Arizona Arrest Records
Arizona arrest records refer to official documents detailing a person’s arrest history. However, an arrest record does not mean a person is guilty unless charged with a crime. According to the Arizona Revised Statutes, an arrest record is considered a public record accessible by any interested person. An arrest record may contain the following information:
- Arrestee’s full name
- Personal descriptors
- Reason for the arrest or alleged offense
- Time and location of the arrest
- Date of issue of arrest
- Name of issuer of the arrest
- Expiration date, if applicable
What Laws Govern Arrests in Arizona?
Under Arizona law, an arrest is an “actual custodial restraint of a person” or their submission to the custody of the arresting officer. By law, an officer must secure an arrest warrant from a judge or magistrate and arrest the person named on the warrant, given the probable cause of committing a crime. An arrest can also happen when an officer suspects someone of manufacturing illegal drugs, like methamphetamine.
In some cases, any law officer can arrest someone even without a warrant when they witness a crime or if they catch the suspect in the act of performing a crime.
Aside from an arrest warrant, a law officer must inform the arrestee of their constitutional rights through Miranda warnings.
What Is the Arrest Booking Process in Arizona?
Once arrested, the booking process in Arizona can take a few hours or more. Sometimes, the whole booking process can also take overnight.
As a first step, the arrestee will have to answer questions regarding their identification, like a name and alias, if applicable, date of birth, and other similar information. The next step would be to take the arrestee’s personal effects into custody. An added security measure is to perform a strip search before getting them fingerprinted and taking their mug shots to take note of their physical condition during the time of the arrest. Once everything is done, the officers will determine if the arrestee has any criminal record or any outstanding warrant to their name.
After the booking process, bail can be set, and an initial court appearance is likely to happen within 24 hours. Bail is more likely to be higher for arrestees with extensive criminal records.
What Are Arizona Mugshot Records?
Mugshots are part of Arizona arrest records and are usually taken as proof that an individual has been arrested for a possible crime. Such photos can also be used as evidence to identify suspects, especially if they have specific marks on their faces. Since mugshots are public records, any interested party can access them through local law enforcement agencies and their respective websites or through third-party websites offering the same information.
How Long Does an Arrest Record Stay in Arizona?
Arizona arrest records do not generally expire until the person named on the warrant has been apprehended or has completed their sentence. Otherwise, an arrested person can expunge or seal their arrest records to keep them from the public.
How To Expunge an Arrest Record in Arizona
Arrested offenders in Arizona can only expunge their arrest record once they finish their sentence. To expunge an arrest record, they must send an application to the county judge where they got convicted.
The following information is also needed to expunge Arizona arrest records successfully:
- Petitioner’s information includes the name, date of birth, address, email address, and charge or conviction.
- Case record information includes the name of the court that adjudicated the charges, the offenses requested for sealing, and the court case number, if applicable.
Any additional information can also be helpful, like the following:
- Name of arresting agency
- Date and location of arrest
- Court case number
- Name of justice court or prosecuting agency
Note that some crimes like certain violent and sexual offenses, inflicting serious bodily harm knowingly, and murder are all exempted from expungement.
How To Search Arizona Arrest Records
Requesters can find Arizona arrest records from respective counties in the state or through a case search using the court database. A quick search of arrest records is also available using third-party websites offering such information.