Shelby County Arrest Records

Generally, arrest records are official documents that describe the circumstances under which law enforcement takes an individual into custody. In Shelby County, TN, and other parts of the United States, an arrest may become necessary if:

• A law enforcement officer observes an individual commit a crime
• There is probable cause
• There is an arrest warrant on a person
• There is a bench warrant for the arrest of a person who fails to appear before a magistrate/judge.
• An individual poses a threat to public safety.
• There is a serious violation of the traffic ordinance. For instance, law enforcement can arrest an individual for driving under the influence or Driving While Intoxicated.

In Shelby County, the following law enforcement agencies generate arrest records as part of their official documents while carrying out their duties:

• The Shelby County Sheriff's Office
• Memphis Police Department
• Tennessee Highway Patrol
• Municipal police departments
• Federal law enforcement agencies (these include the FBI, DEA, and the ATF).

Law enforcement agencies in Shelby County, TN, hold detainees and inmates at the following jails and correctional facilities.

• Shelby County Jail
• Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County Detention Services
• Municipal detention facilities
• Memphis Police Department Holding Facilities.

Shelby County, TN, arrest records are part of the wider Shelby County court records. Typically, Shelby County arrest records provide introductory information for trial cases within the county's courts.

Are Arrest Records Public in Shelby County?

Yes, Shelby County arrest records are public documents. Per Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503, custodians of public records that are not specifically exempt from disclosure must promptly make them available for inspection upon request by the public at reasonable times. Nevertheless, Tennessee laws do not grant access to

• Arrest records of minors
• sealed or expunged arrest records
• Arrest records that may interfere with ongoing investigations
• Arrest records whose public access may pose security risks
• Information that breaches state or federal privacy and confidentiality laws.

To access publicly exempted arrest records in Shelby County, an individual must have legal authorization. For instance, juvenile arrest records are accessible to the following entities:

The juvenile named in the record

• The juvenile's parent or legal guardian
• Attorneys representing the juvenile
• Law enforcement agencies
• The courts
• Probation officers
• Certain social service agencies.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

An arrest record contains personal information of the arrestee, details of the arrest, and the agency executing the arrest. Typically, a Shelby County arrest record information includes:

• The arrestee's information, such as name, aliases, gender, race, and date of birth
• Time, date, and location of arrest
• The name of the arresting agency
• Charges against the arrestee
• Booking information (this includes mugshots, fingerprints, booking number and date)
• Bond Information
• Court details and dates (if applicable).

Shelby County Crime Rate

According to data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), larceny theft is the most consistent crime in Shelby County, TN. In 2022, larceny theft accounted for 62.52% of violent and property crimes reported by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, the Memphis Police Department, and the Shelby County Airport Authority. Also, larceny-theft crimes represent 69.91% of property crimes reported to the FBI by various law enforcement agencies in Shelby County, TN, in 2021. The table below shows the number of violent and property-related crimes reported by some law enforcement agencies in Shelby County for 2021 and 2022.

Data Source: FBI.

Shelby County Arrest Statistics

The FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data shows that 23,997 arrests were reported by the Memphis Police Department, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, the Memphis-Shelby Airport Authority, and the University of Memphis in 2022. In 2021, 21,713 arrests were reported to the FBI by some law enforcement agencies operating in Shelby County, TN. The table gives a breakdown of the arrests reported to the UCR program by various law enforcement agencies within Shelby County.

Data Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Find Shelby County Arrest Records

Arrest records seekers can use state or federal resources to look for information on Shelby County arrests. Shelby County arrest records are accessible through the Tennessee Felony Offender Information, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Criminal Background Checks, and Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Inmate Locator. To access Shelby County criminal records:

• Visit the Tennessee Department of Correction Felony Offender Information Page and search for arrest records.
• Log in to the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator Portal, and use a name or FBI or BOP number to look for arrest records.

Also, Shelby County arrest records may be available through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s background checks.

Free Arrest Record Search in Shelby County

There are several options for looking up arrest records for free in Shelby County. For interested persons, free access to Shelby County arrest records is available through the Shelby County Sheriff's Office website:

• Visit the Shelby County Sheriff's Office website and expand the drop menu
  • Scroll and click the Who's in Jail link to access the Inmate Lookup Portal
  • Use a name and date of birth, booking number, permanent number, or state identification number to access arrest records through Shelby County inmate records.
• Log in to the Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk General Sessions Criminal Justice System Portal
  • Register, sign in, and use your name, case number, or booking number to access arrest records through criminal records.
• Search for Shelby County arrest records on third-party websites. Some private websites provide access to Tennessee public records for free.

Get Shelby County Criminal Records

Criminal records are official documents that provide comprehensive details of individuals' criminal activities and interactions with the federal, state, or local justice system. In Shelby County, Tennessee, the following agencies are responsible for maintaining criminal records:

• Shelby County Sheriff's Office
• Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk's Office
• Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk's Office
• Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI)
• Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.

