Fort Bend County Arrest Records

Arrests refer to the legal process for taking suspected individuals into custody. Law enforcement officers may perform an arrest to investigate or prevent a crime.

In Fort Bend County, law enforcement agencies record and maintain all arrest information. The agencies also provide arrest information upon request from record-seekers. For example, you may access arrest records by visiting the county sheriff at:

1840 Richmond Parkway
Richmond, TX 77469
Phone: (281) 341-4665

Fort Bend County arrest records are also part of public documents like court case records, criminal records, and inmate information. For example, Fort Bend County court records, such as criminal and civil cases, may contain arrest information.

Are Arrest Records Public in Fort Bend County?

In Fort Bend County, arrest records are mostly accessible to the public unless they contain exempt information. Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code determines the disclosure and maintenance of arrest records. Furthermore, it dictates the procedure for obtaining the records. Per state law, record seekers must contact custodian agencies to retrieve arrest information. Nevertheless, these agencies can legally refuse access to records exempt under state and federal laws.

Per state law, arrest records are exempt from public access if they contain:

• Confidential information of law enforcement personnel
• Information that, if disclosed, will interfere with crime, detection, investigation, and prosecution.
• Arrest information that did not result in a conviction or deferred adjudication
• Arrest information is sealed or classified as confidential due to court orders or state and federal laws.

Who is eligible to view arrest records in Fort Bend County?

While arrest records are publicly accessible, state law restricts inmates from viewing them. Law enforcement agencies may also restrict access to confidential records; only authorized persons can obtain the records.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

In Fort Bend County, public arrest records may contain the following:

• The offender’s names and aliases
• Physical-identifying information, such as age, height, weight, and ethnicity.
• Arrest description and charges
• Arrest date

Note: Only legally eligible persons can obtain a confidential arrest record.

Fort Bend County Crime Rate

The TxDPS, via the Uniform Crime Reporting System, maintains records of all reported crimes in Fort Bend County. According to the UCR 2023 report, the county had a crime rate of 2081.1 per 100,000 residents, down 7.4 percent from the preceding year.

Simple and aggravated assaults were the most reported crimes, at 8,081 crimes per 100,000 residents. Larceny and motor vehicle thefts were the county's second and third-most reported crimes, respectively.

Fort Bend County Arrest Statistics

Fort Bend County’s law enforcement agencies recorded 10,058 arrests in 2022. Per the Texas Commission on Jail Standard, Fort Bend County jails and detention facilities housed 1,770 inmates in 2022.

Find Fort Bend County Arrest Records

Interested parties can find Fort Bend arrest information in inmate records. Multiple government agencies maintain searchable portals for inmate records. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice maintains an online search portal for inmates incarcerated within the state. You can obtain FortBend arrest records by using the portal and providing these details:

• Inmate’s first and last name, gender, and race.
• TDCJ number
• SID Number

In contrast, the Federal Bureau of Prisons maintains a nationwide database for all inmates. You can also utilize the database to obtain Fort Bend arrest records. To view the record, you may search by the inmate’s name or identifying number.

The Fort Bend County sheriff’s office also maintains an online repository for inmate and arrest information. To view arrest records on the portal, you must input the inmate's name.

Free Arrest Record Search in Fort Bend County

You can freely access Fort Bend County arrest records via these official platforms:

• Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office Jail Public Information Inquiry
• The Federal Bureau of Prison
• TxDPS’s online criminal records search
• TxDCJ’s online inmate search

You may also view arrest records at the county sheriff’s office. Record seekers must visit the sheriff during business hours at:

Alternatively, third-party search sites maintain online access to Fort Bend arrest records.

Get Fort Bend County Criminal Records

In Fort Bend County, criminal records contain arrest information and court-related data. The records are available at the Texas Department of Public Safety. The agency maintains online and offline access to criminal records. Record seekers can get online criminal records through the agency’s conviction database. To view the records, requesters must create an account and provide the required search details. The agency also maintains a name-based search portal for violent offenders.

In contrast, the agency allows fingerprint-based checks for criminal records. However, only the record subject can access this option. To obtain Fort Bend criminal records, record seekers must follow these steps:

• Schedule an appointment for fingerprinting online or by calling (888) 467-2080
• Next, present a photo ID and pay the applicable fees for fingerprinting
• Upon receiving your details, the fingerprinting service provider will send them to TxDPS.
• Also, the service provider will give you an identification number. Input the number online to check your request status.

