St Louis County Arrest Records

In St. Louis County, arrests become pertinent when law enforcement personnel believe a person has engaged in an unlawful activity. Following their arrest, inmates are usually detained at the St. Louis County Jail, supervised by the St. Louis County Department of Justice Services. The Justice Service ensures secure custody and supervision of incarcerated individuals.

The St. Louis County Police Department is the custodian of the County's arrest records. These documents include specifics of county-wide arrests and apprehensions, information about arrested persons, and circumstances of the events that resulted in arrests.

Arrest records are part of the broader category of public records, including court records. Specifically, St Louis County court records contain information about court proceedings related to arrests. The St Louis Circuit Clerk's office manages court records, an essential resource for understanding the judicial process following an arrest.

Are Arrest Records Public in St Louis County?

Yes. According to Chapter 610 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri—otherwise known as the Missouri Sunshine Law—all open arrest records are accessible to the public. Nonetheless, the Law labels specific arrest records as closed records that law enforcement officials should not disclose to the public.

Closed arrest records include:

• Records of persons arrested but not charged with a crime within 30 days of arrest become closed.
• Sections of arrest records that constitute a clear and imminent danger to the wellbeing of a victim, witness, undercover agent, or others or compromise a criminal investigation are closed.
• Records that reveal the identity of a confidential informant or suspect who is not detained.
• Records that may disclose law enforcement techniques, procedures, or guidelines for investigations or prosecutions are closed to the public.
• Police records under review by the prosecutor concerning undetermined charges and records relating to suspended imposition of sentence.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Per the Missouri Sunshine Law, the following aspects of a St Louis County arrest record are available to the public:

• The suspect's full name and date of birth
• The suspect's physical characteristics (e.g., gender, height, weight, scars/tattoos/marks, and eye and hair color)
• The suspect’s employment
• Arrest date, time, and location
• If appropriate, the suspect's booking data (time, date, location, etc.)
• Facts on the arrest and current charges against the individual.
• The mode and timing of release or the location where the suspect is currently imprisoned.

St Louis County Crime Rate

According to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), the St Louis County Police Department reported 1,418 violent crime incidents in 2022 and 1,617 incidents the previous year. This figure translates to a 12.32% decrease in all violent crimes from 2021 to 2022. On the other hand, total property crimes increased from 8,055 incidents in 2021 to 8,879 incidents in 2022, indicating a 10.23% increase in all property crimes within the period.

A breakdown of the violent crime incidents in 2022 revealed that aggravated assault constituted 72.63% (1,030 incidents) of all reported violent offenses. Other significant violent crime types were rape (116 incidents), robbery (241 incidents), and homicide (31 incidents), constituting 8.18%, 17.00%, and 2.19%, respectively.

St Louis County Arrest Statistics

In 2022, the St. Louis County Police Department's arrest figures reflected the broad scope of offenses law enforcement officials encountered in the county. Prominent among offenses the Department arrested people for was simple assault, with 1,467 incidents (14.50%). Drug abuse violations comprised 1,120 incidents (11.08%), while drug possession cases constituted 938 incidents (9.28%). Property crimes such as larceny-theft and burglary were also significant, with 672 (6.64%) and 241 incidents (2.38%), respectively.

Similarly, a 2022 St Louis County Justice Service report estimated the county jail's average total population at 834 inmates. During that period, the jail's Intake Service Center (ISC) processed 11,032 detainees.

Find St Louis County Arrest Records

Interested parties seeking St Louis County arrest records may search through the Missouri Department of Corrections’s Offenders Search website. The database contains records on convicted and detained offenders in the state.

The search application returns results on active offenders, including probations, but does not provide information on discharged inmates.

Since the County Jail holds inmates on behalf of the US Marshals, requesters looking for such inmates should use the Federal Inmate Locator. They can browse the site using the inmate’s first and last name.

For inmates apprehended by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the general public may search through the Online Detainee Locator System or the precise ICE detention facility holding the offender if the information is available.

Free Arrest Record Search in St Louis County

Requesters seeking free record search in St Louis County may wish to begin their search at one of the eight police precincts that comprise the St Louis County Police Department or other police departments within the county. Since police officers typically carry out arrests and bookings at the nearest police department, eligible requesters should consider visiting the precinct closest to where an arrest of interest occurred.

The St. Louis County Department of Justice Services also manages the County Jail. Interested parties may contact the agency at 100 South Central, Clayton, MO 63105 if searching for free arrest records. They can also call (314) 615-5245 or email JSocial@stlouiscountymo.gov.

Alternatively, inquirers can use the county’s inmate locator tool to search for free arrest records. To find an inmate, a requester must provide the detainee’s exact first and last name to find an inmate. The database will only yield exact matches; it does not return similar names.

While filing a report attracts no charge, requesters should note that processing and disseminating arrest records has a cost implication. Each report is $6.50, and this fee, implemented by the St. Louis County Council (Ordinance No.701.080), caters to the cost of locating, reviewing, photocopying, and providing the report.

