Carroll County Arrest Records

Carroll County arrest records are official documents that provide information about instances where a local law enforcement agency arrested an individual. Effecting arrests are among the primary responsibilities of local law enforcement agencies, such as the Carroll County Sheriff's Office and other local police departments. An active arrest warrant can authorize officers of local law enforcement agencies to arrest an individual. A person may also be arrested without a warrant per Maryland Code of Criminal Procedure §2-202 for committing or attempting to commit a felony or misdemeanor in a police officer's presence. Furthermore, §2-202 also permits warrantless arrest when there is probable cause to believe an individual committed a crime.

After an arrest, the arresting officer typically prepares an arrest record to document the incident per the agency's procedures. An arrest record usually contains pertinent information about an arrest, such as the arrestee's name, arrest date, and time. In certain cases, an arrest record can mark the beginning of a criminal case. As a result, arrest records are often shared with the local judiciary and included in Carroll County court records connected to the arrest.

Are Arrest Records Public in Carroll County?

Yes. Maryland's General Provisions Article § 3-501 through 4-601, also known as Maryland's Public Information Act (PIA), stipulates that the members of the general public have rights to access records regarding "public business" maintained by government agencies. These provisions extend the arrest records generated by local law enforcement agencies. Hence, anyone can query relevant agencies to review or obtain copies of Carroll County arrest records.

However, certain exemptions to the PIA can limit public access to arrest records. For instance, provisions of relevant state or federal statutes can restrict public access to arrest records. Additionally, arrest records of juvenile offenders are also exempt from public disclosure. Other reasons law enforcement agencies can restrict public access to arrest records include if disclosure of the record would:

• Reasonably interfere with valid and proper law enforcement proceedings.
• Deprive an individual of their right to a fair trial or impartial adjudication
• Reveal confidential investigative techniques or procedures
• Reveal the identity of confidential sources
• Endanger the life or physical safety of an individual

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Some information typically in Carroll County arrest records include the following:

• The arrestee's personal data:
  • The arrestee's full name and any known aliases
  • date of birth
  • contact details
• The arrestee's physical description:
  • Height
  • Weight
  • Hair and eye color
  • Race
  • Gender
  • Distinctive features, such as tattoos, birthmarks, and scars
• Arrest details;
  • Arrest's date, time, and location
  • The arrestee's charges
  • The arresting officer and their agency's details
• Booking details:
  • The arrestee's mugshot
  • Fingerprint
  • Bail or bond information (if available)
• The final outcome of the arrest (i.e. if the arrestee was convicted, acquitted, or their charges were dropped).

Carroll County Crime Rate

According to Maryland State Police's 2022 Crime in Maryland Report, Carroll County had a crime rate of 109.68, with a population of 175,048 persons in 2022. Among the most prevalent offenses in the County during that year were larceny-theft (159), aggravated assault (17), and breaking or entering (8). By comparison, Carroll County reported a crime rate of 74.62, with a population of 175,048 in 2021. Hence, there was a significant increase (46.99%) in Carroll County's crime rate in 2022.

Carroll County Arrest Statistics

According to Maryland UCR crime arrest data detailed in Maryland State Police's 2022 Crime in Maryland Report, 204 arrests were made in Carroll County in 2022. Of this number, 166 were adult arrests, and 38 were juvenile arrests. That year, larceny theft (25), aggravated assaults (13), and other assaults (46) were the most common offenses among arrestees. Compared to 2021, where 180 arrests were reported, Carroll County experienced a 13% increase in arrests in 2022.

Find Carroll County Arrest Records

Interested persons can find Carroll County arrest records by querying local law enforcement agencies, such as the Carroll County Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments. These agencies are responsible for generating and maintaining most arrest records in Carroll County. Hence, record seekers can query these agencies to find Carroll County arrest records. Record seekers are usually required to supply specific details about the arrest to aid in identifying their desired record when requesting arrest records. These details include the arrestee's name, arrest date, and time.

