Bartholomew County Arrest Records

Bartholomew County arrest records refer to all files generated during arrest events. Law enforcement agencies create these records after detaining people suspected of committing a crime. Officers also conduct arrests to prevent crimes or protect concerned persons. Furthermore, the officers temporarily detain recently arrested persons at the Bartholomew County Jail.

Arrest records are under the purview of local law enforcement agencies. This means record seekers must direct records requests to agencies like the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office. Bartholomew County arrest information is also obtainable in other crime-related public documents. For example, you will find arrest information in Bartholomew County court records. Criminal background checks or inmate records searches also bring up arrest information.

Are Arrest Records Public in Bartholomew County?

Bartholomew County arrest records are publicly accessible. Indiana Code § 5-14-3 defines government-held documents like arrest records as public documents. The state law, also known as the Access to Public Records Act, empowers public members to request these records from designated agencies.

It also determines the procedure for obtaining the records, the estimated fees, and its accessibility. For instance, the law does not permit public access to records protected by state or federal laws. Exempt arrest information under the law may include the following:

• Identities of delinquent acts or crime victims;
• Investigation records of private university departments or law enforcement agencies;
• Arrest records that are sealed or exempt due to court orders;
• Information collated and maintained to prevent, respond to, or mitigate acts of terrorism

Persons seeking to view or obtain arrest information must make a request to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office. The record seeker must also present enough search information to obtain the record. Generally, the sheriff’s office only releases exempt records to legally eligible persons. For example, crime victims’ advocates may access investigation records even though they are not publicly accessible.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

In Bartholomew County, public arrest records typically contain these details.

• The arrestee’s full name, race, gender, and birth date;
• Arrest charges;
• Booking information, and
• Date and location of the arrest

Bartholomew County Crime Rate

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Data Explorer keeps records of all reported crimes in Bartholomew County. According to the agency’s report, the county sheriff’s office recorded 30 crimes in 2022. Furthermore, the report showed that burglaries were the most recurring crimes in the county.

Bartholomew County Arrest Statistics

Indiana’s Management Performance Hub maintains statewide statistics of all arrests conducted in Bartholomew County. Per the report, the county recorded 2,191 arrests in 2023. Arrests for court-related offenses were the most popular that year. Additionally, the state recorded 23,177 inmates as of December 31, 2022.

Find Bartholomew County Arrest Records

Record seekers can find Bartholomew County arrest information by searching inmate records. The records typically contain arrest information like the offender’s name, holding facility, and criminal offenses. That being said, you can obtain inmate records from state, local, or federal agencies. At the local level, you can find inmate information by calling the County Sheriff’s Office at (812) 379-1750. Better still, make in-person inquiries for arrest records by visiting the county sheriff’s office at:

543 2nd Street
Columbus, IN 47201

Indiana’s Department of Corrections provides statewide access to inmate records. The agency maintains an online, searchable portal for inmate information. To obtain inmate information on the portal, requesters must search by inmate’s name or DOC number.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons is another alternative for accessing inmate records. It maintains a database for inmates incarcerated in Bartholomew County. To use the database, you only need to input the inmate’s name or prison-identifying number.

Free Arrest Record Search in Bartholomew County

Government-owned websites provide free resources for obtaining arrest records. Record seekers may conduct free arrest records search on these sites:

• Indiana’s Department of Corrections
• The Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator

Conversely, third-party sites may allow free searches for arrest records. The sites feature arrest information in court records, inmate records, and criminal records. Nevertheless, third-party sites are unregulated and may not contain accurate data.

Get Bartholomew County Criminal Records

Bartholomew County criminal records are official documents on criminal convictions. The record may also feature arrest information and inmate information. Record seekers can find and obtain criminal records from the Indiana State Police. The agency maintains a searchable portal through which requesters can search criminal records. To use the portal, requesters must create an account, input their personal information, and then proceed to search the record. It costs money to search for criminal records on the portal. Requesters who subscribe to the portal will pay $7.5 per search, while non-subscribers are charged $15 for every search.

