Shelby County Arrest Records

In Shelby County, Alabama, individuals who commit a crime are brought to justice through a lengthy process that may begin with an arrest. An arrest refers to the legal procedure by which a criminal suspect is seized and taken into police custody. Generally, an arrest happens in three circumstances: when an individual is caught committing a crime, when an individual is named on an arrest warrant, or when an individual turns themselves in.

Soon after a party is in police custody, law enforcement agents will kickstart the booking process, which is marked by the collection of the suspect's fingerprint impressions, mugshot, and personal information. The suspect is then taken to jail and may remain there until arraigned, typically by the next business day.

The information gathered by the police during the booking process is compiled into an arrest record, which the arresting agency subsequently maintains.

Apart from arrest records, the criminal justice system in Shelby County is fueled by many other documents as a criminal matter progresses. A good example is the Shelby County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Shelby County?

Yes. Members of the public have the right to inspect and copy arrest records generated in Shelby County, so long as they are not excluded from public disclosure by operation of any extant law or court order (Al. Code §36-12-40). Arrest records that are not open to public inspection include:

• Records related to ongoing criminal investigations
• Criminal complaint supporting an unexecuted arrest warrant
• Juvenile law enforcement records and files
• Information revealing security plans and procedures
• Information whose disclosure will hamper public safety or is detrimental to the public interest
• Criminal history background information
• Expunged records

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public Shelby County arrest records typically include the following information:

• Booking Number and Date
• Arrestee's Full Name and Mugshot
• Charge Description
• Release Date
• Bond Type and Amount

Shelby County Crime Rate

Based on statistics provided by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's (ALEA) Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division, a total of 956 crimes took place in Shelby County in 2022. This resulted in a crime rate of 9,304 per 100,000 persons. While 593 of the recorded crimes were larceny-related, the second highest number of crimes was burglary at 117. Others included assault (109), motor vehicle theft (103), rape (15), robbery (12), and homicide (4).

Shelby County Arrest Statistics

Per the above report, 3,118 arrests were made in Shelby County in 2022, marking a rate of 33,930 per 100,000 population. While Part 1 adult arrests totaled 172, Part 11 adult arrests totaled 1,957. There were 6 Part 1 Juvenile arrests and 27 Part 11 juvenile arrests.

Find Shelby County Arrest Records

Individuals can query the Shelby County Sheriff's Office for information about arrests effected within the county. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office maintains records of people who were processed into the county jail and makes the information available on its Inmate Listing page. Interested parties can search for inmates using a subject's last name. Alternatively, they can call (205) 670-6000 for more information on how to obtain information about a detainee or contact the Sheriff's Records Unit at (205) 669-3854.

Other local resources for obtaining Shelby County arrest records include the local law enforcement agencies responsible for the arrest. Several police departments in Shelby County provide comprehensive information on obtaining records on their official website. For example, the Alabaster Police Department highlights its commitment to ensuring that information regarding arrest records is readily available to the public as needed through its Communications and Records Department.

Apart from local law enforcement agencies and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, state and federal criminal justice entities maintain records of individuals arrested in Shelby County and remanded in their custody. For state inmate records, interested parties can access the Alabama Department of Corrections' Search for Inmates webpage and search using a person's AIS number or name (first and last).

Federal resources for Shelby County arrest/inmate information include:

• The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Inmate Locator.
• The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Online Detainee Locator System.
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Identity History Summary Check page (for subjects of a record).
• A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the arresting federal agency.

Free Arrest Record Search in Shelby County

Alabama law allows record custodians to charge reasonable fees for processing public record requests. However, dollar amounts are typically charged for the reproduction and certification of documents alone. Generally, viewing Shelby County arrest records, especially online through official channels, is free to the inquirer.

Furthermore, some private companies provide remote services to obtain Shelby County arrest records. While these entities are primarily commercial, some may offer a free search for limited information or as incentives to first-time users.

Get Shelby County Criminal Records

After an arrest in Shelby County, the criminal justice process continues to an arraignment, preliminary hearing, trial, sentencing, and other court proceedings until the arrestee is either found guilty or exonerated of the alleged offense. Various documents are created or compiled in each criminal justice stage to form the arrestee's criminal history record information.

While the Shelby County Sheriff's Office maintains criminal history information for the county, these records are preserved for law enforcement use only. Instead, individuals are advised to query the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI) for criminal history records. As part of the application process, requesters will be fingerprinted and required to fill out and submit an application form to the ALEA. They must also provide a copy of a recent identification card and pay $25 to the agency.

Shelby County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Below are some critical distinctions between criminal records and arrest records in Shelby County.