To access criminal records in Shelby County:

• Log in to the Shelby County General Sessions Criminal Justice Portal
  • Register an account and access criminal records in the possession of the Shelby County General Sessions Court
• Visit the Shelby County Sheriff's Office website and use the online Inmate Lookup tools to search for criminal records.
• Log in to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Felony Offender Information Page and search for Shelby County criminal records using online search tools.

Also, interested individuals can call or visit the Shelby County General Sessions or Criminal Courts Clerk's Offices at

201 Poplar Avenue,
Suite LL-81, Memphis,
TN 38103
Phone: (901) 222-3200, (901) 222-3400.

Shelby County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Shelby County arrest and criminal records are law enforcement records that play crucial roles in maintaining law and order within the county. Arrest and criminal records play vital roles in ensuring the security of the residents. However, there are differences in the scope, content of information, and purpose of arrest and criminal records.

Content

Arrest records provide information about an arrest, as well as the personal details of the owners, booking, and bond information. Criminal records encompass arrest records and other documents relating to the prosecution, sentencing, and incarceration of individuals.

Status

An arrest record does not confirm the guilt or innocence of an individual. On the other, a criminal record may confirm guilt or innocence.

Also, arrest records are part of criminal records. They provide information for the early stages of criminal trials.

Purpose

Law enforcement agencies use arrest records for investigative purposes. Criminal records provide comprehensive details of individuals’ criminal activities and can be used for background checks and tracking criminal activities.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

An arrest warrant may stay indefinitely on a Shelby County record if the owner of the record does not take legal steps to remove it. To remove an arrest from a record, the owner of the record must fulfill the requirements for arrest records expungement according to Tennessee laws. T.C.A. § 40-32-101 outlines the scenarios for removing arrests from records.

Expunge Shelby County Arrest Records

Per Section 40-32-101, an individual can expunge an arrest record if:

• The court dismisses the charges without a conviction
• A grand jury returns a “no true bill”.
• The arrest does not lead to a court case
• The jury returns a not guilty verdict on the case resulting from the arrest
• The owner of the record completes a pretrial or diversion program
• The arrests are for certain non-violent felonies or some first-time misdemeanor offenses.

In addition, there is a waiting period for expungement of arrest records in Tennessee. Typically, five years must elapse after the owner of the records completes the sentence for an offense before they can file for the removal of the arrest records. However, the law may waive the waiting period for non-violent or non-sexual offenses committed before November 1, 1989.

To seal an arrest record in Shelby County, do the following:

• Gather the necessary supporting documents that will aid the expunging of the arrest record (this includes criminal records and certificate of completion of a diversion program or probation if applicable)
• Download a Petition for Expungement Form from the Tennessee State Courts Website or obtain one from the Shelby County, TN Clerk's Office at

160 N Main St, Memphis,
TN 38103
Phone: (901) 722-2500

• Complete the expungement form, attach the supporting documents, and file a petition at Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk's Office at

201 Poplar Avenue, Suite LL-81,
Memphis,
TN 3810

• Serve a copy of the petition to the Shelby County, TN District Attorney’s Office (they have the right to accept or disagree with the expungement)
• Attend any court hearing relating to the petition to provide answers to questions that may arise during the court review of the petition.
• The court will decide on the petition. If the petition is successful, it will seal the arrest record and instruct the relevant agencies to review and update their databases.

Shelby County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are legal documents that grant law enforcement the authority to take individuals into custody. An arrest warrant empowers law enforcement to detain individuals and present them before a judge to defend themselves against charges for offenses they may have committed. A Shelby County judge/magistrate may issue an arrest warrant if an individual disobeys a court order or law enforcement provides evidence of a crime or the intention to commit a crime. Generally, warrant records include the following information:

• Name of the defendant (or the physical description if the name is unknown)
• The charges against the defendant
• Date and location of the offense
• The arresting agency
• Name and badge number of the arresting officer
• Name and signature of the issuing judge/magistrate
• Instructions on how to execute the arrest.

Shelby County Arrest Warrant Search

To search for Shelby County active warrants:

• Log in to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office website, expand the drop menu
  • Scroll down and click Warrant Search to access the Shelby County Sheriff's Office Warrants Information System
• Visit the Shelby County Criminal Court website
  • Navigate to the General Sessions Criminal Justice Portal
  • Use name and case number to look for case information (these may include active arrest warrants)
• Log in to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Most Wanted Page and look for active arrest warrants relating to Shelby County.

Also, information on court-issued Shelby County arrest warrants may be available through in-person visits to the Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk’s Office.

Do Shelby County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Shelby County arrest warrants do not expire. In Tennessee and other states in the U.S., arrest warrants remain active until law enforcement takes the defendant into custody. However, Shelby County arrest warrants will become inactive if the court recalls them or the subject dies.