Talladega County Arrest Records

An arrest occurs when a law enforcement officer takes an individual into custody for a crime they committed or are suspected of committing. Per Alabam State Laws, law enforcement officers in Talladega County can make an arrest if:

• A crime is committed in their presence
• There is probable cause to believe a suspect has committed or is going to commit a crime.
• The officer possesses an arrest warrant.

In Talladega County, arrest records are usually prepared and maintained by the arresting agencies after arrests for documentation purposes. These records serve numerous purposes in the legal system, including as evidence that the arrest occurred. As a result, arrest information may be included in Talladega County Court Records. Furthermore, arrest records are also included as entries in an individual’s Criminal History Records compiled by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).

Are Arrest Records Public in Talladega County?

Yes. Per Alabama Code § 36-12-40, citizens of Alabama are granted the right to access and copy records preserved by public agencies that are not otherwise exempt from disclosure by law. Given that arrest records are generated by law enforcement agencies, which are considered public agencies, they are subject to the provision of the statute. As a result, Talladege County arrest records are available to the citizens of Alabama upon request.

Nonetheless, certain types of records and information are exempt from being public pursuant to different state and federal statutes. These records include and are not limited:

• Expunged or sealed Records
• Juvenile arrest records (Alabama Code § 12-15-134)
• Law enforcement investigative reports and related material (Alabama Code § 12-21-3.1).

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The Contents of public arrest records are limited to general information about a specific incident where an individual was arrested. These include and are not limited to:

• The arrestee’s personal information;
  • Full legal name and any known aliases
  • Date and place of birth.
• The arrestee’s physical description;
  • Height and weight
  • Eye and hair color
  • Age
  • Sex
  • Race
  • Identifiable marks like tattoos and scars
• Arrest detail;
  • The classification of the alleged offense (felony or misdemeanor)
  • The arrest date, time, and location
  • Charges
• The arresting agency and officer’s details;
  • The arresting agency’s name
  • The arresting officer’s name and badge number
• Booking details;
  • The arrestee's mugshot
  • Booking number
  • Booking date
  • Bail amount (if available)

Talladega County Arrest Statistics

According to the ALEA Crime in Alabama yearly arrest statistics, 2,058 arrests were reported in Talladega County in 2023. This is a rate of 16,046 per 100,000 residents. Of the total, 1,204 were adult arrests, and 6 were juvenile arrests. Meanwhile, only 2042 arrests were reported in the county in 2022, which accounted for a 0.78% increase in arrests in 2023.

Find Talladega County Arrest Records

Interested persons can find Talladega County arrest records through local law enforcement agencies, such as the Talladega County Sheriff’s Office, and municipal police departments like the Talladega Police Department. These agencies are responsible for making most arrests within the county, and they generate arrest records for each arrest and usually make these records available to the public upon request. Generally, record seekers can utilize the following steps to find Talladega County arrest records:

• Ascertain the law enforcement agency responsible for the arrest; this may be the County Sheriff’s Office or the municipal police serving the specific locality where the arrest occurred.
• Contact relevant agencies and inquire about their procedures for requesting records: most agency accepts in-person and mail-in requests. Nonetheless, record seekers must be able to provide sufficient information about the desired record, such as the arrest date, location, or the arrestee’s name to facilitate their request. Record seekers who wish to contact the Talladega County Sheriff’s Office or Talladega Police Department can reach these agencies at:

Talladega County Sheriff’s Office
P.O. Box 996
Talladega, AL 35161
Phone: (256) 362-2748

Talladega Police Department
P.O. Box 498
Talladega, Alabama 35161
Phone: (256) 362-4163

• Submit a request. Depending on how an agency operates, requests may be made in person at their physical address during regular office hours (usually on weekdays “Monday to Friday” between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.). Some agencies may also accept mail-in requests. In such cases, record seekers can draft a written request and mail it to the agency P.O. Box.

It is worth noting that individuals who wish to request confidential arrest records may need to provide a valid form of identification when making their request. Furthermore, requests may be subject to certain fees, especially in cases where record seekers request copies of records. Additionally, interested persons can find some arrest information about arrestees booked into the Talladega County Jail online through the inmate roster on the Talladega County Sheriff’s Office website.

