Bowie County Arrest Records

Bowie County arrest records provide information on lawful arrests executed by law enforcement agents. Such records may contain details such as the arrestee’s physical description and name, the place, time, and date of the arrest, and the arresting officer's particulars. Bowie County arrest records are public records under Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code, which opens records archives of governmental agencies to members of the public.

Arrest warrants are of two types: arrest warrants, which are issued by a judge to bring a named person before the court, and bench warrants, which are issued by the court to arrest an individual who refused to show up for his court hearing.

Arrest records are primarily kept and maintained by the County Sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office is open to the public for physical arrest records requests, which can also be mailed or submitted through the phone or the Bowie County Sheriff's website. Interested persons can also request or inspect Bowie County Court Records to search for bench warrants. Record requests may require payment of a fee and a valid ID for verification.

Are Arrest Records Public in Bowie County?

Yes, arrest records are generally public. Under the Texas Government Code (Chapter 552), members of the public may inspect and make copies of records maintained by governmental and quasi-governmental agencies.

Arrest records may be maintained by the local sheriff’s office, the courts, and the police departments. These public agencies maintain arrest records for different purposes and in different ways. For instance, courts maintain arrest details in the arraignment documents while keeping records of bench warrants. In contrast, police departments maintain records for arrests executed outside the local sheriff’s territorial or subject matter jurisdiction.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records have details that do not violate Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code. This act provides exemptions aimed at protecting people’s privacy and security. Thus, public arrest records contain all necessary arrest information except personal information. Some of these generally include:

• The arrestee’s personal information, such as name, address, date of birth, and physical description.
• The arrest details, such as the date, location, and time.
• The charges against the arrestee.
• The law enforcement agency executing the arrest.
• The arresting officer’s name and badge number.
• The arrestee’s booking details include mugshots, booking numbers, and fingerprints.
• The scheduled court information and case number.
• Any further remarks or comments from the booking personnel or the arresting officer

Bowie County Crime Rate

According to the FBI UCR, in 2022, Bowie County's crime rate included 44 violent offenses and 240 property crimes in the county. The most prevalent violent crime was aggravated assault, with 26 reports, while rape followed with 13 reported incidents. The most prevalent property crimes are larceny-theft, with 142 reports, followed by burglary and motor vehicle theft, with 48 reported incidents respectively. The least prevalent violent crimes were homicide, with three reports, and robbery, with three reported incidents, while arson had two reported incidents as the least reported property crime.

Bowie County Arrest Statistics

Bowie County arrest statistics for 2022, as observed from the FBI UCR, reveal 54 arrests for all other offenses except traffic offenses. There were 11 arrests for aggravated assault and 49 arrests for simple assaults. The county recorded eight arrests for burglary, six arrests for larceny-theft, and six arrests for motor vehicle theft. There were four arrests for robbery, one arrest for rape, and no arrests for arson.

Find Bowie County Arrest Records

Bowie County arrest records are available to the public through the governmental agencies that maintain them. These records are public records by virtue of the Open Public Records Act and are maintained by the Sheriff’s office, the courts, and the local police departments. The sheriff’s office is the primary arrest records custodian, while the police departments maintain records of arrests executed outside the sheriff’s jurisdiction. The courts maintain records of arrest details through arraignment and criminal trial records. The public can also search for bench warrants in court records.

The public can access arrest records from any of these governmental agencies by going to the records office during work hours on weekdays. The agency’s records custodian will receive validly submitted requests for processing. Requesters can also use online platforms such as the District Clerk’s website to access court records or the County Sheriff’s office website, which provides access to the sheriff’s archives. State resources are also available to obtain arrest records. The Crime Records website from the Texas Department of Public Safety provides access to criminal records under which arrest records are included. You can also use the Criminal History Name Search platform to conduct a name search for arrest records. Note that you must filter the state records to focus on information from Bowie County. Finding and obtaining arrest records will cost a prefixed fee, and the custodian can request a valid ID for identity verification.

Free Arrest Record Search in Bowie County

Public agencies in charge of maintaining arrest records are allowed to charge a fee for the recovery of records and for making copies for requesters. The fees charged will depend on the types of records or the mode of request adopted. Arrest records can also be obtained at no cost from third-party platforms.

Third-party platforms are available at all times of the day, which makes them a more convenient and accessible option. To find these platforms, simply input your records inquiry in a Google search and review the top results for which you are most comfortable patronizing. Third-party platforms are nongovernmental sources, which makes the accuracy of the records subject to ratification by a government source. Thus, requesters must take care when using records obtained from third-party platforms and endeavor to verify information frequently.

