Tuscaloosa County Arrest Records

Tuscaloosa County arrest records refer to the official information and documents maintained by the county's courts and law enforcement agencies based on the arrests made within the county. Arrest records document the persons charged with a crime and arrested due to the charges. The primary agency maintaining these records is the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office.

Law enforcement personnel are sometimes compelled to make arrests in Tuscaloosa County when:

• Serious crimes have been committed
• There is an ongoing threat to the citizenry
• There is a need for a fugitive apprehension
• Drugs and gang activity manifest in the area
• When the arrest leads to helping to advance an investigation or to solve a case
• Domestic violence is reported

To execute an arrest in Tuscaloosa County, law enforcement officers have to identify themselves and the suspect, inform the suspect, read them their Miranda rights, and then take them into custody. Facilities for arrested persons in Tuscaloosa County include:

Tuscaloosa County Jail, run by the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office
1600 26th Avenue
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Tuscaloosa City Jail, operated by the Tuscaloosa Police Department
3801 Trevor S Phillips Avenue
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Tuscaloosa County Juvenile Detention Center
6001 12th Avenue East
Tuscaloosa, AL 35405

Note: When judges and prosecution refer to arrest records during a trial in Tuscaloosa, they become part of the Tuscaloosa County Court Records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Tuscaloosa County?

Yes, arrest records are public records in Tuscaloosa County. Alabama Code Title 36, Chapter 12 permits arrest records to be public records. Interested citizens can request to inspect and make copies of the records by submitting a public records request form. However, some information in arrest records may be restricted or redacted from the public as the courts and law enforcement aim to ensure transparency while protecting sensitive information. These records include the following:

• Details of ongoing investigation by law enforcement officers
• Records from juveniles
• Personally identifiable information such as bank account numbers, social security numbers, dates of birth, names of minor children
• Victim information in some sensitive cases
• Information that can potentially compromise the security of the county or state, its systems, software, or facilities

Where records are restricted or redacted, access is still possible to certain authorized persons. These include:

• Defense attorneys and prosecutors, as part of their case preparations
• Law enforcement agencies
• Individuals named in the records
• Courts and judges

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records are the data and official documents related to the arrest made by law enforcement officers or agencies. These documents are produced due to the arrest made. They are public by law, and hence, they can be viewed by the members of the public.

Public arrest records of Tuscaloosa County contain the following information:

• Personal information such as name, date of birth, and physical description
• Arrest details such as date and time of arrest, location, name of the arresting agency, name of arresting officers, and the charges
• Address and contact details of the person arrested
• The Booking information, such as booking number, mugshot photograph, fingerprints, and personal property at the time of the arrest
• Case information such as case number, bail/bond amount, and information on the prosecuting agency

Tuscaloosa County Crime Rate

Per the Tuscaloosa Police Department 2023 Annual Report, 79,942 service calls were made to the department, consisting of 911 and non-emergency calls by citizens and police officers. In 2023, the three most reported crimes in the county were vehicle break-ins, burglary, and theft, with 577, 358, and 206 cases, respectively. Vehicle break-ins were (by far) the most frequent at almost half (47.8%) of the total incidents. Murder accounted for the least number of cases with less than 1% (0.9%).

Most Common Crimes in Tuscaloosa County:

There was a consistent year-on-year reduction in the rates of these crimes from 2022 to 2023, as follows:

Tuscaloosa County Arrest Statistics

According to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Crime Data Explorer, there were 4,346 arrests from over thirty different offense types. The offense with the highest number was drug abuse violations, with 781 arrests, followed by larceny-theft, with 302 arrests, and driving under the influence, with 198 arrests. Men aged 25 -29 had the highest number of arrests per age group and gender, with 621 arrests, while for women, it was also women aged 25-29 with 224 arrests.

The racial composition of the arrests in Tuscaloosa County in 2023 shows the highest number of arrested persons are black or African American, followed by whites:

Jails in Tuscaloosa County have an incarceration capacity of 540 persons but are running at over capacity, with 785 persons incarcerated as of June 2021. As of the second quarter of 2019, Tuscaloosa County’s number of incarcerated people per 100,00 residents aged 15 to 64 was 1,055, which was higher than the U. S. (976) but lower than that of Alabama (1,332).

Find Tuscaloosa County Arrest Records

The Tuscaloosa Sheriff’s Office provides an inmate search service on its website to look for persons in the Tuscaloosa County Jail. Interested persons can search for inmates using their last name or arrest date. Results from the search provide the inmate's name, mugshot, date of booking, arresting agency, charge or charges, bond type, and bond amount. The search results also provide an email link for interested persons to email the inmate.

There are no federal correctional facilities or penitentiaries in Tuscaloosa County. However, there is Federal Correctional Institution, Aliceville, a 52-minute drive away. Interested persons can find records of inmates in this facility using the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Inmate Locator.

Free Arrest Record Search in Tuscaloosa County

Persons interested in searching for arrest records in Tuscaloosa County can use the Sheriff’s Office search service and the BOP inmate locator, both free services. They can also opt to use third-party free inmate search services that offer an easy way to search for inmate records across multiple jails and counties, offer convenience, and be time-saving.

