Warren County Arrest Records

Arrests in Warren County, Pennsylvania, involve the apprehension and detention of individuals believed to have committed a crime. Suppose a law enforcement officer (also called a "peace officer") believes that a person has committed or intends to commit a criminal offense. In that case, an arrest can occur with or without a warrant. During an arrest, the details are recorded in a police blotter.

After an arrest, the suspect is taken through a booking process at the police station. During booking, officers document the arrest details and the individual's personal information, creating electronic and physical files. These files become the individual's arrest records maintained by the agency that made the arrest. Arrest records are crucial for beginning criminal proceedings and may also be part of a person's criminal history, which is available in Warren County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Warren County?

Warren County arrest records are generally considered public under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law and the Pennsylvania Criminal Records Information Act. However, some records are exempt from disclosure by court or expungement orders. Examples of confidential records include:

• Juvenile arrest records
• Arrest records from ongoing undercover investigations
• Arrest records of persons under witness protection
• Arrest records revealing the identity of a sexual crime victim
• Arrest records that disclose law enforcement personnel information
• Arrest records containing confidential health and medical reports

Law enforcement agencies and judges may restrict public access to particular records if releasing them could jeopardize a fair trial, public safety, or a person's life.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Most public arrest records in Warren County include:

• Full name of the arrestee (including aliases)
• Date of birth
• Physical description (height, weight, ethnicity, race, hair color, tattoos, scars)
• Last known address
• Date and time of arrest
• Location of the arrest
• Arrest report
• Items found on the suspect (e.g., weapons, drugs)
• Charges
• Name of the facility where the suspect is held
• Next scheduled court date

Find Warren County Arrest Records

Local law enforcement agencies maintain Warren County arrest records, each with a records department responsible for police blotters, arrest reports, and criminal records. These departments accept record requests in person, by mail, or sometimes online. Requestors are typically asked to provide:

• The name of the individual in question
• The date of the arrest
• The name of the police department involved

The county clerk's office can also request the associated arrest records if the arrest led to a criminal or civil case. The Warren County Clerk's Office allows individuals to submit open records requests by completing a form either in person or through the mail.

Individuals arrested in Warren County are held at the Warren County Jail, which the Warren County Sheriff's Office operates. To inquire about someone's detention status, contact the jail administrator at (814) 723-7553.

Arrests by State or Federal Agencies

• Pennsylvania State Police: The state police also have presence in Warren County. Individuals can visit or call the state police division in Warren County for information on arrests made by state troopers.
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): If the FBI makes an arrest, the suspect is generally held in federal custody. To locate someone in federal custody, use the Federal Inmate Locator, which can be searched by name or inmate number.

Free Arrest Record Search in Warren County

Certain individuals qualify for a free arrest record search, such as persons arrested due to mistaken identity or those whose charges were dropped. They may be asked to complete a poverty affidavit at the relevant law enforcement office.

The Warren County District Court also offers a free search for arrest records. The court provides public access terminals where individuals can look up docket sheets and arrest records.

Some private companies compile public records, including arrest records, and offer them online. These aggregate sites will typically provide limited arrest information for free but will charge requesters who request comprehensive information.

Warren County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

An arrest record documents that a person was taken into custody on suspicion of committing a crime. It does not confirm guilt or show whether the person was charged or convicted. Arrest records can be obtained from the specific law enforcement agency responsible for the arrest.

On the other hand, a criminal record (sometimes called a conviction record) is created only after a court finds a person guilty or the individual pleads guilty. Criminal records provide a complete history of an individual's criminal involvement, including their arrests, convictions, probation, and any time served in jail or prison.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

It depends. Certain types of non-conviction Warren County arrest records are automatically removed from public viewing after 12 months, per the Pennsylvania clean slate law. Arrest records for minor convictions and misdemeanors are also automatically sealed after 5-10 years. However, the only way to remove other types of records that are not eligible for automatic removal is through a process known as expungement.

Expunge Warren County Arrest Records

Expungement is the legal process of erasing arrest records and other criminal records from public access. Expungements can remove a summary conviction, certain juvenile records, an arrest, and charges from a person's criminal history report. expunged records will not come up during a background check. Arrest records that have been expunged are only accessible to a few members of law enforcement and court judges if the person commits a new offense.

As earlier stated, certain arrest records for minor offenses are expunged automatically. Persons who want to have their records expunged but are not eligible for automatic expungement will need to check if they are eligible to apply for expungement. The following category of persons can petition a Warren County Court for expungement as per Title 18 of the Pennsylvania general statutes.

• Those whose charges were dropped, retracted, or not prosecuted.
• Individuals who possess a summary conviction.
• Those with a history of juvenile offenses.
• Anyone over 70 who hasn't been arrested for a crime in more than a decade.
• Those who passed away three years ago.
• Those who believe in underage consumption.
• People whose convictions have been overturned.

Persons with convictions for violent offenses, rape, armed robbery, or any sexual crimes against minors cannot apply for expungement under any circumstance. Eligible persons can apply for an expungement in Warren County by following these steps:

• Applicants must download and complete Form SP 4-170 and mail it to the Police Central Repository, with a copy of a government-issued photo ID and a $20 certified cheque or money order made payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The police will send a full report of the applicant's arrests.
• The next step involves completing an expungement petition at any Warren County court. The county court clerk will provide the applicant with a request form and show them how to complete the petition.
• The court will fix a hearing date to decide if the expungement request will be successful.
• If the request is granted, the court will order the county and state police to expunge the arrest records. The record will be removed following receipt by the Pennsylvania State Police of the court order for expungement signed by a judge of the Commonwealth Court and signed by the Clerk of Courts.

Warren County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are court-issued orders that direct law enforcement to apprehend a person suspected of committing a criminal act. A court issues a Warren County arrest warrant only when there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the person has committed a crime they may be accused of; this evidence is called probable cause. The law enforcement official needs to show probable cause to get this warrant, typically by providing a judge or magistrate with a sworn declaration (also known as an "affidavit") as per Pa. Code Rule 430.

An arrest warrant issued by a court in Warren County will contain the following details:

• The name of the suspect.
• The charges against the suspect.
• The suspect's last known address.
• The date and time the warrant was issued.
• The name of the court that issued the warrant.
• A directive to law enforcement to capture the person and make them appear before a court.

Individuals can perform a Warren County arrest warrant search at the Warren County District Court and the warrant departments of law enforcement offices in the state. The county court clerk maintains an index of warrants issued by courts in Warren County. Individuals can visit Clark to request active warrants, and the clerk will furnish the list to persons immediately. Law enforcement offices also have warrant divisions that receive active warrants issued by the court and keep track of warrants.