Note that Each agency's procedures for requesting arrest records may differ. Most agencies provide a dedicated request form record seekers can use to facilitate arrest records requests. For instance, the County Sheriff's office offers a Request Form interested persons can complete and submit to request arrest logs. The Carroll County Sheriff's Office may charge specific fees for arrest log requests. These include a $30 per hour fee for searches that take more than two hours, $0.25 per page for physical copies of reports, and a $10 fee for electronic media (i.e., digital information stored on CD or DVD). These fees are payable by cash, check, or money order and are due when the requested report is ready for pickup. It is worth noting that if a record seeker was a victim of a crime that warranted an arrest, they may be eligible for (1) one free copy of the arrest record. Request can be submitted by mail or in-person to the Carroll County Sheriff's Office at:

100 North Court Street
Westminster, Maryland 21157
Phone: (410) 386-2900 or (888) 302-8924

Some municipal police departments also provide request forms, such as the Hampstead Police Department Report Request Form, which record seekers can use to request records. Record seekers can also visit an agency's physical location to request records in person. Note that agencies usually charge specific fees for furnishing physical copies of records.

Besides local law enforcement agencies, state and federal agencies, like the Maryland State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), can make arrests in Carroll County. In such cases, arrestees are usually held in federal or state custody by the arresting agency in facilities they oversee. Hence, inquiries regarding an arrestee should be directed to the state or federal agency that made the arrest. Records seekers can contact the Maryland State Police's Central Record Division regarding arrests made by the department. Meanwhile, interested persons can find information about individuals who were arrested and held by the FBI or ICE by using the online resources they offer. There is the FBI's Federal Inmate Locator and ICE's Online Detainee Locator System.

Free Arrest Record Search in Carroll County

In Carroll County, interested persons can get arrest records for free by querying local law enforcement agencies. Record seekers may be allowed to view public arrest records for free in person at a local law enforcement agency. Record seekers are typically only charged a fee when they request copies of a record or when it takes an agency significant time (in some cases more than 2 hours) to find the desired record.

Unfortunately, most local law enforcement agencies, including the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, do not provide online resources through which interested persons search for arrest records for free. However, certain third-party websites offer free online access to arrest through public records search services they provide. On these third-party websites, searches are typically conducted by supplying an individual's name. Although third-party websites may be marketed as free in some cases, their services are rarely entirely free. In the sense that users may be able to conduct searches and access basic information for free, they are usually charged a fee for comprehensive records.

Get Carroll County Criminal Records

Carroll County Criminal Records are official documents that contain information about an individual's interactions with the Carroll County criminal justice system. Generally, criminal records include details about arrests, warrants, convictions, and other pertinent information about an individual's past.

In Carroll County, interested persons can obtain specific types of criminal records (i.e. arrest records) through local law enforcement agencies as previously explained. Meanwhile, more comprehensive criminal records are obtainable by conducting a state-level or federal-level background check. Note that fingerprints are used to facilitate these background checks.

At the state level, interested persons can conduct a background check through the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Service (DPSCS). Under Maryland's Security and Privacy Act and the Code of Maryland Annotated Regulations (COMAR), conducting a background check on an individual without proper authorization is prohibited. The process for requesting a personal background check through the DPSCS differs depending on where the requester lives. Those who reside in Maryland can visit the nearest CJIS Office that provides fingerprinting services. On the other hand, those who reside outside Maryland must request a fingerprint card by writing or calling the Maryland Criminal Justice Information System Central Repository at:

P.O. Box 32708,
Pikesville, Maryland 21282-2708;
Phone: (410) 764-4501 or (888) 795-0011

Note that there are certain fees associated with requesting background checks through DPSCS. These fees and other information about making background check requests are detailed on the DPSCS's Background Checks page.