Get Tuscaloosa County Criminal Records

Tuscaloosa criminal records refer to the documents and information maintained by law enforcement agencies and other government bodies, such as courts that document the criminal offenses and cases of the county. Criminal records generally include arrest, court, incarceration, sex offender registries, and criminal history records. Criminal records include the offender's full legal name, date of birth, arrest location, date and time of arrest, charges or offenses, mugshot photograph, court case information, incarceration data, information on previous arrests, and sex offender requirements.

Persons interested in obtaining Tuscaloosa County criminal records can obtain it through the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office at:

Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office Records Division
Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office
714 ½ Greensboro Avenue
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except on holidays. Copies of records can be picked up from the records division from 1:00 p.m. the next business day after a request. Interested persons with questions on the process can call the records division at (205) 464-8630.

Tuscaloosa County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Tuscaloosa County arrest records are the records that provide information on the specifics of arrests made by law enforcement in the county such as the Sheriff’s office or the Police Department. Arrest records are before the apprehended person is brought to trial. In some cases, the arrest does not even lead to charges from the law enforcement agents but the arrested person may be questioned and released.

In comparison, Tuscaloosa Criminal records are derived from criminal cases where an arrested person faces trial in court and pleads guilty or is found guilty at the end of the trial. Arrest records are part of criminal records as they are part of the documents presented in a criminal trial. Criminal records also include court records, incarceration records, information about parole or probation, conviction records with the offense leading to conviction, date, and imposed sentence. Criminal records are generally maintained by the courts where the trial took place and where the sentence was passed. However, the records are available from the sources of creation, such as law enforcement agencies and county jails.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Per Alabama Code § 15-27-1, the length of time an arrest remains on the record generally depends on whether the registrants were convicted of the arrest. Persons with arrests:

• Not leading to convictions
• Arrests dismissed or charges not billed by grand jury
• Leading to charges that were quashed
• With no foundation of probable cause

Residents have the option of filing a petition to remove the arrest records after more than 90 days. However, unless the persons involved file that petition through the courts, the arrest will stay indefinitely on their records.

Expunge Tuscaloosa County Arrest Records

With Alabama’s enactment of Act No. 2021-286, persons in Tuscaloosa County have the opportunity of the expungement of pardoned felonies and non-violent misdemeanors. Eligible violations and misdemeanors can apply to delete the records three years after conviction if all parole and probation requirements have been met. Met requirements include the payment of costs, fines, restitution, and other court-requested amounts. Sexual, serious traffic and violent offenses are not eligible. Crimes that are the grounds for felony disenfranchisement under Alabama law but have now been reclassified as misdemeanors will qualify for expungement. These qualify if said persons have only been arrested for minor traffic violations 15 years before the filing for expungement. Expunged records are still available to prosecutors, law enforcement, banking, and insurance institutions.

Per Alabama Code § 15-27-2, persons acquitted of any felony, including violent felonies, but were acquitted of the charges can also have the arrest expunged from their records. Alabama Code § 15-27-2b provides for expunging violent felony charges dismissed with prejudice. Felony charges dismissed with prejudice, however, have a five-year waiting period.

Persons seeking expungement can petition 90 days after charges are dismissed with prejudice or two years for charges dismissed without prejudice. Misdemeanors are after one year, while felonies are after five years. Petitions attract a mandatory filing fee of $500 and are to be made to the Circuit Clerk at the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Alabama at:

Tuscaloosa County Courthouse
714 Greensboro Avenue Room 214
Tuscaloosa, AL, 35401

Persons petitioning for expungement of records are required to provide a copy of certified criminal history obtained from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) and a sworn statement seeking expungement submitted with the petition. Law enforcement agencies must remove mugshots, fingerprints, and other means of identification for persons whose records are expunged.

Tuscaloosa County Arrest Warrants

Tuscaloosa County Arrest Warrants are legal documents issued by a judge or magistrate that empower law enforcement officers to arrest a person identified on the warrant. Arrest warrants provide:

• The name of the person to be arrested
• Physical description such as height, weight, age, and other specific facial or distinguishing features
• The specific crime the person is being accused of
• Reference to the law or laws violated leading to the arrest
• Probable cause statement
• Information on the issuing authority, such as the name of the judge or magistrate and information of the court

Arrest warrants are generally issued to apprehend persons during investigations or to take people off the streets to ensure public safety. Tuscaloosa County warrants can be issued at the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse, Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court, and the Tuscaloosa Municipal Court. Before judges issue an arrest warrant, law enforcement must provide probable cause and convince the judge.

Tuscaloosa County Arrest Warrant Search

The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office houses its warrants and warrants from the Alabama Troopers. Interested persons can call the Warrant Division at (205) 464-8677 for questions on active warrants. The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office provides a search page to find active warrants in the county. Users of the search page can find warrants using first name, middle name, or last name to search the database.

Do Tuscaloosa County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Tuscaloosa County arrest warrants do not expire. They remain active until the person listed on the warrant is arrested, turns themselves over, or the court revokes the warrant. Hence law enforcement officers can act on an arrest warrant at any time. However, administrative errors or legal technicalities can lead to the revocation of a Tuscaloosa County arrest warrant.