Dyer County Arrest Records

According to the Tennessee Criminal Code, an officer may make an arrest without a warrant or by a private person (TN Code § 40-7-103). This also states that an officer in Dyer County may arrest a person accused of a crime without a warrant if the officer has probable cause and the person does not provide evidence of identification.

After an arrest, the police will transport the arrestee to the Dyer County Jail for the booking process. This involves recording the arrestee's personal information, taking photographs and fingerprints, and documenting the charges. Once the booking process is complete, the defendant is held in custody until a bail hearing or initial court appearance.

The Dyer County Sheriff's Office keeps and provides records of all arrests in the county. If an arrest proceeds to trial, other information may be available to the public in Dyer County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Dyer County?

Yes. The Tennessee Public Records Act ensures that public records are open for inspection to any citizen of Tennessee except as otherwise provided by law. (TN Code. § 10-7-503(a)(2)(A)). This means that members of the public can submit requests to the right custodians in the county to view or obtain Dyer County arrest records.

However, the law also makes certain arrest records confidential and exempt from public disclosure in the county. The following are some examples of non-public arrest records (TN Code. § 10-7-504):

• Personal information contained in arrest records will be treated as confidential
• Identifying information such as the home and work addresses and telephone numbers, social security number, and any other information that could reasonably be used to locate the whereabouts of an individual
• Materials relating to an ongoing investigation
• Information related to the physical or mental health of an individual and that explicitly or by implication identifies the individual who is the subject of the information
• Sealed or juvenile records.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Dyer County Arrest Records contain the following information:

• The name, date of birth, age, and other personal details of the subject
• Physical description of the subject, such as height, weight, skin, hair, and eye color, and race
• Photograph and fingerprints
• Information on the arrest, including time, date, and arresting offense
• Type and description of the offense and charges involved
• Bail, bond, or warrant details.

Dyer County Arrest Statistics

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) publishes arrest reports in Tennessee. The statistics show that in 2019, 19,687 arrests were made for offenses from people under 18, and 321,922 arrests were made for offenses from people of all ages. For people under 18, the most prevalent arrests were for offenses like property crime (3,717), larceny-theft (2,379), and other assaults (4,059). For all ages, the total arrests from the most prevalent offenses were property crime (36,938), larceny-theft (11,824), and other assaults (31,568).

Find Dyer County Arrest Records

Individuals may contact the Dyer County Sheriff's Office in person to access specific incarceration records or mugshots on inmates in the county:

Dyer County Sheriff's Office
401 East Cedar Street
Dyersburg, TN 38024
Phone: (731) 285-2802

The Sheriff’s Office Jail Division also provides a public jail roster that allows the public to search for inmate information in the county.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) gives access to the location of federal inmates incarcerated from 1982 to the present. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) grants the public authority to request copies of federal inmate records. Anyone may search for an inmate using their full name or number.

The Tennessee Department of Correction also offers a search tool for individuals to access information on Tennessee felony offenders who have been in the agency's custody. The information on this site is made available by various jurisdictions within Tennessee. Each search result includes the individual’s current status, location, photo, and active sentences and is available to citizens free of charge. Individuals can perform a search using the inmate's name or TDOC number.

Free Arrest Record Search in Dyer County

Dyer County Sheriff's Office Investigation Division provides free public access to Dyer County Arrest Records. The division assists with high-risk arrest services, other manpower-intensive investigations, and suppression of criminal activities. Contact the office for further information:

Dyer County Sheriff's Office
401 East Cedar Street
Dyersburg, TN 38024
Phone: (731) 285-2802

Individuals may also access Dyer County arrest records from some third-party websites. It offers the benefit of easily accessing arrest information from any location across Tennessee without visiting the custodian in person. To access a record, requesters may search through tools made available on these sites using names, locations, or arrest numbers. The disadvantage of using these sites is that the available information may vary or be incomplete as their sources differ. Individuals may also need to pay a certain fee ($2 to $5) to access some of the information on a third-party site.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Dyer County, an arrest may remain on a record indefinitely and may be publicly available unless and until it is expunged.

Expunge Dyer County Arrest Records

Expungement, also known as expunction, is the process of removing a charge or charges from a criminal record (T.C.A. §40-32-101). In Dyer County, only certain criminal records can be expunged, and some cases can be expunged without any fees. Individuals may be eligible for free expungement if:

• All charges against the individual are dismissed.
• A ‘no true bill’ was returned by a grand jury.
• The individual is arrested and released without being charged.
• The individual went to trial, which resulted in a not-guilty verdict.
• The case resulted in a nolle prosequi (prosecution will not be pursued).
• An order of protection was successfully defended and denied by a court following a hearing.

To begin the expungement process, eligible individuals may file a request using the order for expungement form with the court clerk. Next, obtain a copy of the expungement and provide a self-addressed stamped envelope for each charge to be expunged. The criminal court clerk will mail a certified copy of the order expunging the record and a certified copy of the charging document in an envelope. All paperwork will then be sent to the judge and the right agencies for expungement.

Dyer County Arrest Warrants

Dyer County arrest warrants are written orders from the court to permit a person’s arrest. The magistrate will issue an arrest warrant if there is a valid legal reason to believe that the person on the arrest warrant has committed a crime. The court may use different factors to determine the person's involvement, including evidence collected during the original criminal investigation, eyewitness testimony, and other relevant information. The arrest warrant form should contain the name or description of the defendant, the county in which the warrant is issued, the offense charged, and the court clerk or magistrate’s signature.

Do Dyer County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Yes. However, there are various expiration dates for different cases. For instance, if an arrest warrant for a misdemeanor case has not been served, returned, or quashed within five years from the date of its issuance, the warrant shall be automatically terminated and removed from the records (TN Code § 40-6-206).