Phelps County Arrest Records

Arrest records in Phelps County, Missouri, refer to law enforcement records created by the Phelps County Sheriff's Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol (Troop I), and other law enforcement agencies in the county. These documents detail arrests and may form part of Phelps County court records if the arrest proceeds into trials in court.

Phelps County law enforcement agencies detain the individuals they arrest at municipal holding facilities and transfer them to the Phelps County Jail after processing. Convicts of serious crimes and individuals on long-term sentences may serve their prison terms at the Missouri Department of Corrections (DOC) prisons.

Are Arrest Records Public in Phelps County?

Yes, arrest records are public in Phelps County. Chapter 610 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri (Missouri Sunshine Law) authorizes public access to Phelps County arrest records and other government documents. Nevertheless, not all Phelps County arrest records are publicly disclosable. Under Missouri laws, public members cannot access the following Phelps County arrest records and information:

• Juvenile arrest records
• Records relating to active law enforcement investigations
• Confidential Informant details
• Sealed or expunged records
• Information relating to national security and public safety.

In Missouri, access to exempted arrest records is limited to the subjects of the documents and entities with legal clearance.

Members of the public seeking Phelps County arrest records should contact the Phelps County Sheriff's Office at:

Phelps County Sheriff's Office
500 W 2nd Street,
Rolla, MO 65401
Phone: (573) 426-3857
Fax: (573) 426-3857
Email: info.email@phelpscountysheriff.org.

Phelps County Arrest Statistics

Between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2023, more than 5,769 individuals, including 3,951 males and 1,903 females, were arrested for various offenses in Phelps County. The Phelps County Sheriff's Office, Rolla Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies reported 1,318 arrest incidents to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) database in 2020. In 2021, 2022, and 2023, Phelps County law enforcement agencies made 1,614, 1,438, and 1,399 arrests, respectively.

Between 2020 and 2023, drug violations, larcenies, simple assaults, DUIs, and burglaries accounted for the most arrests within Phelps County. The table below outlines the various arrests within Phelps County between 2020 and 2023.

Find Phelps County Arrest Records

Seekers of Phelps County arrest records should:

• Visit the Current Inmate Search portal. It provides the inmate’s name, mugshot, race, sex, age, and arrest date.
• Search for Phelps County court-related arrest records through the Missouri Courts Case.net Search Portal.
• Visit the Missouri State Highway Patrol Online Arrest Reports Page and view or search for information about Phelps County arrest incidents.

Phelps County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

The distinctions between Phelps County arrests and criminal records are their creation mode, content, legal implications, and impacts.

Phelps County arrest records

Phelps County arrest records are created by the Phelps County Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement agencies within Phelps County when they take individuals into custody. These documents detail the arrest of individuals and contain the names of arrestees, the circumstances leading to arrests, processing information, and the conditions for their release. Phelps County arrest records do not confirm the guilt or innocence of their owners for alleged crimes; arrestees are innocent until proven guilty at the courts. An arrest record may not impact the owner unless it results in convictions.

Phelps County criminal records

Phelps County criminal records are documents generated by the Phelps County Circuit and Municipal Courts during criminal trials. These documents encompass Phelps County arrest records and other files relating to criminal trials, sentencing, and incarcerations within the Phelps County Circuit and Municipal Courts.

Criminal records provide more detailed information than arrest records and legally confirm guilt for criminal acts. Having Phelps County criminal records may impact social status, housing, employment, and personal relationships.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrest information stays on records permanently unless the court seals or removes it. Per Sections 610.122 and 610.140 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, owners of arrest records can petition the courts to remove arrest information if:

• There were no charges within three years of the arrest
• The arrest results in dismissal or acquittal
• The arrest results from false information
• The owner of the record does not have previous or subsequent convictions.

Also, applicants must observe a three-year waiting period for misdemeanors and seven years for eligible felonies, pay all court-imposed fines, have no pending trials during the waiting periods, and show proof of rehabilitation.

Phelps County Arrest Warrants

Phelps County arrest warrants are legal orders issued to law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys by judges/magistrates of the Phelps County Circuit and Municipal Courts to take individuals into custody. Applicants for arrest warrants must provide evidence or affidavits of probable cause to the court to obtain arrest warrants. Phelps County judges/magistrates may also issue arrest bench warrants for several other reasons; these include:

• Contempt of court
• Violation of terms of probation or parole
• Disregard for court orders
• Failure to appear for grand jury duty without justification
• Indictments from a grand jury.

Under Missouri laws, a Phelps County arrest warrant should contain the following information:

• The name and physical description of the subject
• Description of the offense
• Reference to the sections of Missouri Statutes allegedly broken
• Orders to law enforcement to bring the individual before the court
• An affidavit or statement of probable cause
• Date and time of issuance of the warrant
• Name and signature of the issuing judge/magistrate
• Name and location of the issuing court.

Do Phelps County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In Phelps County and other parts of Missouri, arrest warrants do not have automatic expiration dates; these documents remain active unless law enforcement takes the subjects into custody, the court quashes them, or the subjects die. However, factors like statutes of limitations on the underlying crimes and local policies may govern the issuance of arrest warrants in Phelps County. Statutes of limitation will dictate how long prosecutors have to file charges against suspects. Any associated warrant outside this period becomes invalid.