Hamilton County Arrest Records

Hamilton County arrest records are official documents that detail the circumstances related to a person's apprehension by law enforcement. Law enforcement agencies reserve the authority to arrest persons found committing a crime or who are alleged to have committed a crime. Various law enforcement agencies, such as the county sheriff's office and municipal police departments, may conduct arrests. Upon arrest, the arrested individual is held at the Hamilton County Jail. This jail serves as the primary detention facility for arrests made by the various police departments in the county.

Upon detention, the arrestee is booked, and their arrest record is created. Arrest records are created and maintained by the law enforcement agency that conducted a particular arrest, but they are generally available at the office of the Hamilton County Sheriff. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) also maintains an arrest records repository. An arrest record typically includes the subject's name, physical description, date of birth, the nature of the crime that led to the arrest, the date and time of the arrest, booking details, and the arresting agency.

Arrest records constitute part of an individual's criminal record and are usually required during criminal court proceedings. As such, they are public records and may be found among Hamilton County court records. Note that having an arrest record on a person does not imply guilt; it only indicates that a person was taken into custody based on probable cause.

Are Arrest Records Public in Hamilton County?

Yes. Under the Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA), Hamilton County arrest records are public and are subject to disclosure to interested parties. However, certain limitations and exceptions apply to the public availability of these records to maintain fairness in the administration of justice and to ensure non-disclosure of information that could threaten a person's life or general safety:

• Identifying juvenile information
• Sensitive personal information such as social security numbers and medical information
• Expunged or sealed records
• Records related to pending investigations
• Records or portions of records that may tamper with the integrity of an ongoing trial or investigation.

Despite the aforementioned details being non-public, record subjects, their attorneys, and other authorized parties may access them.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The following content of arrest records is generally available to interested members of the public:

• Arrestee's full name (this may include any known aliases)
• Name of the arresting agency
• Arrestee's age or date of birth
• Arrestee's address
• The crime that led to the arrest and its classification
• Booking information, including the location, time, and date
• Physical descriptors of the arrestee, including gender, height, race, eye and hair color, and tattoos.

Hamilton County Crime Rate

According to the 2019 report released by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office (HCSO), the most prevalent crimes in the county in the said year were murder, assault, robbery, and rape. The report showed a significant decrease in murder cases in 2019 compared to 2018. With a single murder recorded in 2019, 2018 recorded five murder cases.

Aggravated assault cases increased slightly from 178 in 2018 to 187 in 2019, representing a 5.06% rise. Simple assault cases increased from 508 in 2018 to 524 in 2019. This showed a 3.15% rise. Similarly, intimidation cases increased by 3.45% from 58 to 60, while stalking cases increased by 7.14% from 14 to 15.

While rape cases decreased from 19 to 11 between 2018 and 2019, general sexual offense cases saw a notable increase from 23 to 32, representing a 39.13% rise. Robbery cases remained stable, with only ten incidents in 2018 and 2019. However, shooting incidents decreased by 33.3%, from six in 2018 to four in 2019.

Hamilton County Arrest Statistics

The TBI's Tennessee Incident-Based Reporting System (TIBRS) publishes an annual report of crime and arrest statistics. According to the 2022 report, Hamilton County law enforcement made 3,178 arrests.

Arrests made for drugs and narcotics were the highest, with 331 cases. Arrests made for aggravated assault and simple assault were 70 and 162, respectively. There were 54 arrests for property crime, including 24 arrests for burglary, two arrests for arson, and 28 arrests for motor vehicle theft. There were 14 arrests for weapon law violations. Compared to the previous year, 2021, which had a total of 3,969 arrests, there was a notable drop of 19.91%. In both years, there was only one juvenile arrest.

Find Hamilton County Arrest Records

Local arrests in Hamilton County are made by the office of the Hamilton County Sheriff and the police departments of the various smaller municipalities located within the county. These entities equally maintain records on all arrests made by their officers. As such, inquirers should query the specific police department that conducted an arrest, either in person (with a valid ID) at the station or by using contact information available on their various websites.

Arrest records maintained by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office are available online. The procedures for obtaining arrest records in person vary with different agencies and may require a fee. It generally involves completing a request form and filing it with the records unit of the involved agency.

For arrests made by a federal agent, inquirers should address their requests to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The FBI will likely hold the suspect in federal custody before arraignment before a court. For an online search, an inquirer may use the Federal Inmate Locator, which is searchable by name or number.

Occasionally, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may arrest a resident of Hamilton County. To find information on such arrestees, inquirers should search the Online Detainee Locator System. If the information is unavailable on this portal, contact a local field office or, if known, the specific ICE facility where the person is held.

