When a Wichita State student is arrested, on campus or off, the student is booked at the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility at 141 W Elm, about four miles southwest of the main campus. It does not matter whether the officer was from the WSU Police Department or Wichita Police. Two separate processes then start: the criminal case in a Wichita court, and the university’s own conduct process. This guide is for students and for parents who may be several hours or several states away.

Case Bail Bonds is at 705 N Broadway, three blocks from the jail. We answer at (316) 900-1667 all night.

On this page

• Who can arrest a student, and where do they go?
• The first 24 hours
• Can a student get out without paying?
• How can parents post bail from out of town?
• Common charges for college students
• What about the university?
• Frequently asked questions
• Call us from anywhere

Who can arrest a student, and where do they go?

The WSU Police Department describes itself as a commissioned law enforcement agency with an around the clock presence on campus. Its number is 316-978-3450. The Wichita Police Department’s Patrol North Bureau sits one block west of campus, so city officers are close too. Off campus, in Old Town or at an apartment near 17th and Hillside, the arresting agency is almost always Wichita Police.

Either way the next stop is the same. The Sheriff states that the county detention facility books inmates for all municipalities in Sedgwick County. There is no campus jail.

Lower level charges written under a city ordinance go to Municipal Court at City Hall, 455 N Main. Felonies and state charges go to the Sedgwick County Courthouse, 525 N Main. Our Wichita Municipal Court bond guide explains the difference.

The first 24 hours

1. Confirm the booking. Use the Sedgwick County inmate search or call the jail’s automated line at 316-660-5245. You need the legal name and date of birth.
2. Read the bond lines. Each charge has its own bond amount. The total is the sum. A line that reads $0.00 has several possible meanings, covered in what no bond means.
3. Ask about OR release. Some students are released on a signature with no money. See the next section.
4. Post the bond if one is set. A bondsman posts it in person at the jail.
5. Arrange the pick up. Our guide to a Sedgwick County Jail release covers ID, timing and property.
6. Write down the court date. It is on the release paperwork. Missing it forfeits the bond and brings a warrant.

One warning for the phone call from jail. The Sheriff states that all inmate calls are recorded and can be used as evidence. Talk about the bond and the ride home. Do not talk about what happened.

Can a student get out without paying?

Sometimes. Release on own recognizance, called an OR bond, costs nothing. The Sheriff’s rules require the person to live in the metro area, which the county defines as Sedgwick, Harvey, Butler, Sumner, Reno or Kingman County. People from out of state generally do not qualify unless a judge allows it.

That creates a gray area for students. A student from Tulsa or Kansas City, Missouri, who lives in Shocker Hall may carry a driver’s license with an out of state address. The booking sergeant decides. Proof of a Wichita address, such as a housing contract or lease, can help. Full rules are in OR bond in Sedgwick County.

A DUI arrest adds a wait. The person must be picked up by a sober adult or be held until the sergeant judges they can function alone, for up to four hours. More in DUI bail bonds in Wichita.

How can parents post bail from out of town?

You do not have to drive to Wichita in the middle of the night. Kansas law sets the rules a bondsman works under:

• The premium is at least 10% of the bond. On a $1,500 bond that is $150.
• At least half of that minimum must be paid before the bond is posted.
• K.S.A. 22-2809b allows payment by credit or debit card with an approval number, or by a completed bank or electronic transfer.
• The bondsman must be physically at the jail to sign. We are three blocks away.

As the parent you will usually be the cosigner. That means you guarantee the premium and the full bond if your son or daughter misses court. Read bail bond cosigner responsibilities first.

A student who is 18 or older is an adult. The jail does not call parents, and the university generally cannot share an adult student’s records with you. Your student has to make the call.

Common charges for college students

• Minor in possession of alcohol. Under K.S.A. 41-727, a person aged 18 to 20 who possesses or drinks alcohol commits a class C misdemeanor with a minimum fine of $200. The court also orders a driver’s license suspension: 30 days for a first conviction, 90 days for a second and one year for a third.
• DUI. A first conviction is a class B misdemeanor with at least 48 hours in jail or 100 hours of public service.
• Marijuana possession. Still illegal in Kansas. A first offense is a class B misdemeanor. See drug possession bail bonds in Wichita.
• Theft or shoplifting. Under $1,500 is a misdemeanor. See theft bail bonds in Wichita.

Kansas protects students who call 911 for a friend

The same alcohol statute gives immunity from a minor in possession charge to a person who calls law enforcement or emergency medical services for someone who needs medical help because of alcohol. The caller must give their name, stay at the scene and cooperate. The person who needed help is covered too. If a friend is passed out at a party, make the call.

What about the university?

Wichita State runs its own process through the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. The office states that university conduct matters are handled separately from any civil or criminal action, and that a violation of law can also be referred to the conduct system.

• The student gets a letter by email at their shockers.wichita.edu address about an informational meeting. Students are responsible for checking that inbox.
• At the meeting the student can give their side and ask questions.
• The office is in Shocker Hall, room A1060. The phone is 316-978-6681 and the hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

Getting released quickly matters here. A student sitting in jail misses class, exams and that email. Talk to a defense lawyer before the conduct meeting, because what is said there is not protected the way a conversation with a lawyer is.

International students should also contact the university’s international office and an immigration attorney before any plea.

Frequently asked questions

Will Wichita State find out about an off campus arrest?

It can. The conduct office accepts reports from anyone, and a violation of law can be referred to it.

Can a student be released to a parent?

An adult student is released on bond or on their own recognizance, not to a parent. A parent can cosign the bond and provide the ride.

What if the student has class or an exam on the court date?

Court comes first. Tell the professor early and keep the paperwork.

How long does release take after the bond is posted?

It varies with how busy the jail is. Case Bail Bonds reports an average of about 50 minutes on the bonds it posts.

Call us from anywhere

Case Bail Bonds is a family owned company run by Tyson and Rachel Case, both born and raised in Wichita. Call (316) 900-1667 or visit 705 N Broadway, Wichita, KS 67214.

Sources

• Wichita State University Police Department
• Wichita State University, Student Conduct and Community Standards
• Sedgwick County Sheriff, how to post bond for an inmate
• K.S.A. 22-2809b, compensated sureties, Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes
• K.S.A. 41-727, alcohol and persons under 21

This article is general information checked against the sources above in October 2026. It is not legal advice.