Covington County Arrest Records

Under the Alabama Rules of Criminal Procedure (Rules 3 and 4), law enforcement officers are authorized to arrest individuals with or without a warrant. Arrests without a warrant are permitted when officers have probable cause to believe a person has committed a felony or when the offense occurs in their presence.

Following an arrest, the arresting officer transports the suspect to the Covington County Jail or the nearest police station. The officer then collects the suspect's mugshot, fingerprints, and personal information. They also prepare an arrest report and enter the details into the Covington County Sheriff's Office database. The suspect is then brought before a judge to determine whether or not they are guilty of the charges. Related judicial proceedings are documented within Covington County court records and are available to members of the public.

Are Arrest Records Public in Covington County?

Yes. The Alabama Open Records Law (AL Code§ 36-12-40) gives every resident the right to inspect and copy arrest records. All law enforcement agencies in Covington County are mandated, per this law, to release arrest records to members of the public. However, records about juveniles and ongoing investigations are restricted to a selected few. Additionally, any arrest record whose disclosure would endanger a person's life or safety will not be open to the public.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The following information can be commonly found in public arrest records maintained by law enforcement officers in Covington County:

• The offender's mugshot, full name, race, sex, height, and weight
• Hair and eye color, aliases, and birth year,
• AIS number, institution name, admit date, and total term
• Time served, jail credit, release date, parole status, and parole consideration date
• Case number, sentence date, offense, pre-time served, and commit county

Covington County Arrest Statistics

Of the 131,249 arrests made in Alabama in 2023, 1,059 occurred in Covington County. That same year, adult arrests totaled 1,030, while juvenile arrests totaled 29. About 147 of the arrests were Part I, while 912 were Part II arrests.

Find Covington County Arrest Records

As of September 2024, the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) had about 21,022 offenders housed in its 28 facilities. Record seekers may visit any of these facilities to obtain copies of Covington County arrest records for a fee. The staff would need basic information about the desired record to process the request. The ADOC also has an Inmate Search portal where individuals can find arrest information of Covington County offenders at no cost. The search criteria required to use this portal are the inmate's name or AIS number.

Federal law enforcement agencies like the United States Capitol Police (USCP), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) disseminate arrest records to individuals. These agencies provide various record search options online, and process requests made by mail, in person, and through third-party vendors. However, not all federal law enforcement agencies provide public access to their arrest records. For example, the FBI issues arrest records online, by mail, or through approved channelers to subjects of records.

Free Arrest Record Search in Covington County

The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) has a database where individuals can easily find Covington County arrest records for free. To conduct the search, users would need to know the offender's name or AIS number. Inquirers can also get arrest records for free by calling the Covington County Jail at (334) 428-2640. The staff will require the requester to provide some information to facilitate the search.

Alternatively, record seekers can utilize portals of third-party vendors to conduct free arrest record searches. Users will need a name or arrest details to perform a search. The portals will return basic arrest information sufficient to identify the record. Users in need of detailed arrest reports can expect to pay a small fee.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

When a person is arrested for a crime in Covington County, the arresting law enforcement agency creates a criminal record. The offender's arrest information will remain on record for the rest of their lives. However, arrest records can be removed from public disclosure through expungement.

Expunge Covington County Arrest Records

Alabama Code § 15-27 allows for the expungement of arrest records when individuals meet the specified eligibility criteria. Before filing for expungement, eligible applicants must first obtain certified copies of their criminal history records from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). Afterward, they can attach the criminal history record with a completed Petition for Expungement of Records Form and file it with the Covington County Circuit Clerk. Upon filing, the form will be served on the District Attorney, who has 45 days to file an objection to the petition. The judge approves or denies the request for expungement with or without a hearing. The judge will sign the Order of Expungement if the petition for expungement is approved.

Covington County Arrest Warrants

According to Ala. R. Crim. P. 3.1, a judge or magistrate will issue an arrest warrant based upon an indictment, complaint, or finding probable cause. The warrant must contain the following information (Ala. R. Crim. P. 3.2):

• The issuing judicial official's signature
• The name of the offense committed by the defendant
• The defendant's name or any name or description that would help identify the defendant if the name is unknown.
• An order to arrest the defendant and bring them before the issuing judge or magistrate or the nearest or available judicial officer in Covington County.

Ala. R. Crim. P. 3.3 states that any law enforcement officer in Alabama can execute an arrest warrant. A warrant is typically executed by the defendant's arrest. The officer executing the arrest warrant must endorse the date and manner of execution and their name on the warrant. Then, they must return the warrant to the Covington County Clerk of Court specified in the warrant.

Do Covington County Arrest Warrants Expire?

A Covington County arrest warrant remains active until it is executed or canceled by the issuing judge. Anyone with unresolved warrants should expect to be arrested by any law enforcement officer, even during routine traffic stops. For this reason, it is crucial to resolve any outstanding arrest warrants promptly.