discipline records from inside the facility are restricted under CS Section 3-601. The Sheriff's Office will tell you if a requested record falls under one of these exceptions.

Nearby Counties

Kent County sits on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Neighboring counties each run their own detention and records systems. If you are searching for a released inmate who may have been arrested in a nearby jurisdiction, check these county pages.