Montrose Jail Roster Lookup
Montrose jail roster records are kept at Montrose County Jail. Anyone arrested in Montrose is processed at this facility serving Montrose County.
Montrose Quick Facts
Which County Handles Montrose Arrests
Montrose is in Montrose County, and all arrests in Montrose go to Montrose County Jail. The county seat is Montrose, so the main jail sits right in the city. This is the same jail that serves all of Montrose County, including Olathe, Naturita, and smaller towns. When you search the Montrose jail roster, you see arrests from across the county, not just Montrose city limits. The Montrose County Sheriff's Office runs the jail under the statutory responsibility given to sheriffs by Colorado law.
Montrose County has about 42,000 people. The county covers the western slope and parts of the Uncompahgre Valley. Most people live in Montrose or nearby towns. The jail handles all felony and misdemeanor arrests from local police and the sheriff's office. Montrose sits in a rural part of Colorado, so the jail serves a wide geographic area with farms, ranches, and small towns. Montrose Police Department makes arrests in town, then transports suspects a short distance to the county jail. The trip takes just a few minutes in most cases.
For details on visitation, inmate services, bond procedures, and records requests across Montrose County, see the full Montrose County jail roster page. That page covers all the county programs, fees, and how to get copies of booking records from the sheriff's office.
Montrose County Jail
Montrose County Jail serves Montrose and the rest of Montrose County. The facility is run by the Montrose County Sheriff's Office. It holds inmates awaiting trial and those serving short sentences. The jail offers basic programs like education and counseling. Some inmates qualify for work release or alternative sentencing. The jail follows C.R.S. § 17-26-118, which requires daily records that are open to the public.
| Agency | Montrose County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Contact | Contact sheriff's office directly |
| Records | Available upon request |
The jail is in Montrose, so residents can reach it quickly. Public transit is limited in Montrose County, so most people drive to the jail. If you drive, there is parking at the facility. The jail has its own entrance and security screening. Bring a photo ID if you plan to visit or post bond. Staff screen all visitors at the door. Leave weapons, drugs, and large bags at home when you go to Montrose County Jail. The facility has strict rules about what you can bring inside, so call ahead if you have questions.
How to Search the Montrose Jail Roster
To search the Montrose jail roster, contact the Montrose County Sheriff's Office directly. Unlike larger counties, Montrose does not have a public online inmate search at this time. You can call the sheriff's office and ask about an inmate by name. Staff can tell you if someone is in custody, what their charges are, and what their bond is. This service is free during normal business hours.
When you call, have the person's full name and date of birth if possible. This helps staff find the right person faster. Some names are common, so the date of birth confirms you have the right inmate. Staff can also tell you when someone was booked and when they might be released. If you need written records, ask about the public records request process. Some records are available right away, while others require a formal request under Colorado's Open Records Act.
The Montrose jail roster only shows current inmates. If someone was released, staff can still look up the booking and tell you when they got out. For more detailed info on past arrests, you may need to submit a written request. Staff can send you printed records if you need them for background checks, court, or legal matters. Some records may have fees for copies or processing time. Ask staff what the current fee schedule is when you make your request.
Booking and Release in Montrose
When someone is arrested in Montrose, they go to Montrose County Jail for booking. Montrose Police Department transports arrestees to the jail. Booking includes fingerprints, a mugshot, a medical check, and a criminal history search. This process can take two to six hours. Staff enter the person's name and charges into the system, which creates the Montrose jail roster entry. The public can then ask about the arrest by calling the sheriff's office. For the most current info, call the jail directly and ask about a recent arrest.
Bond is set by a judge or commissioner. For common offenses, there is a bond schedule, so the person knows the amount right after booking. For serious crimes, the person waits for a bond hearing, which usually happens within 48 hours. To find out bond amounts, call the sheriff's office and ask. To post bond, pay cash at the jail, use a bondsman, or arrange other methods allowed by the court. Cash bonds get returned after the case ends if the person makes all court dates. Bondsmen charge a fee (10 to 15 percent) that you do not get back. Some people in Montrose use bondsmen because they do not have enough cash to cover the full bond amount set by the court.
Release can take a few hours after bond is posted. The jail must process paperwork and confirm payment before letting the person go. Once released, the person still has court dates at the Montrose County courthouse. If they miss a date, the bond is forfeited and a warrant goes out. You can call the sheriff's office again to see if the person got re-arrested. The new entry will show up in the jail roster as a warrant arrest or failure to appear. Montrose residents should know that missing court can result in a warrant and a new arrest within hours or days.
