Putnam County Arrest Records

In Putnam County, Indiana, an arrest refers to the act of placing someone in custody so they can face criminal charges. They occur with or without a warrant when a person is suspected of committing a crime. Law enforcement agents and, on rare occasions, citizens are authorized to apprehend alleged offenders.

After an arrest, the suspected individual is detained in a facility controlled by the arresting agency. The arresting officer then collects information about the arrestee and the circumstances surrounding the arrest and puts it into a police blotter. Information from the police blotter is then used to create arrest records. Putnam County arrest records serve various functions in the judicial process. Consequently, judicial records such as Putnam County court records may feature arrest information where relevant to the case.

Are Arrest Records Public in Putnam County?

Yes, arrest records are public in Putnam County in accordance with the Indiana Access to Public Record Act (APRA). The APRA permits most arrest records to be made public and accessible to interested citizens. Putnam County law enforcement agencies must inform individuals if an arrest record they request is "disclosable" or "nondisclosable". The public is entitled to see and get copies of all records subject to disclosure. Custodians of arrest records must also give interested parties the legal justification for withholding all or a portion of an arrest record. Non-disclosable arrest records have been exempted from public disclosure by any state law or court case. Some examples of Putnam County arrest records that are exempt from public disclosure include:

• Arrest records that are part of an investigatory report
• Juvenile arrest records
• Arrest records that are part reveal mental health treatment
• Arrest reports that show personal details of victims of abuse
• Arrest records that are part of a witness protection program
• Sealed and expunged arrest records

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

All arrest records created and maintained in Putnam County contain the following information:

• The full name of the arrested person
• The date of birth and age of the arrested individual
• The place and time of arrest
• The suspect's address
• The name of the arresting officer
• The cause of the arrest
• Charges and warrants against the suspect
• Name of the arresting agency
• Place where the arrested person is held
• The possible release date

Putnam County Arrest Statistics

Arrest data obtained from the FBI uniform crime reporting portal shows that 789 arrests were recorded by the Putnam County Sheriff's Department in 2023. Traffic-related offenses contributed to most of the arrests the county sheriff's office recorded, with 329 arrests, 41% of the total arrests made that year. The second most arrests were for drug possession (212), which was 27% of the arrest total. Petty theft(75) and larceny (102) made up 10% and 12% of the total arrests made by the Putnam County Sheriff's Department in 2023.

Find Putnam County Arrest Records

Interested members of the public may obtain Putnam County arrest records at any police department or the Putnam County sheriff's office. Inquirers may query the agency that made the arrest, which will likely be a police department or the county sheriff's Department.

Typically, most police departments operate a records section that responds to requests for Putnam County arrest records. Requests can be made at the Records Division in person, via mail, or by telephone. Together with the criminal record management computer administrator, the records section is in charge of upholding the Department's centralized records management program and serving as the custodian of all police departmental records. The Records Section will keep track of all case files, identification records, criminal history files, master case number files, master alphabetical index files, and other files as needed. The county sheriff's office has an information desk that receives requests for arrest records maintained at the sheriff's office.

Requesters must typically fill out an Access to Public Records Request form to get arrest records. The request must provide information about the arrest and the name of the arrested individual.

After that, the request will be examined. Upon acceptance or denial of this request, recipients will get written notification. They can then contact the Records Division for the requested item or copies with their approval letter. To submit a request, the person making the request must also present a legitimate ID. A valid driver's license or state ID card, a valid military ID card, or a valid passport bearing the Homeland Security Seal stamp are all acceptable forms of identification.

Free Arrest Record Search in Putnam County

A Putnam arrest record search from official sources usually requires the payment of a fee. However, third-party websites offer record seekers a means to obtain free arrest records in Putnam County. Third-party websites are privately owned databases that can be searched using keywords relating to the record holder. Most free third-party public record name search websites only allow name searches.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrest records remain on a person's criminal record indefinitely unless they are expunged per state law. However, Indiana has a strict automated expungement statute allows arrest records to be erased from public view if they meet specific criteria. The only way to officially remove an arrest record from public access is by expunging or sealing the record.

Expunge Putnam County Arrest Records

Generally speaking, expungement is the legal procedure that removes a criminal record from the public domain. For many, it's a second opportunity that lets them move on from their past crimes.

Only eligible persons can apply to have their Putnam County arrest records expunged. The type and gravity of the offense and the amount of time that has passed since the arrest, charge, or conviction all affect the qualifying requirements. Individuals are eligible for expungement once a year if it has elapsed since the date of the arrest in circumstances where charges or arrests did not result in a conviction or if the conviction was reversed on appeal.

Some convictions cannot be expunged, including homicide, voluntary or involuntary manslaughter, and specific instances of official misconduct. For every expungable arrest record, there is a statutory waiting period that persons must undergo without committing a crime before they can apply for expungement. These waiting periods also vary from 5 to 10 years, depending on the severity of the crime.

The first step in applying for an expungement is to complete a petition form at the Putnam County Court. The petition must include the following information:

• The county where the arrest took place or the county where the information was obtained;
• The date of the arrest, criminal charges, juvenile delinquency allegation, and conviction—if applicable;
• The court where the criminal charges or juvenile delinquency allegation were filed.
• The law enforcement organization that employed the arresting officer, if known;
• The date of birth of the petitioner, as well as their social security number

The court may grant the petition without a hearing if the prosecutor raises no objections if the prosecuting attorney objects; the court will schedule a hearing for no earlier than sixty (60) days following the petition's delivery to the prosecutor. If the expungement petition is successful, the court will send an order to the police department to remove the arrest records from public access.

Putnam County Arrest Warrants Search

Arrest warrants are documents that give police the right to hold someone who they believe is guilty of a crime. An arrest warrant guarantees that the person's rights are upheld and that the arrest is done lawfully. An arrest warrant can only be issued if there is reasonable cause or specific evidence that someone has committed a crime. Putnam County arrest warrants are issued when a law enforcement officer makes a complaint to a judge. The officer will need to testify before the judge that they believe that an individual has committed an offense. The testimony is submitted along with a written affidavit to support the claim. The judge will then decide to issue a warrant based on the evidence presented in the court. Arrest warrants issued by Putnam County court judges contain the following information:

• The name of the wanted individual
• The date and the time the warrant was issued
• The reason why the warrant was issued
• The charges against the suspect
• The signature of the judge or magistrate

Individuals who want to search for active warrants issued by courts in Putnam County can do so at the warrants division of the Putnam County Sheriff's Department. The county sheriff's office also publishes a list of active warrants on its website and social media handles.

Do Putnam County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, a Putnam County arrest warrant is intended to be valid for an infinite period of time. They remain in effect until the designated individual is captured or the issuing authority formally revokes the warrant; they never expire.

These warrants remain valid until the person is arrested or the warrant is settled through other legal channels.