Free Arrest Record Search in Talladega County

One way to get free information about arrests in Talladega County through government channels is by reviewing the county inmate roster provided on the Talladega County Sheriff’s Office website. The roster contains basic arrest information, such as mugshot, age, sex, race, date of birth, booking details, arresting agency information, charges, and arrest date and time, of individuals who were booked in the county jail. The roster is accessible for free and searchable by an arrestee’s admission date, name, charges, and arresting agency.

Record seekers can also visit the local law enforcement agencies in Talladega County during regular office hours to request an arrest record search. Although record searches may be conducted for free, requests for copies of an arrest record may be subject to certain fees.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Alabama codes do not address law enforcement agencies' retention of arrest records. As a result, an arrest record can be a permanent fixture on an individual's criminal record unless the individual applies to have it expunged.

Expunge Talladega County Arrest Records

Expunged arrest records are removed for a subject’s criminal history record making details about the arrest inaccessible for public purposes like employee background checks. Talladega County arrest records can be expunged per the Alabama Expungement Laws, codified in the Code of Alabama §15-27-1 to §15-27-21. These laws govern record expungement procedures, including the types of records that qualify for expungement, limitations on the number of expungements that can be granted, and documents required to apply for expungement.

Interested persons can pursue the following steps to apply for record expungement in Talladega County:

• Ascertain if the record is eligible for expungement: Only individuals with arrest records connected to misdemeanor offenses, traffic violations, municipal ordinance violations, and felony offenses that meet the requirements outlined in §15-27-1 and §15-27-2 qualify for expungement.
• Obtain a certified criminal history record: Eligible persons can obtain a certified copy of their criminal history record from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) for a $25.00 administrative fee. To do this, applicants would need an official set of their fingerprints from the ALEA Headquarters in Montgomery or a local law enforcement agency and a copy of their valid photo ID. Next, complete the ALEA CHRI form and submit the form along with other required items (i.e., the required fees and the applicant’s ID) to the ALEA. Note that the ALEA processes requests within 4-5 weeks.
• Obtain a certified copy of the arrest record(s) to be expunged: As previously explained, interested persons can query the law enforcement agency responsible for the arrest to obtain the arrest record
• Prepare the expungement petition: Complete the Petition For Expungement of Records form (CR-65) and attach all other required documents, including the petitioner’s criminal history record and certified copy of the arrest record(s) to be expunged, to the petition form.
• File the expungement petition with relevant agencies: per Ala. Code § 15-27-3(C) prospective petitioners must file their expungement petition with the following;
  • The district attorney of the jurisdiction where the arrest occurred (Talladega County District Attorney)
  • The law enforcement agency responsible for the arrest
  • The clerk of court of the circuit court of the county where the arrest occurred (Talladega County Circuit Court)
• Pay required fees: There is a $500 administrative fee for filing an expungement petition per Ala. Code § 15-27-4. The following is a breakdown of the fee;
  • $75 - the State Judicial Administrative Fund
  • $25 - the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences
  • $50 - the district attorney's office
  • $50 - the clerk's office of the circuit court having jurisdiction over the matter
  • $50 - the Public Safety Fund
  • $50 - the general fund of the county where the arresting law enforcement agency is located
  • $100 - the state General Fund
  • $50 - the Education Trust Fund
  • $50 - the Fair Trial Tax Fund

It is worth noting that petitioners who can not afford the expungement administrative fees can apply for a fee waiver by submitting an Affidavit of Substantial Hardship and Order to the presiding court. Furthermore, the ALEA provides a Criminal Record Expungement Kit containing pertinent information about the procedures.

Talladega County Arrest Warrants

According to Alabama Code § 15-7-4, an arrest warrant is a written order issued and signed by a judge or magistrate that directs law enforcement officers to arrest the defendant named in a complaint. A judge or magistrate may issue an arrest upon the submission of a complaint containing reasonable grounds to believe that a named defendant is guilty of committing an alleged crime.

Per Alabama Code § 15-7-4, an arrest warrant must contain the name of the defendant (if known), state the alleged offense, and be signed by the issuing authority as well as have their name and office initials.

Do Talladega County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Talladega County arrest warrants do not expire. Generally, they remain active until the subject of the warrant surrenders themselves to law enforcement authorities, is arrested, or dies.