Dunklin County Arrest Records

Under Missouri's Sunshine Law, RSMo § 610.100, an arrest in Dunklin County is the restraint of a person—whether with or without a warrant—on suspicion of a criminal offense. After taking a suspect into custody, the arresting officer prepares a detailed arrest report that outlines the circumstances of the arrest, the individual's identifying information, the place of detention, and the proposed charges. This report is forwarded to the Dunklin County Circuit Court or the relevant municipal court for prosecutorial review. Once filed, the report becomes part of the official Dunklin County court record and is open to public inspection unless sealed by court order or exempt under state law.

Are Arrest Records Public in Dunklin County?

Yes, Missouri's Sunshine Law (RSMo §§ 610.010 – 610.035) makes Dunklin County arrest and incident reports "open records", meaning any member of the public may request them without stating a reason. A written or emailed request to the Custodian of Records at the Dunklin County Sheriff's Office or a city police department should receive a response—granting the record, denying it, or explaining any delay—no later than the third business day after the request is received. The agency may charge only the actual cost of research, redaction, and copying, typically a few cents per page.

Common statutory exemptions (records that may be withheld or partly redacted):

• Active investigative materials and body-cam or dash-cam footage while an investigation is ongoing.
• Arrest reports that do not lead to charges within 30 days—all portions except the final disposition become closed.
• Details that would endanger a victim, witness, undercover officer, or compromise a confidential informant.
• Graphic crime-scene images, medical information, or other data shielded by specific state or federal privacy laws.

Even when an arrest record is "closed", it remains available to criminal justice agencies and can be released under a court order or to the arrestee under RSMo § 610.120.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

When an arrest report is open to public inspection, it generally includes:

• Event information – date, time, incident or case number, and exact location of the arrest.
• Arrestee identifiers – full name, date of birth, address, sex, race, and booking or custody number.
• Charge details – description of the alleged offense, Missouri charge code, and any bond set at booking.
• Officer and agency data – name or badge number of the arresting officer and the agency involved.
• Custody information – booking photograph, fingerprint classification, and the holding facility (e.g., Dunklin County Justice Center).
• Release notes – citation issued, bond posted, transfer to another jail, or release on recognizance.

These elements allow courts, prosecutors, and the public to understand the circumstances of an arrest while balancing transparency with the privacy and safety protections required by Missouri law.

Dunklin County Arrest Statistics

The most recent county-level arrest tables released by the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Statistical Analysis Center cover the calendar year 2018. They show that law enforcement agencies in Dunklin County logged 1,946 arrests. Of these, 324 were "index" arrests—the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Part I offenses such as murder, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The remaining 1,622 arrests involved "non-index" (Part II) offenses, a broad category that includes drug and alcohol violations, simple assault, traffic offenses, and other misdemeanors or municipal code violations.

Find Dunklin County Arrest Records

Researchers can locate information on Dunklin County arrests through Missouri's Department of Corrections (MODOC), several federal law enforcement databases, and local agencies.

Missouri Department of Corrections (MODOC)

MODOC oversees roughly 23,000 offenders in 19 institutions and provides two ways to retrieve arrest and incarceration data:

• Online: Visit the Offender Search portal, enter the individual's DOC ID or full name, and select Search to view custody status, facility location, and projected release information.
• In-person: Go to any MODOC institution and complete the request form supplied by staff; they typically perform the search on behalf of record seekers.

Federal Sources

Several federal agencies also maintain arrest or confinement information that may involve Dunklin County residents:

• United States Capitol Police (USCP) – Submit a completed Reports Request Form by mail to the USCP Reports Processing Section; copies are released once the request is approved.
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Use the free Online Detainee Locator System or visit an ICE facility to request printed copies (small copy fees may apply).
• Federal Bureau of Prisons(BOP) – Check the Inmate Locator for current confinement status or request records at any BOP facility, where standard per-page copy fees are charged.
• Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) – Only the record holder may obtain an official Criminal History Summary ("rap sheet"). Submit fingerprints online, by mail, or through an FBI-approved channeler. The base fee is $18; channelers add their own service charge. Mail requests require an Applicant Information Form, fingerprint card, and payment by certified check, money order, or Credit Card Payment Form.

Local Law-Enforcement Agencies

For the most up-to-date details on arrests made by county deputies or city police officers, contact:

• Dunklin County Sheriff's Office
• Municipal police departments (e.g., Kennett Police Department)

Under Missouri's Sunshine Law (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 610.100 et seq.), these agencies must release most arrest reports unless an exemption applies, and they often provide faster turnaround than state or federal channels.

Requesters are typically required to provide as much identifying information as possible—full name, date of birth, aliases, or DOC ID—to reduce search time and avoid mistaken identities. Additionally, record seekers are advised to verify any federal results with the local sheriff or police department if they need confirmation of an arrest that originated in Dunklin County.

Free Arrest Record Search in Dunklin County

Persons seeking free arrest information can start by calling the Dunklin County Sheriff's Office at (573) 888-4010. Another no-cost option is the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Online Arrest Reports portal, which lets users search by name, county, troop, city, or arrest date and will display Dunklin County results. Although several commercial websites also advertise free arrest-record lookups, they typically impose fees for complete reports and often rely on data that may be incomplete or outdated; for any official purpose, it is wiser to confirm details with a government source.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Missouri generally keeps arrest records forever unless a judge orders expungement under § 610.140, RSMo, or another statute. However, certain documents do have specific retention periods. The Missouri Secretary of State's Sheriff Records Retention Schedule directs agencies to preserve booking sheets, arrest logs, fingerprint cards, and similar booking materials for five years, while incident reports involving Class A felonies are permanent. Even after paper files are destroyed or archived, digital indexes or case histories can persist, so anyone seeking complete removal must pursue an expungement and satisfy all statutory requirements.

Expunge Dunklin County Arrest Records

RSMo § 610.122 defines the conditions a person must meet before their arrest records can be expunged in Dunklin County. Those who meet the eligibility criteria may file a completed CR 145 Petition for Expungement of Arrest Records Form with the Dunklin County Circuit Clerk. This application requires a fee of $250, but it can be waived for indigent petitioners. A notification of the application will be sent to the prosecuting attorney, who has 30 days to respond. The court usually holds a hearing within 60 days of the attorney's approval and signs an expungement order if the application is granted. The petitioner and relevant agencies will receive a copy of the expungement order.

Dunklin County Arrest Warrants

Under Missouri Rules of Criminal Procedure 22.04 and 21.3, a Dunklin County judge issues an arrest warrant when the sworn information or complaint establishes probable cause that a crime occurred and the court believes the defendant is unlikely to appear on a summons or pose a danger to the public. Rule 22.05 (mirrored in Rule 21.6 for misdemeanors and infractions) requires every warrant to be written in the name of the State of Missouri and directed to any peace officer. It must state the defendant's name—or a clear physical description if the name is unknown—identify the alleged offense, record the date and county of issuance, command the officer to arrest the defendant and bring the person before the issuing court, set any bail or release conditions, and bear the judge's signature.

Do Dunklin County Arrest Warrants Expire?

A Dunklin County arrest warrant does not expire with the passage of time. Once signed, it remains active until the court recalls it, the defendant is arrested, or the warrant is quashed or set aside. Consequently, a person named in a warrant is usually advised to respond by surrendering voluntarily and resolving the matter in court rather than waiting for law enforcement officers to execute the warrant at an inconvenient moment.