Criminal Records:

• Highlight several aspects of the entire criminal justice process, including convictions and sentences
• Compiled by different criminal justice agencies, including courts and correctional facilities

Arrest Records:

• Document the arrest only
• Primarily compiled by one entity—the law enforcement agency responsible for arrest
• Cannot serve to prove a person's guilt

Ultimately, arrest records only reveal the circumstances related to someone's apprehension by the police, while criminal records show information about the entire criminal justice process.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Permanently. Shelby County (and Alabama as a whole) retains an arrestee's records forever until they apply to have such information expunged from their records. Expungement means that the record will be deleted from public databases and deemed never to have existed. However, not everyone qualifies for this relief.

Expunge Shelby County Arrest Records

Ala. Code § 15-27 allows for the expungement of arrest records generated in Shelby County. Individuals wishing to expunge their arrest records must typically follow these key steps:

Determine Eligibility

Not every subject of an arrest record is qualified to apply to have it expunged. For this reason, determining eligibility for expungement is a necessary step in the process. Generally, arrestees not found guilty of the offense are eligible to have their record expunged regardless of the nature of the alleged crime. However, convicted individuals can only obtain an expungement for limited crimes, including a misdemeanor criminal offense, traffic violation, municipal ordinance violation, and non-violent felony.

Obtain A Certified Copy of Criminal History Records from ALEA

After determining eligibility for expungement, the subject of the record must obtain a certified criminal record from the ALEA by filling out and submitting an Application to Review/Challenge Alabama Criminal History Record. Each application costs $25.

File An Expungement Petition

The next step is to fill out a Petition for Expungement of Records form. This form, which can be obtained from Alabama's unified judicial system's website, requires the petitioner to list the details of the case and records to be expunged. It also includes grounds for seeking the expungement and a request to remove the records from public databases.

Per Ala. Code § 15-27-3(b), documents to be attached to this petition include:

• The official certified criminal record from the ALEA
• A certified record of arrest from the law enforcement agency or appropriate court

Attend a Court Hearing

Expungements are granted after a court hearing when the prosecution does not reasonably object to the expungement and the judge determines that the subject is eligible.

Other necessary steps include:

• Serving copies of the petition to relevant criminal justice agencies, including the district attorney, Sheriff, and clerk of court
• Paying the necessary fees, including a $300 administration filing fee

Parties are encouraged to hire an expungement attorney for more personalized guidance on expunging their arrest records.

Shelby County Arrest Warrants

Shelby County arrest warrants are official documents endorsed by a qualified judicial officer, permitting a law enforcement agent to arrest and detain a criminal suspect (Rule 3 of the Alabama Rules of Criminal Procedure). The process for obtaining arrest warrants is as follows:

• A law enforcement agency presents evidence of the alleged crime to the judge or magistrate by way of an affidavit.
• Witnesses may be called to give sworn statements.
• The judge may ask for more investigation to be done or request additional information before issuing the warrant.
• The judge signs the warrant after reviewing the affidavit and determining probable cause for the suspect's arrest.

Arrest warrants are often issued when:

• There is reasonable cause to suspect that the named individual committed a felony or misdemeanor.
• A grand jury returns an indictment.
• The named suspect violated the terms of their probation, such as not making the required reports to the probation officer, testing positive for drugs, or getting arrested for another crime.
• The suspect failed to appear in court on a scheduled date for unjustifiable reasons or violated a court order, such as failing to pay a court-mandated fine.

Individuals may find the following information on a Shelby County arrest warrant:

• Warrant number
• Suspect's name, date of birth, age, sex, race, and physical description
• Issue date
• Suspect's known address
• The charge
• The judge or magistrate's signature
• Specific instructions for apprehending the individual

How Arrest Warrants Work in Shelby County

• Law enforcement executes the warrant by arresting the named suspect in line with its permitted scope (this may include entering private property to make the arrest)
• The defendant is held in jail until they meet their bail conditions (if any)
• If they cannot meet their bail conditions or do not qualify for bail, they will attend trial proceedings while in custody

Shelby County Arrest Warrant Search

Individuals can search for active warrants in Shelby County as follows:

• Visit the Shelby County Sheriff's Office website
• Click "Wanted Individuals" under Jail on the main menu to access the Sheriff's Wanted Persons page
• Conduct a search using a person's last name or by clicking the applicable letter.

Do Shelby County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Generally, Shelby County arrest warrants do not expire until they are served or executed by apprehending the named suspect. Nonetheless, the court may recall or quash an arrest warrant if sufficient reasons exist.