The Wake County Detention Center serves as the primary booking facility for all arrests within the county. Operated by the Wake County Sheriff's Office, the facility processes bookings from the Raleigh Police Department, the Cary Police Department, the Wake County Sheriff's Office, campus police at NC State University, and numerous other law enforcement agencies operating within the county's boundaries.

Wake County provides an online inmate search tool that allows the public to look up current detainees by name. The system displays booking photos, charges, bond amounts, and projected release dates. Records are typically available within hours of a booking being completed.

About Wake County

Wake County has experienced extraordinary population growth over the past two decades, surpassing Mecklenburg County to become North Carolina's most populous county. The county is anchored by Raleigh and forms the western point of the Research Triangle, alongside Durham and Chapel Hill. Major employers include state government, NC State University, the Wake County Public School System (one of the largest in the Southeast), and a thriving technology sector anchored by the Research Triangle Park area.

The county includes fast-growing suburban communities such as Cary, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, and Wake Forest. This rapid suburban expansion has created diverse law enforcement needs, with multiple municipal police departments operating alongside the sheriff's office. Wake County's population is projected to continue growing, placing ongoing demands on detention and court facilities.