Lee County Arrest Records

An arrest refers to the apprehension and detention of an individual accused of committing a crime. In Lee County, Alabama, as in many other jurisdictions, law enforcement officers are the primary persons authorized to carry out an arrest. A law enforcement officer can perform an arrest with or without a warrant. However, Section 15-10-7 of the Code of Alabama permits regular citizens to arrest individuals under certain conditions. A citizen's arrest can be performed if:

• The crime was committed in their presence.
• They have reasonable cause to believe a person has committed a felony crime.

The individual making a citizen's arrest must disclose the reason for the arrest to the alleged offender unless the detainee was apprehended while committing an offense or being pursued. Once the arrest is made, the citizen must promptly bring the detained person before a judge or magistrate or surrender them to law enforcement authorities.

Arresting police departments are the primary generators and custodians of the Lee County arrest records, which provide important information about an arrest incident. However, individuals can also find information about a person's arrest by reviewing the Lee County court records and other publicly accessible records retained by criminal justice agencies.

Are Arrest Records Public in Lee County?

Yes. Lee County arrest records are generally categorized as public records under the Alabama Open Records Act, codified in Section 36-12-40 of the Code of Alabama. This means that members of the public are free to access such records at will.

However, certain records or information are exempt from public perusal. Record restriction may be applied to protect an individual's privacy or identity, an ongoing investigation, or the safety and welfare of the public. Arrest information that typically falls under the confidential classification includes an arrestee's sensitive personal information, juvenile arrest records, and sealed or expunged arrest records.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The following information about a person arrested in Lee County is typically accessible to the public:

• The arrestee's personal information (full name, date of birth, race, and gender)
• Arrest date, time, and location
• The alleged charges
• The arresting officer's name/badge number
• A written statement by the arresting officer describing the incident
• Booking information
• Confinement/release status

Lee County Crime Rate

Local law enforcement agencies in Lee County are legally required to report all recorded crimes to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency through the state's Uniform Crime Reporting System. Members of the public can access this crime data on the Crime in Alabama website.

According to the crime data released on the Crime in Alabama website, Lee County witnessed 2,534 crime incidents in 2022, resulting in a crime rate of 5,586 per 100,000 persons. Of the offense total, 2,174 were property crimes, and 360 were violent crimes. Below is a breakdown of the specific crime types committed in Lee County that year:

• Larceny: 1,763
• Assault: 279
• Burglary: 268
• Motor Vehicle Theft: 143
• Rape: 34
• Robbery: 32
• Homicide: 15

Lee County Arrest Statistics

Data from the Crime in Alabama website reveals that 10,162 arrests were made in Lee County in 2022, representing a crime rate of 20,518 per 100,000 population.

Part I adult and juvenile arrests totaled 512 and 61, respectively. Part II adult arrests totaled 6,915, while Part II juvenile arrests totaled 140.

"Part I" and "Part II" are used to categorize crimes according to their gravity. Part I represents more serious crimes, like murder or aggravated assault, while Part II represents crimes with lesser severity, like vandalism or simple assault.

Find Lee County Arrest Records

Law enforcement agencies in Lee County are required to maintain records about individuals they have arrested. Interested persons can contact the arresting agency (if a city police department carried out the arrest) or the Sheriff's Office to request an arrest record. The inquirer must have a personal government-issued ID for identification and pertinent information about the arrestee. All in-person inquiries must be done during business hours. In-person requests at the Sheriff's Office can be made at:

1900 Frederick Road
Opelika, AL 36801
Phone: (334) 749-5651

Parties can also use the Sheriff's Inmate Search tool to find information about persons arrested and taken to the Lee County Detention Center. A search can be performed using a person's name.

Arrest information can also be accessed by obtaining a person's court record from the court having jurisdiction over the matter. An in-person search can be conducted at the courthouse or using other record retrieval methods.

Those looking for persons arrested in Lee County but sent to a state-run correctional facility can access the Alabama DOC Inmate Search tool to find an inmate. The Alabama Department of Corrections (DOC) is responsible for inmates at the state level. An inmate's Alabama Institutional Serial (AIS) number, first name, or last name can be used to search the system.

Researchers can also use the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Inmate Locator to look up federal inmates. A search requires an inmate's name, BOP register, DCDC, FBI, or INS number. Race, age, and sex filters can also be used for a name search.

Free Arrest Record Search in Lee County

In most cases, requesting an arrest record from a local custodian in Lee County comes at no expense to the requester. Lee County residents can obtain arrest information for free from local law enforcement agencies provided they have a valid ID and basic information about the arrestee.

Individuals can also utilize the services of commercial third-party vendors to obtain arrest records online. Several third-party vendors will grant their users access to some arrest information for free. Searches are usually conducted on these sites using the name of the subject of the record.

Get Lee County Criminal Records

A criminal record comprises a person's criminal history with law enforcement and the judicial system. The record contains information on the individual's arrests, charges, convictions, and any sentences imposed due to those convictions. Criminal records in Alabama are confidential. They can only be released to the subject of the record, law enforcement agencies, and employment and housing agencies with the consent of the record's subject.

Lee County residents can visit the Sheriff's Office during business hours on weekdays to perform a local background check for criminal records. The Sheriff's Office only processes requests for employment or housing purposes, so each request must include a signed waiver provided on the requesting agency's letterhead. The requester must also have a valid form of identification. This can include an Alabama driver's license, state-issued ID, or current passport. A local background check costs $3 payable only in cash.

Local background checks for the City of Auburn and Opelika residents should be done at the Auburn Police Department and Opelika Police Department, respectively.

