Released Inmate Mugshots as Public Records
A booking photo is part of the arrest and booking record, but La Plata County does not publish a public recent-release photo feed in the sources reviewed. The local proof that a booking photo can be requested is the Sheriff's Office records-release form, which includes a Booking Sheet/Mugshot checkbox. Colorado's criminal justice records framework also recognizes records of official action, including pretrial or posttrial release from custody, but that does not guarantee that every image or report is released without review.
Expect the Sheriff's Office to apply criminal justice records rules, identification requirements, fees, closure status, redaction, and other restrictions. A person leaving the jail does not make the photo disappear from every government record, but it also does not create a public county mugshot wall.
Where a Released La Plata County Inmate's Mugshot Appears
The official and secondary channels are different. Use the table to separate a local jail booking photo from a state prison photo, registry image, or news image.
| Channel | Has Photo? | How to Access |
|---|---|---|
| La Plata County recent-release feed | No feed found | The county inmate-search page routes county custody checks to VINELink rather than a local photo table. |
| Sheriff records request | Requestable category | Use the records-release form and select Booking Sheet/Mugshot, with identifying details and photo ID. |
| Sheriff mobile app | None found | No official La Plata County sheriff or jail app publishing release mugshots was found in the reviewed sources. |
| CDOC Offender Search | Possible for state cases | Use CDOC only when the person entered Colorado state prison or state parole, not for a local bond-out only. |
| CBI sex offender registry | Possible for qualifying registrants | Use the CBI registry only for qualifying registration records; it is not a general released-inmate mugshot source. |
| Local news | Occasional context | News may publish jail-related images or release reporting, but it is not a complete booking-photo archive. |
| Commercial mugshot or data-broker sites | Not recommended | Do not treat these as official sources. Verify any claim against county, court, CDOC, registry, or federal records. |
The Sheriff Roster and Mobile App
The La Plata County inmate-search page reviewed for this project does not publish a local roster photo table or recent-release mugshot feed. It sends county jail custody checks to VINELink. The reviewed sheriff pages also did not identify an official La Plata County sheriff mobile app or jail app that posts booking photos or release mugshots.
For recent releases, this means the photo path is not a roster scrape. Use Jail Releases: 24 Hours for the same-day status workflow, then request the booking sheet or mugshot from sheriff records if the image itself is needed and legally releasable.
Requesting a Booking Photo
The Sheriff's Office Records Department is the strongest local source for a La Plata County jail booking photo. The records page lists the department at 283 Girard Street, Durango, CO 81303, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., phone 970-247-1157, and fax 970-259-4595. The county CORA / CCJRA page says criminal justice records including arrest and jail information use the Application for the Release of Public Records form.
- Use the Sheriff's Office records-release form and select Booking Sheet/Mugshot.
- Include the person's full name, date of birth if known, approximate booking date, incident number or court case number if known, and the record sought.
- Be prepared to show photo identification. The records page says only closed criminal reports can typically be released to the public.
- Expect fees where applicable. The sheriff records page lists hard copies at $0.25 per page and staff time at $41.37 per hour. The county CORA / CCJRA page lists incident reports at $7.50 for the first five pages and $0.25 for each additional page, with possible extra research cost.
- If the office contacts you to clarify scope, respond promptly. The records page says unanswered clarification contact for ten business days can close the request and require a new one.
For the larger release-record workflow, use Home to reconcile sheriff records with court, CDOC, VINELink, and supervision sources.
Third-Party Sites and News Sources
Commercial mugshot, people-search, and data-broker pages are not official La Plata County sources and should not be used as the primary proof of release, custody, or identity. This site does not endorse them and does not link to them. If one of those pages appears in search results, verify the underlying claim against sheriff records, court records, CDOC, VINELink, BOP, ICE, or the CBI registry as appropriate.
Local news can be useful as context, not as a complete photo source. The research file notes a Durango Herald report about a 2018 capacity-driven release of 19 low-level offenders after a judicial order, but that kind of reporting is event-specific and does not replace the official records process.
Removing a Mugshot and the Effect of Sealing
Colorado public-facing court resources generally use record sealing language for adult criminal records. The Colorado Judicial Branch says sealing hides criminal records from public view while the records still exist and may remain available to some law enforcement agencies or authorized organizations. CBI lists court-ordered sealing channels and statutes for arrest and criminal justice records. If a court seals a qualifying case, the practical next step is to use the court or CBI process and then ask the relevant record holder about the sealed record's public availability.
The research did not locate a current official Colorado government page that clearly summarizes a live anti-pay-to-remove mugshot-removal statute for private sites. For that reason, this page avoids promising removal rights against private websites. For official records, use the court, CBI, sheriff, or agency process that controls the record.
Booking Sheet and Mugshot Requests
La Plata County's actual mugshot policy signal is the Sheriff's Office form, not a public mugshot wall. The form includes Booking Sheet/Mugshot and Records of Official Action as selectable request types, while the public inmate-search page reviewed for this project does not publish a booking-photo release feed. Lead with that records request, then verify whether the case is closed and whether the image is releasable after review.
CDOC and Registry Photos
CDOC Offender Search is a state-prison and parole channel. It may show state offender information and a photo for a person who moved from a La Plata County case into CDOC custody, but it does not cover a person who only bonded out or completed a local jail stay. The CBI sex offender registry is also limited. CBI says it does not post information for people convicted only of misdemeanor sex offenses or juveniles adjudicated for sex crimes, and La Plata County directs qualifying local registration forms to the ATI office at 742 Turner Drive.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation registry agreement is an official source for the registry's limits and qualifying-photo channel.
Use the registry only for qualifying registration records, never as a general La Plata County released-inmate mugshot list.