If the search returned an “unresolved request” message, sending a full request in person to the ISP's Central Records Division is recommended. You must provide a completed fingerprint card along with a copy of the “unresolved message” to the ISP at:

Indiana Government Center North
100 North Senate Avenue
Suite N302
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 232-8262

Bartholomew County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Bartholomew County's arrest records and criminal records both provide crime-related information. However, they are quite different in these aspects:

Regarding the creation process, local law enforcement agencies create arrest records after an arrest event. On the other hand, criminal records only exist after an individual is convicted. Furthermore, multiple agencies are responsible for contributing data to build a criminal conviction record.

Another factor in differentiating these records is the custodian agency. The local enforcement agencies are primarily responsible for generating Bartholomew County arrest records. However, the Indiana State Police is the custodian of criminal records.

Note: Arrest records also differ from criminal records in terms of implications. Arrest records do not indicate if the arrestee is guilty of the charges.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrest records do not have an expiration date, as they will remain on your record until you expunge or seal them. There are set guidelines for expunging or sealing arrest records in Bartholomew County.

Expunge Bartholomew County Arrest Records

Expungement is the process of removing a record from public view. In Bartholomew County, you can expunge arrest records by petitioning the local court where the event occurred.

Who is eligible to expunge arrest records in Bartholomew County?

Under IC 35-38-9-1, you are eligible to expunge arrest records if:

• The arrest did not lead to a juvenile adjudication or conviction
• The arrest resulted in a conviction or adjudication, but it was appealed
• You were not convicted within one year of the arrest date

How can I expunge arrest records in Bartholomew County?

You may follow these steps to expunge arrest records in Bartholomew County:

1. Create a petition to expunge the records. The petition must include the following information:
   1. Arrest date
   2. county in which the arrest occurred
   3. The law enforcement agency that conducted the arrest
   4. arresting officer's name
   5. Case number (if the arrest charge resulted in a conviction or adjudication)
   6. The petitioner's birthdate and social security number
2. File the petition with any court with criminal jurisdiction in Bartholomew County. If the arrest led to a conviction, file the petition with the court that heard the case
3. Upon receiving your petition, the court will create a copy and send it to the prosecuting agency.
4. The court may also refuse the petition if you are ineligible to expunge the records. For example, petitioners with pending criminal cases are not eligible to file for expungement.
5. If the court approves the petition, it will send an expungement order to all agencies holding the record.

The court order does not affect internal records maintained by law enforcement agencies.

In contrast, petitioners must follow a slightly different process when expunging arrest charges that resulted in convictions. For example, state law requires petitioners to wait for a certain time frame before filing a petition to expunge records. In addition, you must file your petition with the superior or circuit court in the county where you were convicted.

For a misdemeanor criminal conviction, you must wait five years after the conviction date. In contrast, persons convicted of a class D or level 6 felony must wait for eight years after the conviction date.

Bartholomew County Arrest Warrants

In Bartholomew County, arrest warrants authorize law enforcement agencies to conduct arrests. Under IC 35-33-2-1, the court must issue arrest warrants under these conditions:

• There's a formal arrest charge
• The judge has determined that there's sufficient evidence that the individual committed a crime.

Under state law, arrest warrants issued In Bartholomew County may include:

• The suspect's name, aliases, and physical features
• The offense description
• The county and state that issued the warrant
• Court judge or clerk's signature and official title
• A statement that the record subject must be arrested and brought before the court
• The bail amount (if required)
• The county sheriff's office address

Bartholomew County Arrest Warrant Search

You can find arrest warrants at Bartholomew County Sheriff's office. To check if you have an active warrant, you must present a photo ID to the sheriff's office at:

543 2nd Street
Columbus, IN 47201
Phone: (812) 379-1750

Arrest records are also court documents. This means you can obtain a copy from the court that issued it.

Do Bartholomew County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In Bartholomew County, arrest warrants for misdemeanor charges will expire 180 days after they are issued. However, arrest warrants for felonies do not expire unless the record subject gets arrested or the court nullifies them.