Cooke County Arrest Records

Arrest records in Cooke County are law enforcement documents that provide information about the arrest of offenders within Cooke County, TX. The Cooke County Sheriff's Office, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and other law enforcement agencies operating within Cooke County create arrest records as official details of arrests. Under the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Cooke County law officers can arrest individuals if they witness arrestable offenses or have probable cause to believe that individuals committed criminal acts. Also, arrests become imminent if the courts order them through arrest warrants.

Cooke County arrest records are accessible through local law enforcement offices or as components of Cooke County court records. In Cooke County, the Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement agencies detain individuals awaiting trial, serving sentences, or held for other judicial proceedings at the Cooke County Detention Center. They may also transfer state and federal convicts or individuals serving long-term sentences to appropriate correctional facilities outside Cooke County.

Are Arrest Records Public in Cooke County?

Yes, arrest records are public in Cooke County. Title 5, Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code mandates public access to Cooke County arrest records unless the courts restrict access to such documents. Nonetheless, access to Cooke County arrest records is not blanket. Per Texas laws, Cooke County arrest record custodians cannot grant public access to Cooke County arrest records relating to:

• Minors
• Active law enforcement investigations
• Sealed or expunged records
• National security or public safety
• Confidential Informant
• Victims of identity theft
• Law enforcement personnel
• Victims of domestic violence and sexual assaults.

Only the owners of exempted Cooke County arrest records and legally authorized entities can access them. Inquiries about Cooke arrests should be through the arresting agencies, or interested individuals should contact the Cooke County Sheriff's Office at:

The Cooke County Justice Center
300 County Road 451,
Gainesville,
Texas 76240
Phone: (940) 665-3471
Fax: (940) 668-3255

Cooke County Arrest Statistics

Between January 2020 and December 2023, the Cooke County Sheriff's Office and the Gainesville Police Department reported 4,489 arrests to the FBI crime database. This figure comprises 3,184 male and 1,299 female arrestees. In 2020, there were 1,223 arrests within Cooke County. The same agencies arrested 1,066, 1,166, and 1,034 individuals in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

During the period under review (2020 to 2023), drug-related offenses accounted for the most arrests within Cooke County. There were also mentionable numbers for simple assault, larceny, and DUI. The table below summarizes Cooke County arrests from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2023.

Find Cooke County Arrest Records

For information about arrests in Cooke County, interested individuals should call, fax, visit, or send mail requests to the Cooke County Sheriff's Office. Alternatively:

• Visit the relevant Cooke County law enforcement offices and make public record requests to access their arrest record.
• Log into the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Inmate Information Search Portal and use the online tools to look for arrest records of Cooke County arrestees serving terms in state prisons
• Visit the Texas Department of Public Safety's Criminal History Conviction Name Search database and look for information about Cooke County convicts or deferred adjudications
• Call, fax, mail, or visit the Cooke County Clerk of Court Office to access court-related arrest records at:

The Cooke County Courthouse
101 South Dixon, Room 207,
Gainesville,
TX 76240
Phone: (940) 668-5450
Fax: (940) 668-5476

Cooke County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Notwithstanding their complementary roles in law enforcement, Cooke County arrests and criminal records are distinct documents.

Arrest records are law enforcement documents that detail the apprehending of individuals who commit arrestable offenses. In Cooke County, law officers create these documents to detail arrests. These documents contain the names of arrestees, the reasons for their arrest, processing information, and the requirements they must fulfill to regain freedom.

A Cooke County arrest record does not confirm guilt or innocence; only the court can pronounce an arrestee guilty or innocent of a crime. Also, arrest records may not impact their owners if the courts do not convict them of the underlying charges.

Cooke County criminal records are a combination of law enforcement and court documents; they encompass Cooke County arrest records and other documents relating to criminal trials within Cooke County. Criminal records are legal confirmation of guilt for criminal acts and may have lasting impacts on personal relationships, employment, social status, and housing.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Cooke County and other parts of Texas, arrest information remains on records permanently and is publicly accessible unless the courts remove them or issue orders of non-disclosure. Individuals seeking to expunge Cooke County arrest records must fulfill the requirements of Title 1, Chapter 55 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.

The public should note that notwithstanding expunction and the issuance of orders of non-disclosure, law enforcement permanently retains arrest records under Texas laws.

Cooke County Arrest Warrants

Cooke County arrest warrants are legal orders issued by judges/magistrates of Cooke County courts to law enforcement to arrest individuals. In Texas, the courts issue arrest warrants when law enforcement proves probable cause against individuals. Cooke County judges/magistrates may also issue arrest warrants for failure to pay fines or comply with court orders, non-appearance for scheduled court hearings, contempt of court, indictment by grand jury proceedings, and violation of probation or parole.

In Texas, an arrest warrant contains the following information:

• Full name, last known address, and physical description of the wanted person
• Charges against the subject/defendant
• Sections of the Texas Code allegedly broken
• Date and time of issuance of the warrant
• An affidavit or statement of probable cause from law enforcement
• Authorization to law enforcement to take the subject into custody
• Name and signature of the authorizing judge/magistrate
• Name and location of the issuing court
• Instructions to law enforcement on how to execute the warrant
• The jurisdiction of the warrant.

Do Cooke County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest records do not expire in Cooke County and other parts of Texas. If a Cooke County judge/magistrate issues an arrest warrant, it will remain active until law enforcement arrests the subject. Nevertheless, Cooke County arrest warrants become inactive if the courts revoke them or their subjects die.

Also, statutes of limitations on understanding crimes may limit the validity of associated Cooke County arrest warrants. Prosecutors must file charges against suspects within the limits of their statutes of limitations. Warrants issued outside these time frames are invalid.