About the Sheriff's Office
Frequently Asked Questions about the Sheriff's Office
Questions and Answers
Sheriff's Office Official Shoulder Patches | Sheriff's Office Careers | Requests for the Sheriff | District SCSO Map | Jury Duty Questions | Was Elvis a Deputy? | Phone Number Blocking | How to post Bond | Send Letters to Inmates | Inmate Money | Inmate Property | Inmate Clothing | Inmate Release | Will the Sheriff's Office serve papers for me? | How do I have a tenant evicted? | Where do I go to take out a civil warrant? | What is a Sheriff's sale and when is it held? | Is the Sheriff’s Office responsible for removing furniture from a property prior to an eviction? | Links and Info About other TN Law Agencies | Find a TN Sheriff | State Law Enforcement Agencies | TN Government
R & I Processing Hours | What do I do for Misdemeanor processing? | How can I obtain a City Beer or Taxi Permit? | How can I get a copy of my Accident Report? | What forms of payment do you accept? | What are your fees for services?
How do I request a Shelby County Sheriff’s Office shoulder patch for my patch collection?
Simply email us a request for the patch. Be sure to include your mailing address. Only one patch per request please.
I am interested in a career with Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. How do I find out 
about job opportunities?
All job openings (Deputy Sheriff, Corrections Deputy, and Administrative positions) are posted at Shelby County Human Resources.
In order to be a member of SWAT or any other specialized law enforcement team you must first become a Deputy Sheriff. There are also several volunteer opportunities with the Sheriff’s Office. Find out more about volunteer opportunities here.
I received a notice for jury duty and have a question concerning rescheduling or being excused from jury duty. Who do I contact?
Please contact the Jury Commissioner, Clyde Carson, at 901-545-4065 for all questions regarding jury duty.
How can I block my phone number from receiving collect calls from the jail?
Call the telephone vendor (Evercom) at 1-800-947-0899 and request your phone number be blocked.
Was Elvis Presley really a Special Deputy for Shelby County Sheriff’s Office?
He sure was! Download his bonding commission here. 
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I would like for Sheriff Luttrell and/or another officer to speak at an event. How do I make this request?
Please contact the Sheriff’s Public Relations Office at: (901) 545-5686 or email the Public Relations office 
I am new to the area and am unfamiliar with the law enforcement districts and wards, is there a map I can view?
Yes, we have a large Shelby County Map available showing both Memphis City Law Enforcement Wards and also Shelby County Districts, this shows areas of recent city annexation as well. Download MAP here.
How do I send a letter to an inmate in jail?
Address the letter to:
- The inmate’s full name
- Booking number
- Floor and pod where housed if known
- 201 Poplar Ave.
- Memphis, TN 38103
All letters sent in to inmates must have a complete return address on them. Books (soft back) or magazines must come directly from the publisher(s).
How do I post bond?
The 24 hour court clerk’s office is also located in the Jail Annex visitation area. You may post a cash bond, or use the services of a licensed bonding company of your choice. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office does NOT make recommendations as to which bonding company you should use.
How long does it take for a person to get released?
There is no exact time. Many factors must be considered. Persons must be fingerprinted, photographed, warrants checks done, processed through NCIC, checked by medical staff, etc. The average processing time is less than 2 hours, however actual release time may be 3 to 6 hours after the release is ordered.
How do I put money on an inmate’s account?
A private company handles this. Inmate account offices are located in the visitation lobby of the Jail Annex. Money may be put in an inmate’s commissary account between the hours of 8:00AM and 7:00 PM seven days a week. Money orders may be put on an inmate's account. Make the money order payable to the inmate and his booking number shown. It can be placed on the payee line as well, as there is plenty of room. The booking number is important because of the number of inmates we have who share the same name.
A maximum of $200.00 may be left in a one week period CURRENCY ONLY. We do not accept checks.
How do I provide clothes for an inmate to wear to court?
Clothes for court appearances may be brought to the main lobby of the jail (Jail Annex) or Jail East. We accept clothes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Court clothes must be conservative. Tennis shoes will NOT be accepted. Inappropriate clothing for court appearance will not be accepted. (shorts, pants, clothes with multiple zippers, etc.)
How do I get an inmate’s property?
An inmate may release his property to anyone. The inmate must initiate the request. The inmate may request a “Property Release Form” from the pod officer. The completed form is then sent to Swanson’s office in the Jail Annex visitation area. When proper ID is presented, the property may be released. The property may NOT be released if the property is part of evidence or if law enforcement officers have placed a “hold” on the property.