Some inmates are released on personal recognizance bonds. This means they do not pay cash up front. Instead, they sign a promise to appear in court. This is common for minor offenses or first-time offenders. The judge decides at the bond hearing whether someone qualifies for a PR bond. If granted, the person walks out of Montrose County Jail without paying, but they still owe the full bond amount if they skip court. Montrose residents with good community ties and no prior failures to appear are more likely to get PR bonds from the judge.
Inmate Services in Montrose
Montrose County Jail offers several services for inmates and their families. Visitation, phone calls, and mail are the main ways to stay in touch with someone in the Montrose jail roster. All of these services have rules you must follow. Break the rules and you may lose access to the inmate for a while. Contact the jail directly to learn the current rules before you try to visit or send anything to an inmate.
Visitation happens at the jail in Montrose. You must be on the inmate's approved visitor list before you show up. To get approved, the inmate submits a request to jail staff with your name and info. Staff check your background and either approve or deny the request. This can take a few days. Once approved, you can schedule a visit by calling the jail. Visits last 20 to 30 minutes in most cases. Dress appropriately and follow all rules. Staff can end a visit early if you break any rules during the visit. No physical contact is allowed in most housing units. Some visits may be by video instead of in person, depending on the inmate's housing classification.
Inmates can make phone calls but cannot receive them. They use the jail phone system to call out. All calls are collect or pre-paid through a phone account. Family members set up the account online and add funds. Then the inmate calls using the account balance. All calls are recorded except calls to attorneys. Do not talk about the case or anything that could hurt the defense. Recorded calls can be used as evidence in Montrose County courts. The phone system is run by a third-party vendor, so you set up the account on their website, not the county website. Rates can be high, so many families add funds weekly or monthly to stay in touch with an inmate.
You can send mail to an inmate at Montrose County Jail. Contact the jail for the correct mailing address and any special rules. Do not send cash, checks, or gifts in the mail. Use the inmate commissary system to deposit funds. All mail is opened and inspected before inmates see it. Staff remove anything that breaks jail rules. Letters usually take one to three days to arrive if mailed from Colorado. Out-of-state mail takes longer to reach an inmate on the Montrose jail roster. For faster communication, ask the jail if they offer an email system or video messaging. Some smaller jails in Colorado are adding these services.
Colorado Laws on Jail Records
Colorado law requires jails to keep daily records and make them public. This is in C.R.S. § 17-26-118. The statute says the keeper of each jail must maintain a record with the inmate's name, date of entrance, date of birth, race, ethnicity, gender, charges, bond amount, and release date. The record must be available to the public at all reasonable hours. This is why you can ask about the Montrose jail roster any time during business hours. The law also defines "confined inmate" to include anyone under jail supervision, even if they are in court, in transit, or at a hospital but would otherwise be in jail.
Colorado also has the Criminal Justice Records Act at C.R.S. § 24-72-301 et seq.. This law says "records of official action" are open unless sealed by a court. Arrest records, charging documents, and dispositions fall under this rule. Most arrest info is public, but agencies can withhold some details if they do a balancing test and decide the public interest is outweighed by privacy or safety concerns. In practice, the basic info you get when you call about the Montrose jail roster is almost always public. For more detailed records, submit a public records request to the Montrose County Sheriff's Office under Colorado's Open Records Act. Some records may have fees for copies or processing time.
Juvenile records are not public. If someone under 18 is in Montrose County Jail (which is rare), they will not appear in the roster. Colorado law at C.R.S. § 19-1-304 keeps juvenile records sealed except in limited situations. Most juveniles go to a separate juvenile detention center, not the adult jail. If you cannot find a young person when you ask about the Montrose jail roster, they may be in the juvenile system instead or held at a specialized facility for young offenders.
Nearby Cities in Colorado
Other Colorado cities with jail roster pages include Grand Junction, Pueblo, Denver, and Colorado Springs. Some of these are a longer drive from Montrose, but they serve as regional hubs for jail records. If you are looking for someone arrested in western Colorado, check each city's page to find the right jail roster and county facility.
Grand Junction Jail Roster Pueblo Jail Roster Denver Jail Roster
Montrose County Jail Roster
Montrose is in Montrose County, and all bookings go through Montrose County Jail. The county handles arrests for about 42,000 residents. For more on the county jail system, visitation rules, inmate programs, fees, and how to request records, visit the Montrose County jail roster page.