Free Arrest Record Search in Hamilton County

The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office offers various online resources for free arrest record searches. The Inmate Search Result Page, provided by this office, furnishes a searcher with information about arrested persons. The information featured on this website includes the arrestee's full name, date of birth, court date, bond amount, and presiding judge, among others.

If a searcher knows an inmate's last name or SPN number, they can use it to search for arrest information on the Inmate Info page. The sheriff's office also provides a searchable booking report online, where interested parties can find details of arrested individuals booked within the last 30 days. Alternatively, one may find arrest records for free by using third-party websites.

Get Hamilton County Criminal Records

Hamilton County criminal records, or criminal history records, provide detailed histories of people's interactions with the criminal justice system. A person's criminal record covers details found in their arrest record and other information about their involvement in criminal activities, such as charges filed against them, sentences, probation/parole information, court dispositions, etc.

A statewide criminal record search covers the criminal history of persons living in Hamilton County. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is the central repository of criminal history information in the state and is responsible for facilitating public access upon request. Information obtainable from this agency comprises only felony and misdemeanor crimes. Anyone may request a criminal record search on a person of interest. The TBI charges a non-refundable fee of $29 for each record request.

Hamilton County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

An arrest record documents an individual's apprehension by law enforcement but does not necessarily indicate guilt or conviction. Details contained in an arrest record are limited to a person's name, the filed charges, physical descriptions of the arrested individual, and sometimes, photographs and fingerprints.

On the other hand, criminal records encompass a person's criminal history, providing more in-depth information on their interaction with the criminal justice system and their involvement in criminal activities. A criminal record typically contains information about the various arrests associated with the record's subject, the charges filed, convictions, imposed penalties, and sentences.

Arrest records are part of a person's criminal record. While arrest records are limited to the filed charges, criminal records provide further details on the outcome of any criminal litigation in which the record's subject is named, including whether or not the person named in the record was found guilty.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. Tennessee laws do not expressly state a specific timeframe within which arrests stay on a person's records. Note that various agencies maintain arrest records in Hamilton, such as the records divisions of various police departments and the county sheriff's office. The duration of the stay of arrests on a person's records depends on various factors, including the type of case at hand and the associated law enforcement agency. Upon fulfilling any eligibility requirements, a record's subject may apply for expungement or sealing of records.

Expunge Hamilton County Arrest Records

Eligibility for expungement of arrest records in Hamilton County varies, depending on factors such as a person's criminal history, the nature of the offense, and the outcome of the case. For example, a person who has been convicted of no more than five felonies. The person must wait for a specific time upon completion of any associated sentence, depending on the case classification. For example, one year for misdemeanors and three years for felonies.

To expunge a record, complete an expungement application form or its equivalent as it applies to the associated record custodian. Forms from the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts are downloadable online. This office charges a $50 filing fee for arrests that led to a conviction; there is no fee for arrests that did not lead to a conviction. Filing usually involves submitting relevant paperwork, such as court documents and an arrest report. This is usually followed by a service of notice and a court hearing where a judge reviews the expungement petition. If the judge grants the expungement, the court issues an order to expunge the associated arrest record and notifies law enforcement agencies to remove the records from their databases.

Hamilton County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a written document issued by a magistrate or judge to grant law enforcement authority to take a suspect into custody. In Tennessee, the statutes of limitation apply to the execution of arrest warrants. For example, law enforcement can only effect an arrest between 7 AM and 10 PM. Note that arrest warrants do not apply when a person is pulled over for a traffic violation or commits a crime in the presence of a law enforcement official. An arrest warrant typically contains the following information:

• The name of the suspect
• The time the warrant was issued
• The alleged crime
• The date on which the warrant was issued
• The city of issuance
• The name and signature of the issuing judge or magistrate
• An execution clause
• The bail amount.

Hamilton County Arrest Warrant Search

Interested parties may find active warrants by contacting the Sheriff's Office or visiting a court or police station in the jurisdiction where the warrant was issued. Requesting parties must provide a valid means of identification upon request at the office.

For remote searches, one may visit the Open Warrant Search portal to search for a suspected individual or view a full list of active warrants issued in Hamilton County. To search this database, one must possess the full name. Search results can be further narrowed using a warrant number or street name. Information obtainable from searches includes:

• The warrant number.
• The date of issuance.
• The charges.
• The subject's full name and date of birth.
• Their last known address.

Do Hamilton County Arrest Warrants Expire?

It depends. Arrest warrants issued in Hamilton County and other jurisdictions within Tennessee have a validity period of 10 days, after which they expire. However, if an arrest authorized by a warrant is not made within this period, the issuing judge may reissue another warrant. The judge may continue to reissue the warrant until the individual named in it is apprehended.