Fort Bend County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

While arrest and criminal records share some similarities, they differ in terms of content, custodian agency, and creation process. For instance, the county sheriff’s office creates arrest records. In contrast, the agency, along with the county courts, is responsible for generating criminal records.

Arrest records may contain the offender’s basic details and criminal charges. However, criminal records feature both arrest information and court-generated data.

Regarding record creation, the sheriff’s office generates and issues arrest records in Fort Bend County. However, the county court and the sheriff’s office jointly create criminal records.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Fort Bend County, arrest records stay on criminal records unless the record subject expunges or seals the record. Note that there are specific requirements for expunging or sealing arrest records. Furthermore, you cannot expunge sex-related arrest records.

Expunge Fort Bend County Arrest Records

In Fort Bend County, record subjects can expunge their arrest records by petitioning the county courts. Per the Code of Criminal Procedure, you are eligible to expunge an arrest record under these conditions:

• You were tried for the offense but later acquitted
• You were convicted but pardoned
• You were convicted of an offense committed before September 2021 under Section 46.02
• The criminal charge did not result in a conviction for reasons listed under Art. 55.01

How can I expunge arrest records in Fort Bend County?

You can expunge your arrest records in Fort Bend County via these steps:

1. Check if you are eligible to expunge your records. Chapter 52 of the Code of Criminal Procedure covers the legal requirements for expunging a record.
2. Next, you must create a petition for expungement. The petition must contain the following details:
   • Your personal identifying information, such as your name and aliases
   • The offense charge(s)
   • The location where the arrest occurred
   • The arrest date
   • Name of the arresting agency
   • A list of all agencies that may have a record of your arrest. You must create a separate list for government and private agencies. The following agencies may hold your arrest record:
   • Law enforcement agencies
   • Courts
   • Prosecuting agencies
   • Correctional facilities
   • State or federal agencies
   • Jails and detention facilities
   • Note: Include the agencies’ addresses
   • A statement declaring a request for relief
   • A signed statement that the provided information is true.
   • You must include the court name, judgment, date, and case number for offenses that were charged to court.
   • An unfilled Notice of Hearing section. The section must contain words to the following effect: “I hereby set this matter for hearing on____at_____in the____judicial district/county court #____ of Fort Bend County, Texas. Next, create a section for the court clerk or judge to fill out their name and signature.
3. If the offense was not charged, you can file the petition with any county court. However, if it was, submit the petition to the court that handled the case.
4. Upon receiving the petition, the court will set a hearing date and send a notice of hearing to applicable agencies.
5. Next, the county court will conduct a hearing, which will allow the agencies to contest the expunction.
6. The court will grant the expunction if you meet the legal requirements and there are no objections to the expunction.
7. Draft an Order for Expunction after the court grants the expunction. Get the court judge to sign it, make a copy, and file the original with the court clerk.

Which arrest records cannot be expunged in Fort Bend County?

In Fort Bend County, you cannot expunge these crimes:

• Driving under the influence,
• Driving while intoxicated,
• Murder,
• Indecency with a child,
• Sexual assault,
• Kidnapping,
• Aggravated robbery,
• Contempt of court
• Child support payments
• Criminal solicitation,
• Assaults with an affirmative finding of family violence,
• Drug trafficking, or
• Aggravated assault.

Fort Bend County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants in Fort Bend County are court documents that authorize an individual’s arrest. The court judge or magistrate is responsible for issuing these documents to law enforcement agencies. Furthermore, these officials may issue arrest warrants for these reasons:

• Traffic Offenses
• Fail to Attend School / Truancy
• Class C Misdemeanor Charges
• Failure to Appear in Court
• Theft by Check (over $50)
• Minor in Possession of Alcohol or Tobacco
• Disorderly Conduct
• Issuance of Bad Checks (under $50)

Per Texas laws, arrest warrants must contain these details:

• The suspect’s name and personal-identifying description
• Offense description
• The court judge or magistrate’s name, office, and signature.

Fort Bend County Arrest Warrant Search

In Fort Bend County, the Constable Precinct’s Offices keep arrest warrants issued by the Justice Courts. You may access these warrants by contacting the constable’s office at (281) 238-1430 or the Justice of the Peace at (281) 238-1460.

To get arrest warrants issued by other courts, you may contact the county sheriff at:

1840 Richmond Parkway
Richmond, TX 77469
Phone: (281) 341-4665

Do Fort Bend County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Fort Bend County arrest warrants do not expire until they are resolved. To resolve the warrant, you must visit the court that issued it.