Get Bowie County Criminal Records

Bowie County criminal records refer to official documentation of information about an individual’s criminal history. Criminal records include details such as arrests, charges brought against the individual, the individual’s convictions, and sentences. Bowie County criminal records are public records under Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code. These records are maintained across different governmental agencies, including the courts, the law enforcement agencies, and the correctional facilities. The courts maintain criminal court records, which have details of an individual’s arraignment and court trial, while the law enforcement agencies maintain arrest and incarceration records. Correctional facilities maintain records of inmates, their convictions, and sentences.

These agencies work together to contribute to an individual’s criminal history. The public can approach the District Court clerk to physically request criminal court records or use the District Clerk’s for remote access.

The sheriff’s office and police departments will be open on weekdays for physical requests while also maintaining the county sheriff’s office for remote access. The Bowie County Jail Inmate Search platform also allows the public to search for arrested inmates in Bowie County jails. The correctional facilities will also provide the same physical access to court records during work hours on weekdays. The public must be ready to pay the required fees for accessing the records and provide a valid ID upon request by the records custodian.

Bowie County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Criminal records are documents that detail an individual’s criminal activities, which include arrests, charges, convictions, and sentences entered by the court. Arrest records are documents detailing the circumstances of an individual’s arrest by law enforcement agencies. While both contribute to criminal records, arrest records are only a part of criminal records. Arrest records are the beginning of criminal records, and the latter starts with a lawful apprehension of a named individual to face trial in court. Criminal records cover arrest records and other types of records that evidence an individual’s involvement in crime.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Generally, arrests will remain on your records forever unless steps are taken to have them expunged or sealed. Expungement or sealing of arrests on your records is available to individuals who meet certain conditions. These conditions include:

• The individual must have been acquitted or the charges dismissed.
• Some misdemeanors as a minor will qualify the individual for expungement.
• If no charges were filed following the arrest,
• If the convicted individual receives a pardon.
• If the arrest was executed due to identity theft and the crime was committed by another individual using your identity.

Expunge Bowie County Arrest Records

Expungement is the process by which records can be removed or sealed. The need for expungement arises when people require certain parts of their records to be hidden from public view or access. There are certain requirements to be fulfilled before an arrest can be expunged from an individual's records. The first thing to consider is eligibility for expungement, which is based on various factors. Individuals who are eligible must have been acquitted or had their charges dismissed, had no charges following the arrest, or were convicted and got a pardon. After determining if you are eligible, get the necessary documents and any required petition forms and fill them. Proceed to submit the completed form at the Bowie County District Court, where the arrest was executed, and attend the hearing that ensues. After the hearing, follow up with the relevant governmental agencies to ensure that the arrests have been sealed or expunged from your records.

Bowie County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a document which details the circumstances of an arrest. It is a document issued and signed by a judge for a law enforcement agency to bring a named individual before a court. Arrest warrants require the judge’s signature for validity and do not expire unless the judge or court recalls it or it is executed by law enforcement agents.

There are two types of arrest warrants: bench warrants and arrest warrants. Bench warrants are issued for the arrest of individuals who do not show up in court, while arrest warrants are issued to bring a person to court for trial. Arrest warrants are public records which are primarily maintained by the sheriff’s office. The public can approach the records department at the sheriff’s office to inspect arrest records and also search through jail inmate records. The courts can also maintain records of active bench warrants. Here are some contents of an arrest warrant:

• The name and physical description of the arrested individual.
• The crimes charged and the law supporting them.
• The location, time, and date of the arrest.
• The arresting officer’s name and badge number.

Bowie County Arrest Warrant Search

Bowie County arrest warrants are accessible to the public based on Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code, which gives the public the right of access to records of governmental agencies. These records are maintained by the courts and law enforcement agencies, which makes them qualified for public access. Arrest warrants are of two major types: bench and arrest warrants. Bench warrants are issued for the arrest of individuals who refuse to attend their court hearing, while arrest warrants are issued to bring named individuals before a court for hearing.

Courts maintain records of arrest warrants through criminal court records while also maintaining records of active bench warrants. The law enforcement agencies maintain records of arrests and county jail inmates, which are updated in real-time. These agencies are open to the public during work hours on weekdays for physical request submissions.

However, there are online platforms for the public to conduct arrest warrant searches. The District Clerk’s website provides access to the county District Court clerk for mailing search requests. The County Sheriff’s office provides access to the county sheriff’s details for mailing arrest warrant search requests. The public must provide some information on the records of interest with which the custodian will conduct the records search. Such details can be the date or location of the arrest and the names of the arrestee or arresting officer.

Do Bowie County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Bowie County arrest warrants do not expire until they are executed. They can also expire when the judge or court that issued the warrants recalls them. This law applies to all types of arrest warrants, especially arrest and bench warrants.