DeKalb County Arrest Records

DeKalb County arrest records consist of official documents created by law enforcement agencies following an arrest. Such records are typically produced if an officer finds an individual violating the law or when there is sufficient evidence to consider an individual a suspect in a criminal case.

Arrests do not always require a warrant. For instance, if an officer catches the suspect in the act of committing a crime, a warrantless arrest may be made. In DeKalb County, arrest records are generated by local law enforcement agencies headed by the County Sheriff and subsequently transferred to the county jail and courts. In compliance with state laws, arrest records like DeKalb County Court Records are generally accessible upon request.

Are Arrest Records Public in DeKalb County?

Yes, arrest records are generally considered public in DeKalb County. Under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act, almost anyone may access DeKalb County arrest records and other official documents in the custody of local and state government agencies. However, there are exemptions to public access to some DeKalb County arrest records. For example, access to the following records may be restricted or limited:

• Records of Juvenile offenders
• Information that may jeopardize active law enforcement investigations
• Records containing sealed or expunged information
• Victims and Witnesses
• Records that may reveal the identity of confidential informants.

Access to restricted DeKalb County arrest records is limited to the subjects of the records and requires clearance for non-owners. Public members seeking access to DeKalb County arrest records should contact the arresting agencies.

Find DeKalb County Arrest Records

Interested parties can conduct searches for DeKalb County arrest records through online or offline resources. Online searches for arrest records may include searchable databases or online application forms. For example, Indiana’s MyCase portal features an online database of court records filed in DeKalb County. Alternatively, offline searches require sending a mail or an in-person request to the court that created the record. To obtain court records in DeKalb County, interested parties must provide relevant search data, such as the case party’s name and document-identifying number. Record seekers looking for inmate records may also check the Incarcerated Search page maintained by the Indiana Department of Corrections.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrests typically remain on a person's record in Indiana until the person takes legal steps to remove them. Interested parties can restrict access to or seal their records using the processes set down by Indiana Code § 35-38-9.

Criminal records, including arrest records, usually have criteria such as waiting periods that they must meet to qualify for expungement. Some of these conditions include the following.

• After a year, when no convictions occur and there are no pending charges from an arrest, charge, or juvenile delinquency adjudication, they may be expunged via petition.
• Petitions to expunge an arrest that resulted in charges may be filed one year from the date of the arrest.
• Petitions to expunge a misdemeanor conviction may be filed 5 years after the date of the conviction.
• Petitions to expunge an arrest for a Class D felony that led to a conviction can be made eight years from the date of the conviction.
• Serious felonies may qualify for expungement 5 years after the completion of the prison sentence or 10 years after the conviction. Petitioners will also require approval from the prosecuting attorney to be eligible for expungement.

DeKalb County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants issued in DeKalb County are documents issued by court officials instructing law enforcement to arrest a person suspected of crimes. They may be issued when an indictment is filed, and the suspect is not in custody or when law enforcement files information charging the subject with a crime. If any of these methods show a judge probable cause that the subject of the warrant committed a crime, the judge may issue an arrest warrant.

An arrest warrant issued in Indiana will contain a combination of the following information.

• The name of the subject of the warrant, including any aliases. If no name is available, then a description by which they may be identified with reasonable certainty
• The offense for which the warrant was issued and the laws it violated
• The date and county where the warrant was issued
• The warrant should instruct the county sheriff’s office to apprehend the suspect and bring them to the court that issued the warrant.
• Bail details, if available
• The name, signature, and title of the office of the judicial official who issued the warrant

Do DeKalb County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In Indiana and its counties, including DeKalb, an arrest warrant may expire depending on the type of offense it was issued for. Arrest warrants issued for misdemeanors will expire 180 days after issue. A sheriff with an expired warrant must return the warrant to the clerk of the court that issued it. The clerk must record the expiration of the warrant and inform the prosecuting attorney about the expired warrant. The prosecution attorney may ask the court to issue a new warrant if needed.

Arrest warrants for felony crimes or rearrest warrants for any crime have no expiration dates. They remain in effect until the subject of the warrant is captured or surrenders voluntarily.