For federal-level background checks, interested persons can conduct the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Carroll County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

The primary distinction between Carroll County arrest records and criminal records is the type of information these records contain. Arrest records only contain information about specific incidents in which a person was taken into custody by a local law enforcement agency on suspicion of committing a crime. Meanwhile, a criminal record is a comprehensive record that provides information about an individual's criminal history in a specific jurisdiction. Criminal records comprise different records, including but not limited to arrest, warrant, and conviction records.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

There is no general timeframe for local agencies to retain or dispose of arrest records imposed by Maryland State Statutes. Instead, relevant agencies each have their Records Retention And Disposal Schedule that determines how long records they maintain a record. For instance, according to the Westminster Police Department's Records Retention And Disposal Schedule, the agency retains adult and juvenile arrest records for 15 years.

Expunge Carroll County Arrest Records

Record expungement is a process that allows interested persons to remove eligible records from public inspection. As alluded to, only certain records are eligible for expungement. These include arrest records in which the arrestee was released without charge (RWOC). Arrest records from cases where the arrestee was charged with a crime that resulted in any of the following outcomes may also be eligible for expungement:

• Not guilty verdict
• Dismissed charge(s)
• Probation before judgment (excluding charges for driving while impaired or under the influence)
• Charges were not prosecuted (by Nolle Prosequi)
• The case being indefinitely postponed (stet)
• Settlement
• full and unconditional pardon by the Governor. Provided the arrestee has only been convicted of one non-violent criminal act
• Juvenile waived

Depending on the type of arrest records, interested persons can apply for expungement through the Carroll County Clerk's Office or at a local law enforcement agency.

Petitioners may query the arresting agency for the appropriate expungement request form(s) for arrest records that result in RWOC. On the other hand, petitioners can obtain an expungement petition form, such as Form DC/CR 72, from the Carroll County Clerk's Office to request the expungement of other eligible records. It is worth noting that details about the Caroll County Clerk's Office expungement process and requirements are accessible online through the clerk's office expungement information brochure.

Petitioners are usually charged certain filing fees (up to $30 per case) for an expungement request. However, these fees may be waived when a case results in acquittal, dismissal, not guilty, stet, or nolle prosequi. Furthermore, petitioners supply certain information on an expungement request application. These include:

• Their name or any alias they may have been using during the time of the arrest
• Current address
• Gender
• Date of birth
• Date of arrest
• Cases number and tracking number
• Arresting agency's details

Carroll County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a court order a judge or magistrate can issue authorizing a police officer to arrest the individual named in the warrant. An arrest warrant may be issued for different reasons, including when an individual is suspected of committing a crime or violating the terms of their release.

At the request of a prosecutor or law enforcement official, a judge or magistrate may issue an arrest warrant based on a sworn statement that contains sufficient evidence a crime has been committed. Per Maryland's Courts and Judicial Proceedings §2–107, an arrest warrant should contain specific information about its subject (if known). These include the subject's:

• Full name
• Last address
• Race
• Sex
• Height
• Weight
• Hair Color
• Eye color
• Driver license number
• Distinguishing features (i.e. body marks or scars)

Carroll County Arrest Warrant Search

In Carroll County, interested persons can find information about an arrest warrant through its issuing court or the law enforcement agency responsible for its execution. Inquirers can visit or contact a local law enforcement agency, such as the Carroll County Sheriff and municipal police departments, to inquire about arrest warrants.

On the other hand, record seekers can review public court records to find information about any arrest warrant that may have been issued in a court case. Record seekers can visit the courthouse that handled a case and query the court clerk to review the court records in person. Alternatively, interested persons can access Carroll County Court records online through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search website.

It is worth noting that individuals who choose to make in-person inquiries about arrest warrants at a local law enforcement agency or courthouse risk arrest if an active arrest warrant issued against them is discovered.

Do Carroll County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Carroll County arrest warrants do not expire and remain active indefinitely until the warrant's subject turns themselves in or gets arrested. A warrant may also be recalled or quashed at the issuing court's discretion.