Porter County Arrest Records

An arrest is one of the primary actions a law enforcement officer can take when an offense is allegedly committed. An arrest entails taking an individual into law enforcement custody.

According to Indiana Code § 35-33-1-1, a law enforcement officer can arrest a person when they have a warrant requiring the person’s arrest. Additionally, an individual may also be arrested for committing or attempting to commit certain offenses in an officer’s presence. An arrest may also be necessary when a law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe an individual has committed certain offense.

Whenever an arrest is conducted, a report is subsequently prepared by the arresting agency to document pertinent information about the arrest. This report is known as an arrest record. Like Porter County court records, arrest records are viable sources of information for discovering an individual’s criminal past in Porter County.However, unlike judgments found in court records, an arrest record is not definite evidence that an individual committed an offense.

Are Arrest Records Public in Porter County?

Yes. Porter County arrest records are mostly public due to the Indiana Access to Public Record Act (APRA). Under the APRA, everyone has a right to access information and records regarding official acts of government agencies and their officials. These include arrests made by law enforcement agencies. Hence, anyone can obtain public arrest records by querying local law enforcement agencies, like the Porter County Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments.

Nonetheless, there are certain exemptions to the APRA. IC § 5-14-3-4 lists several exemptions to the APRA that permit agencies to restrict or limit public access to arrest records. For instance, public access to arrest records that are part of an ongoing criminal investigation may be restricted.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records typically contain information concerning the arrestee and facts about the arrest. These include:

• The arrestee’s personal information:
  • Full name
  • Current address
• Arrestee’s Physical description (i.e gender, race, height, weight, hair color, and other distinctive features)
• Arrest and booking information:
  • Arrest location, date, and time
  • Booking date and time
  • Bail details (if available)
  • The arrestee’s fingerprints and mugshots
  • Filed criminal charges
  • Upcoming court date
• A description of the alleged offense and classification (i.e. “misdemeanor” or “felony”)

Porter County Crime Rate

According to statistics provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Data Explorer portal, violent crimes were the most common offenses in Porter County between 2021 and 2022. Violent crimes include homicides, rape, robbery, and aggravated assaults. Porter County reported a total of 85 violent crimes in 2022, compared to 60 in 2021, a 34% difference. 85% (73) of the violent crimes perpetrated in Porter County in 2022 were aggravated assaults, making them the most common type of violent crime.

It is important to note that only the Porter County Sheriff's Office and Porter Police Department's crime data are included in these figures, hence they do not accurately reflect Porter County's crime rates.

Porter County Arrest Statistics

According to data from the FBI's Crime Data Explorer, 749 people were arrested in Porter County in 2022, while in 2021 there were 914 arrests. Hence Porter County experienced a 19.8% decrease in arrests in 2022. Note that these data only reflect arrests made by the Porter County Sheriff’s Office and Porter Police Department.

Find Porter County Arrest Records

Interested persons can find Porter County arrest records through local law enforcement agencies, such as the Porter County Sheriff’s Office and the municipal police department. These agencies generate arrest records in Porter County and can be queried to find information about public arrest records.

Generally, when requesting an arrest record, record seekers must provide specific details about the record to assist in its identification. These details include and are not limited to:

• The subject’s name or alias (such as maiden, married, or others)
• Social security number
• Date of birth

Although, each agency’s procedures for requesting or accessing arrest records may differ. Most agencies accept in-person and by-mail requests. Furthermore, arrest record requests are usually subject to certain fees.

For instance, The Porter County Sheriff's Office charges a $10 fee for an arrest record check request. This fee is payable by cash, credit/debit, or money order, and in-person and by-mail requests are welcomed. In-person requests can be made by visiting the County Sheriff’s office Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm (except holidays). Record seekers should come along with payment of the required fee and information about the desired arrest record. On the other hand for mail-in requests, requesters can draft a written request containing sufficient information that identifies the desired arrest record and the requester's contact information. The written request and a $10 money order made out to the Porter County Sheriff’s Office should be mailed to:

Porter County Sheriff’s Office
2755 St. Rd 49
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Attention: Records

Interested persons can visit the Porter County Sheriff’s Office Request For Arrest Record Check page for more information about requesting arrest records from the Sheriff’s Office.

Meanwhile, to find arrest records at the municipal level record seekers can query the police department of the municipality where the arrest occurred. Most municipal police departments in Porter County have a record division that can be queried to find information about public arrest records. For instance, interested persons may find records of arrests made in the city of Valparaiso by querying the Valparaiso Police Department’s Record Division.

Besides local law enforcement agencies, state and federal law enforcement agencies can make arrests in Porter County in certain situations. In such cases, the arrestee may be booked at Porter County’s jail or held in federal or state custody by the arresting agency. Where the former is the case, interested persons can contact the Porter County Sheriff’s Jail Division at (219) 477-3050 to get the arrestee booking information. Interested persons can also use the Porter County Sheriff’s Who’s in jail portal to access information about detainees online.

In contrast, information about an arrestee held by a federal or state law enforcement agency following an arrest in Porter County must be obtained by contacting the arresting agency. Fortunately, federal agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offer online resources interested persons can use to find information about arrestees who are in their custody.

Free Arrest Record Search in Porter County

Record seekers are usually charged a fee for requesting arrest record checks through local law enforcement agencies in Porter County. Most notably the Porter County Sheriff's office charges a $10 arrest record check fee. However, interested persons can access booking information of recent arrests made in Porter County for free through the Porter County Sheriff’s Office's recent bookings portal. It is worth noting that record seekers may be able to review arrest records in person at local law enforcement agencies for free.

