While it’s reassuring to see so many websites on the net posting Public Arrest Records for people’s awareness and information, it’s also disturbing to note the rate of occurrence of such incidents. These reports send informative and cautionary messages simultaneously to both the public and potential delinquents alike. They can also be individually retrieved for its own specific purpose.

Arrest Reports are official documentation of arrests made by enforcement authorities that result in detention or confinement. They comprise a list of all the offenders arrested, their personal particulars, details of the incidents and the resultant charges if any. On its own, each individual report forms part of the arrestee’s criminal records.

Public Arrest Reports are mostly generated by the Police although there are other government agencies which are also authorized to do so. As a result, they are also known as Public Police Reports. Police come under state jurisdiction so there may be variations between the states but by and large, the function in regards to Public Arrest Reports is tasked to the respective individual Police Departments.

After an arrest has been completed, a report is put up by the arresting agency to document the incident. It is then submitted to the Case Intake Prosecutor assigned to it for further action. The report basically recites the entire event of the arrest furnished with all the pertinent details where possible such as the personal particulars of the arrestee, the time and place of the incident, case number and type, grounds of arrest, witnesses’ names and addresses and even environmental conditions such as weather.

Police Department and Sheriff Office Websites routinely post recent Public Arrest Records as a public service. They are updated at different frequencies which are determined by the individual agency but weekly intervals seem to be the most widely adopted. Such Public Arrest Records list the arrests on group basis by time periods within a specific locality of coverage. Historical Criminal Records are often attached in the case of electronic postings on internet websites.  

 Search Public Arrest Records Database

The primary purpose of Public Arrest Reports is to document those incidents on record. Being effectively an official statement, it is also often used as evidence or substantiation to make charging decision by the Prosecutor or Grand Jury. Although it is well known that Public Arrest Records are almost always one-sided, it will still have a strong bearing upon the Prosecutor in his willingness to plea bargain, trial tactics and case approach.  

Public Arrest Records are Public Records which are mandated by law as a right to anyone to retrieve. As such, they can be requested from government agencies which are tasked with the function. Not unlike most public services, there are procedures to follow and lead-time to wait through. That’s why if time is of the essence, people turn to commercial record providers which can deliver in a matter of minutes.