Bedford County Arrest Records

In Bedford County, law enforcement agencies and private persons may arrest and detain suspects in accordance with the Tennessee Rules of Criminal Procedure. Usually, these arrests are made by local peace officers upon witnessing a crime, after warrants are issued, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that someone committed a felony or other deserving offense.

Thereafter, arrested persons may be questioned, fingerprinted, released, or booked into the Bedford County Jail to await arraignment or court appearance. Additionally, these procedures are recorded by the arresting agency or holding facility and may be sent into a statewide criminal information database or to other criminal justice agencies. Hence, arrest information may be available at local law enforcement agencies or included in jail rosters, DA records, and Bedford County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Bedford County?

Yes, Bedford County arrest records are mostly public, as provided by the Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA). As such, any citizen of Tennessee may request to inspect or obtain copies of these documents from record custodians as long as access is not prohibited by state law, federal law, common law, or court rules. Records restricted from public access may include:

• Juvenile arrest records
• Records relating to ongoing investigations
• Sealed or expunged records
• Certain non-conviction records
• Motor vehicle records.

Agencies may also provide discretionary access to non-citizens, provide copies of documents after removing sensitive information, or provide access if public interests outweigh the need for privacy. Otherwise, persons who wish to access exempted records must be granted a special right to access such records by law or court order.

Bedford County Arrest Statistics

Arrest statistics from the FBI Crime Data Explorer showed that the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office recorded 358 female arrests and 864 male arrests in 2022. The most recurrent Group A arrests for that year included simple assaults (101), drug/narcotic violations (55), aggravated assaults (32), and DUIs (30).

However, in 2023, the same office recorded an increase in arrests, with 440 female arrests and 1,013 male arrests. Group A offenses with the most arrests included drug/narcotic violations (125), simple assault (113), disorderly conduct (39), aggravated assault (26), and DUIs (24).

Similarly, the five-year arrest trend (from 2019 to 2023) revealed that the most recurrent Group A crimes were simple assaults, drug/narcotic violations, DUIs, aggravated assaults, and disorderly conduct, in descending order.

Find Bedford County Arrest Records

To find records of arrests in Bedford County, record seekers may direct requests to the local police department, Sheriff’s Office, or other law enforcement agency that carried out the arrest. If the arrested person was booked into the Bedford County Jail, booking or inmate information may be accessible upon requests to:

Bedford County Sheriff’s Office
Bedford County Justice Complex
110 Northcreek Drive,
Shelbyville, TN 37160
Phone: (931) 684-3232 (Sheriff)
Phone: (931) 684-4566 (Jail)

Record seekers may also perform inmate searches online with tools provided by the Tennessee Department of Correction or the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Users may view profiles of current or released inmates incarcerated in state or federal prisons by providing inmate numbers, names, or other descriptions.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrests will show on one’s criminal history record unless expunged after successful petitions. In line with Tennessee Expungement Laws, the following may qualify for expunction at any time after disposition:

• Arrest without charges
• Dismissed charges
• Nolle prosequi
• No true bill by a grand jury
• Not-guilty verdicts.

Certain diversion programs, misdemeanors, or lower-class felony convictions may also qualify for expunction if non-violent and non-sexual in nature. However, an extended waiting period and additional fees may apply.

Petitions will be granted at the court’s discretion. Hence, not all petitions may be expunged. Furthermore, while the court will send the expunction order to relevant agencies, this only makes the petitioner’s criminal record confidential and does not destroy the record completely.

Bedford County Arrest Warrants

Bedford County arrest warrants are written orders issued by a magistrate or clerk for the arrest of persons who fail to appear after summons or who are suspected of committing a crime. This process begins when someone files an affidavit of complaints in a county court along with supporting documents that establish probable cause that the defendant committed the offense(s).

In line with state laws, the arrest warrant (when issued) shall contain:

• The issuing body’s signature
• The defendant’s name or identifying details
• Issuing county
• Offense description
• Order for arrest and court appearance.

Do Bedford County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Yes, misdemeanor arrest warrants in Bedford County expire five years after issuance. Therefore, if the warrant is not executed before this period ends, it will become invalid and be destroyed from the record. However, felony warrants may never expire and remain active unless served, returned, or recalled by the issuing body.