Besides online resources and traditional channels provided by local law enforcement agencies in Portal County, certain third-party websites allow record seekers access to public Porter County arrest records online. These websites are provided by independent entities who compile public arrest records they collected from different law enforcement agencies in Porter County into a searchable database on their website. These third-party websites are usually searchable using a subject name. In most cases, basic information about arrest records may be accessible through these third-party websites for free. However, access to more detailed information on arrest records may be subject to a fee or subscription.

Get Porter County Criminal Records

Porter County criminal records are official documents that provide information about encounters an individual had with the Porter County criminal justice system, such as arrests, convictions, warrants, and others.

In Porter County, interested persons can conduct searches for criminal records at the municipal and county level. Note that record seekers are usually required to supply certain information to facilitate searches for criminal records. These include and are not limited to the record subject’s name or known alias, date of birth, or social security number.

At the municipal level, record seekers can query municipal police departments to conduct a background check, also known as criminal history checks, on an individual. Municipal Police Departments like the Valparaiso Police Department offer services that allow interested parties to request criminal records the agency has on an individual for a $10 fee through its Record Division. Requests can be made in person at the agency (Monday through Friday between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm). Interested persons can contact the Valparaiso Police Department’s Record Division by phone at (219) 462-2135 for questions and more information.

Meanwhile, at the county level, interested persons can conduct criminal record checks through the Porter County Sheriff’s Office for a $10 fee. Note that criminal records provided by the Porter County Sheriff’s Office are limited to arrest and booking information. Requests can be made in person at the County Sheriff’s Office or by mail. Mailed-in requests must include a written request containing sufficient information that identifies the subject of the record and must be accompanied by payments of relevant fees.

Criminal records are also accessible at the state level through the Indiana State Police (ISP). The ISP maintains limited criminal history records. However, these criminal records are only available for certain purposes to authorized requesters. For instance, eligible agencies can request criminal history records of individuals for licensing or employment purposes. The Indiana State Police (ISP) provides online and mail options for requesting criminal records. Depending on the type of requester, different rates apply for online requests ( i.e. nonsubscribers are charged $16.32 per search, while subscribers are charged $15 per search). Meanwhile, for by-mail requests, eligible requesters can complete the ISP’s application form and mail it along with $7 certified checks payable to the State of Indiana in an enclosed envelope to:

Indiana State Police
Criminal History Limited Check
P.O. Box 6188
Indianapolis, IN 46206-6188

Porter County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Porter County criminal records provide a complete overview of an individual’s criminal history in Porter County. Generally, different types of records make up criminal records including arrest and conviction records. On the other hand, a Porter County arrest record provides information about instances where an individual was arrested in Porter County.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Unless an arrest record gets expunged or sealed, it remains an indefinite feature on an individual’s criminal record. Indiana’s statutes do not specify how long pertinent authorities must keep an arrest record on file. Instead, there are retention schedules relevant agencies follow that determine their records retention periods.

Expunge Porter County Arrest Records

Expungement is a legal process interested persons can undertake to limit or restrict public access to certain records. Indiana Codes (IC) 35-38-9-1 governs the process of expunging arrest records. Under the code, arrest records are eligible for expungement if the arrest did not result in a conviction (or juvenile adjudication) or if charges were dismissed.

To apply for expungement of an arrest record under IC 35-38-9-1 in Porter County, eligible persons can petition a local court with appropriate jurisdiction. According to IC 35-38-9-1(e), the petition must contain the following:

• The date of the arrest, criminal charges, or juvenile delinquency allegation, and conviction (if applicable)
• The name of the county where the arrest occurred or where the information, indictment, or allegation was filed.
• The name of the law enforcement agency where the arresting officer is employed (if known)
• The court where criminal charges or juvenile delinquency allegations were filed (if applicable)
• Any other known identifying information, such as the arresting officer’s name, case number, other names and aliases used by the petitioner, and the petitioner's driver's license number
• The Petitioner’s date of birth
• Petitioner’s social security number.

Note that there is a one-year waiting period from the date of an arrest after which eligible arrest records may be expunged. Additionally, there is no filing fee required to submit an expungement petition under IC 35-38-9-1. Once submitted, a copy of the petition will be served to a prosecuting attorney. The court may approve the petition without a hearing if the prosecuting attorney does not oppose it. However, if the prosecuting attorney opposes, the court will set a hearing within 60 days after the service of the petition on the prosecuting attorney.

It is worth noting that the Indiana Judiciary provides an online resource containing detailed information about the expungement process, including eligible records, waiting periods, and more.

Porter County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a legal document that directs law enforcement officers to arrest an individual for an alleged crime. In Porter County, a judge or magistrate can issue an arrest warrant at the request of a prosecutor’s office. Per IC 35-33-2-1, an arrest warrant can not be issued until:

• An indictment has charged a defendant with committing an offense
• A judge determines that there is sufficient probable cause to believe the defendant committed the offense.

Furthermore, according to IC 35-33-2-2, an arrest warrant must be in writing and contain the following information:

• The name of the person to be arrested (if known)
• Details about the nature of the offense
• The date and county of issuance
• Signature of the clerk or judge of the originating court
• Amount of bail (if any)

Porter County Arrest Warrant Search

In Porter County, interested persons can conduct arrest warrant searches through local law enforcement agencies, including the Porter County Sheriff’s Office and municipal police departments. Interested persons can conduct arrest warrant searches by contacting or visiting relevant agencies and supplying a subject’s name to facilitate their search. Some agencies also provide online resources that allow interested persons to access public information about active arrest warrants. One example is the Porter County Sheriff’s Office warrant search page.

Do Porter County Arrest Warrants Expire?

According to IC 35-33-2-4, an arrest warrant for a misdemeanor expires 180 days after its issuance date. However, an arrest warrant for a felony and a rearrest warrant for any offense do not expire.