Personal criminal history records can also be obtained from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) by completing the ALEA Application to Review Alabama History Record Information form. The completed form should be submitted alongside a copy of a valid ID, fingerprints, and payment (money order or cashier's check) to the ALEA. Requesters can obtain fingerprints at any local law enforcement department offering fingerprinting services. The application can be submitted in person at 301 South Ripley Street, Montgomery, AL 36104 (Adams Avenue side) or by mail at P.O. Box 1511, Montgomery, AL 36102-1511.

Each request costs $25 per copy and $5 for each additional copy requested simultaneously.

Individuals can also request a criminal background check on themselves through the FBI. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains a nationwide repository of criminal history records. Inquirers may request their criminal history information (or rap sheet as it is called in the department) online, by mail, or via an FBI-approved channeler. Each national criminal history record costs $18.

Lee County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

An arrest record in Lee County documents information about an arrest carried out by law enforcement. It serves as a formal record of the arrest event, containing only essential information related to the incident and nothing more. A Lee County criminal record, on the other hand, is more extensive. It contains a person's criminal history, including all arrests and further interactions with the criminal justice system that evolved from each arrest.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Like all other information in a person's criminal record, arrests are retained forever in the State of Alabama. These records are not automatically deleted after a certain time. However, Alabama law allows eligible individuals to petition a court to have their arrest record expunged (restricted).

Expunge Lee County Arrest Records

Individuals arrested in Lee County residents can petition to have the record expunged if eligible in line with Title 15, Chapter 27 of the Code of Alabama. A petition to expunge an arrest record is filed with the Lee County Circuit Court. A person is eligible to petition the court for the expungement of a misdemeanor or felony offense arrest record in any of the following conditions:

• The arrest charge was dismissed with prejudice more than 90 days prior.
• A grand jury returned a no-bill decision, and more than 90 days have elapsed.
• The court did not find the defendant guilty of the charge, and over 90 days have passed since then.
• The prosecutor dropped the case, the charges were not refiled, and it has been over 90 days.
• The indictment was dismissed, and the statute of limitations for refiling the charge, or the SOL for the charge itself, has already expired.
• The charge was dismissed after the defendant completed a drug court program, mental health program, diversion program, veteran's court program, or any other deferred prosecution program approved by the court. The petition can be made one year after the program's completion.
• For a felony: The charge was dismissed without prejudice for more than five years, was not refiled, and the defendant was not convicted of any other felony or misdemeanor crime during that time frame, except for minor traffic violations. For a misdemeanor: The charge was dismissed without prejudice more than a year ago, was not refiled, and the defendant was not convicted of any other felony or misdemeanor crime during the last two years, except for minor traffic violations.
• The person can prove to be a victim of human trafficking, that the crime was committed during that period, and that the crime would not have happened if the situation did not exist.

If an individual was convicted of the arrest charges, they may file a petition in any of the following circumstances:

• The conviction was not for a violent offense, sex offense, or serious traffic offense.
• The conviction has been more than three years (for misdemeanor crimes).
• The person was granted a certificate of pardon from the Board of Pardons and Paroles, which restored relevant civil and political rights. The certificate of pardon must have been issued for over 180 days before a petition can be filed.
• The committed crime does not involve moral turpitude (as defined in Ala. Code § 17-3-30), except if the crime was considered a felony at the time of the conviction but reclassified as a misdemeanor later on.

To apply for the expungement of an arrest record, the petitioner must complete a petition form stating their eligibility under state law, any previous petition for expungement, and other required information and submit it to the Lee County Circuit Clerk's Office. The petition must include a certified criminal record acquired from the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center. The petitioner must also serve the district attorney, arresting law enforcement agency, and court clerk's office of the jurisdiction where the records are sought to be expunged with a copy of the petition.

A petitioner may be granted an unlimited or restricted number of expungements depending on the nature of the offense committed. If an arrest record is expunged, the underlying incident is deemed to have never occurred. However, this does not mean the record will be physically destroyed. Government agencies and financial banking institutions may see the record under certain circumstances.

Lee County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant (also known as a writ of arrest in Lee County) is a document that authorizes law enforcement to arrest a person. A writ of arrest is issued when law enforcement files a complaint with the court against the individual suspected of committing a crime. The sitting judge then inspects the complaint and any supporting evidence and will issue the warrant if the application is satisfactory.

A writ of arrest in Lee County usually contains the following information:

• The issuing state and county
• Full name of the suspect
• Issuing court
• Charges necessitating the arrest
• Date the arrest warrant was issued
• Signature of the issuing authority
• A written command for the arrest

The number of arrest warrants that can be issued in a person's name is not limited. If a wanted person is arrested and released under certain conditions but fails to comply with them, law enforcement can obtain a new writ of arrest without a separate complaint.

Lee County Arrest Warrant Search

The Sheriff's Office is the primary receiver and executioner of arrest warrants issued in Lee County. Researchers can find active arrest warrants by inquiring at the Sheriff's Office. Inquirers can also check with city police departments to determine a warrant's existence.

Further, a person charged in court may have a writ of arrest included in the court record. Individuals can obtain the court record by visiting or otherwise contacting the clerk of the court in which a case is pending.

Do Lee County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. An arrest warrant in Lee County does not expire until the suspect is apprehended by law enforcement and taken into custody. Once an arrest warrant is issued, the sheriff or another arresting officer can execute it at any day and time, regardless of how long it has existed.

Nevertheless, a writ of arrest may be recalled or quashed if the circumstances that compelled the arrest change. It can also be recalled if the information contained in the warrant is inaccurate or if other underlying issues are found. A recalled or quashed warrant cannot be executable, but a new one can always be issued as long as probable cause still exists.

If a person suspects that they have an arrest warrant in their name, it is best to contact a lawyer. The lawyer can make proper findings at the issuing court and will know how best to resolve the situation.