Get St Louis County Criminal Records

A criminal record is a comprehensive official record of a person's experiences with criminal justice and the legal system. A criminal history check—often known as a background check or rap sheet—includes arrests, charges, dispositions (the results of court proceedings), sentence details, and other details concerning a particular individual.

Persons looking for St. Louis County criminal records should visit the Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS). The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Criminal Justice Information Services Division administers MACHS, the principal database for all Missouri criminal history data records.

Requesters can obtain St Louis County criminal history records from MACHS in two ways:

• Personal Identifier Search: This name-based search is $15.00 per request. An applicant may conduct this search online at MACHS or by mail with the "Request for Criminal Record Check Form, SHP-158". This search will return only open records.
• Fingerprint-Based Search: This option requires a filled-out applicant fingerprint card (FD-258) and costs $20.00 per request. The results of this search are regarded as a "positive match" and will return closed or complete records. A fingerprint-based background search typically takes seven to ten business days to process, after which the results are mailed to the qualified company or applicant.

St Louis County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

St Louis County arrest records are legal records produced by law enforcement agencies following the detainment of an arrestee for committing a crime. An arrest record typically consists of the arrestee's personal information, location, and date of the arrest, as well as the charges against the offender. Additionally, an arrest record may include details on the jail or prison where a person is detained.

The St Louis County Police Department is the county's primary database for arrest records. Summarily, the main purpose of an arrest record is to collate the circumstances surrounding an individual's arrest and lay the premises for possible criminal charges.

On the other hand, St Louis County criminal records are comprehensive legal files that provide a holistic view of an individual's relationship with law enforcement and the penal system. Criminal records typically comprise the offender's personal information, booking photographs, fingerprints, charges filed against, pleas, indictments, and conviction details.

In Missouri, the Missouri Highway Patrol is responsible for distributing criminal record information to the public in line with the Missouri Sunshine Law guidelines.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. An arrest record will remain on a person's record forever unless they go through the expungement process. Interested and eligible persons may ask the court to order law enforcement agencies possessing their arrest records on a particular incident to destroy such records. They can do this by petitioning the court to expunge an arrest record.

Expunge St Louis County Arrest Records

In Missouri, an eligible applicant can either have their St Louis County arrest records destroyed or closed. The following sections discuss how to go about this:

Eligibility

• Applicants can apply to have their records destroyed if the court dismisses the allegations against them, they are found innocent, or the arrest is for non-intoxicated motor vehicle offenses (non-commercial drivers).
• An applicant is eligible to have arrest records closed for arrests, pleas, trials, or convictions as long as they are not severe felony offenses, violent crimes, sex crimes, intoxication-related crimes, motor-vehicle infractions (commercial drivers), or ordinance infractions comparable to felonies.

Generally, applicants must not have any other convictions (except traffic violations), no pending charges, pay all fines and restitutions, not be a threat to public safety, and the expungement conforms with public welfare and justice interests to be eligible for sealing or expungement of their records.

All state agencies must destroy their records if the court approves the expungement. Consequently, this allows the applicant to deny their arrests or convictions legitimately.

Application Process:

• Step 1: The petitioner must wait the stipulated period after conviction, sentence completion, probation or parole completion, or final restitution payment.
• Step 2: The petitioner has to complete the appropriate form from the Missouri Courts website.
• Step 3: The petitioner must file the completed form and supporting documents with the St Louis County Court Clerk.
• Step 4: The petitioner must pay the necessary fee (up to $250) or request a waiver.
• Step 5: The applicant must attend the hearing on your petition.

Petitioners should remember that they can only expunge one felony and two misdemeanors in their lifetime. Also, different waiting periods apply based on the type of arrest or conviction. If the court denies a petition, the applicant must wait one year to refile.

St Louis County Arrest Warrants

The Revised Statutes of Missouri, RSMo Section 544.180, authorizes St Louis County law enforcement officers to arrest and detain a suspect with a warrant. When a judge or magistrate issues a warrant, the officer connected must obtain an affidavit establishing probable cause that the person(s) identified in the warrant committed a specific offense.

Per Missouri Rules of Criminal Procedure (Rule 22.05), a St Louis County arrest warrant must contain the following details:

1. Name of the Defendant
2. Description of the Felony Offense
3. Date and Location of Warrant Issuance
4. Command - The warrant must command that any person named be arrested
5. Signature - The court or county clerk must sign the warrant at the court’s direction for a specific warrant.

St Louis County Arrest Warrant Search

When searching for active St Louis County arrest warrants, one should visit the St Louis County Police Department. The Department actively collaborates with the warrant office of the St Louis County Prosecuting Attorney to prepare arrest warrants. Therefore, they should have an up-to-date file on active arrest warrants in the County.

Alternatively, individuals seeking active St Louis arrest warrants may visit the Missouri Highway Patrol website for details. The "Missouri State Highway Patrol Most Wanted" page occasionally publishes comprehensive descriptions of fugitives.

Do St Louis County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. St Louis County arrest warrants remain effective until the subject of the warrant dies or is arraigned before a judge or a judge quashes the warrant.