Galveston County Arrest Records

In Galveston County, an arrest occurs when an individual is suspected of committing an offense. Peace officers are legally empowered to arrest such individuals with or without a warrant. The Galveston County Sheriff’s Correction Division maintains a jail facility for all arrested parties. You can find a list of current inmates on the sheriff’s website. In addition, you may also find arrest records of past inmates through both local and state-level agencies. The county sheriff’s office is the local custodian of arrest information in Galveston County. Interested parties may view arrest records by visiting the sheriff’s office at:

601 54th Street
Galveston, TX 7755
Phone: (409) 766-2300

On the other hand, you may find Galveston County arrest records in other public records. For example, Galveston County court records, such as criminal case records, may include arrest information. You must contact the district court clerk’s office to obtain the record. That said, criminal background checks and inmate records also contain arrest information.

Note: Peace officer is the collective term for all law enforcement officers in Texas. These officers will only arrest if reasonable proof of a suspect’s misconduct exists.

Are Arrest Records Public in Galveston County?

Most arrest records are publicly accessible under Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code. The state law empowers public members to request public documents from government agencies. In turn, it requires government agencies to release the records upon request. However, not all arrest records are public documents. Section 552.108 of the Texas Government Code covers the county's exempted arrest records. Under this section, the following arrest records are exempt from public access:

• Arrest information that may violate the subject’s right to privacy
• Law enforcement agency’s data that may interfere with an investigation or prosecution.
• Information pertaining to the investigation that did not result in a conviction
• Data related to threats against detention or peace officers
• Internal records prepared by law enforcement or prosecutors for use in issues related to these entities.

Note: that these exemptions do not include arrest records containing basic information on arrested persons.

Who is eligible to view arrest records in Galveston County?

All interested parties can view basic arrest information in Galveston County. However, the county sheriff will redact access to the records if they contain exempt information. Furthermore, the agency may grant specific access privileges to crime victims. For example, families of crime victims can view medical reports or video evidence related to the crime.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Galveston County’s arrest records contain the person’s name, crime, and physical attributes like age, sex, height, and weight. You can find a list of recently arrested people on the county sheriff’s website. Note that legally eligible requesters can obtain confidential arrest records at the sheriff’s office. For example, law enforcement officials, detention officers, and prosecutors have the legal right to view arrest records.

Galveston County Crime Rate

The TxDPS’s Uniform Crime Report System collates all documented crimes in Galveston County. Per the report, the county recorded a rate of 3,214.1 crimes per 100,000 residents in 2023. In comparison to the preceding year, crime rates fell by 4.58 percent.

Per the 2023 report, assaults (simple and aggravated) were the most reported crimes at 5,921 per 100,000. Larceny-theft and burglary were the second and third-most populous crimes at 4,266 and 757, respectively.

Galveston County Arrest Statistics

Galveston County’s law enforcement agencies recorded 11,907 arrests in 2022, and the county's incarceration rate was 2.43.

Find Galveston County Arrest Records

In Galveston County, arrest records are primarily obtainable through the county sheriff. The sheriff maintains an online list of recently arrested individuals and allows in-person inquiries about these records at the sheriff’s office.

601 54th Street
Galveston, TX 7755
Phone: (409) 766-2300

The county sheriff’s inmate database is another resource for finding inmates or arrested persons. To view the inmate information, you must search via these options:

• The first, last, or middle name
• Age
• Primary charge
• Arrest date
• Booking agency
• Race

Note: The county sheriff’s database contains information on arrested persons who are yet to be convicted.

In contrast, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice maintains an inmate search portal. To find Galveston arrest records on the portal, you must search using these options:

• Last Name
• First Name
• TDCJ Number
• SID Number
• Gender
• Race

The Texas Department of Public Safety is also a custodian of arrest records. However, the agency compiles arrest information along with criminal records. This means you will also find conviction and incarceration data in the record. That said, the TxDPS allows online or offline access to these records. The online access consists of a separate database for government agencies and public members. Note that you must create an account to use either of these databases.

Free Arrest Record Search in Galveston County

There are local and state-level free repositories for arrest records. The Galveston County Sheriff maintains online access to inmate and arrest records. On the other hand, the TxDCJ allows free access to inmate records at the state level. Note that third-party search sites also feature free access to arrest records. Interested parties may utilize these sites as an alternate option. Nevertheless, requesters must exercise caution since third-party search sites may contain inaccurate data.

Get Galveston County Criminal Records

Criminal records are official files that contain an individual’s conviction history. These files generally provide information on arrests, charges, convictions, sentences, and parole or probation. You can obtain Galveston criminal records from the Texas Department of Public Safety. The agency maintains online databases for criminal records. Note that there are separate databases for government agencies and public members. Nevertheless, you must create an account to access these portals.

Galveston County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

In Galveston County, arrest records differ from criminal records in content, record custodian, and the creation process. For instance, Galveston County arrest records contain information on arrest warrants and charges. In contrast, criminal records are an official compilation of law enforcement agency records and court data. The record may consist of the following data:

• Arrest warrant
• Incident reports and charges
• Court case records
• Outcome of court cases (sentence, probation, or parole information)

The record-creation process also differs. For example, law enforcement agencies create arrest records after fingerprinting, photographing, and collecting the suspect’s personal details. On the other hand, criminal records are created when the agency fills out an arrest report and files it with the court.

In terms of custodian agency, the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office is the custodian of arrest records. However, you will find criminal records under the purview of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, arrest information will remain on a criminal record permanently. Record subjects can only erase this information by expunging their criminal record.

Expunge Galveston County Arrest Records

In Galveston County, you can expunge a criminal record by petitioning the county court. Per Article 5.02 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, eligible persons or attorneys representing the person must file an expunction order with the county court that acquitted the person. Furthermore, they must file the expunction order within 30 days after acquittal.

Who is eligible to expunge an arrest record in Galveston County?

Per Texas law, you can expunge arrest records under these conditions:

• You were tried and later acquitted by the trial court.
• The statutes of limitation on the alleged crime have elapsed.
• You were convicted but later received a pardon.
• You were arrested but not convicted, and there was no court-ordered supervision.

Note: Texas laws allow close relatives to expunge arrest records of deceased relatives.

How can I expunge, remove, or seal an arrest record?

In Galveston County, you can expunge an arrest record through these steps:

1. Create a petition for expunction. The petition must contain these details:
   1. Your personal information, including all names and aliases
   2. The arrest information. Include the arrest date, location, and time. You may also include the arresting officer’s name.
   3. The charges filed against you - include the offense, case number, and court assigned to the case.
   4. A list of agencies or private entities holding your arrest information. Make a separate list for private and government agencies.
   5. A statement declaring a request for relief
   6. A signed statement that the provided information is true.
   7. Next, include the filing fee. You may contact the county court to get the filing fees.
2. Consult a legal practitioner to review the form.
3. Make copies of the petition. The court clerk will keep the original copy
4. File the petition with the court clerk in any of the county courts. Upon receiving the petition, the court clerk will schedule a hearing date.
5. Present an expunction order to the court judge to sign on the hearing date.
6. Make a copy of the signed order and file the original with the court clerk.

What types of arrests are not eligible for expungement in Galveston County?

Offenders can not get an expungement for 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.

Note: You may file a non-disclosure petition to seal arrest records from public view. However, the state does not allow the removal or sealing of sex-related crimes.

Galveston County Arrest Warrants

In Galveston County, arrest warrants are official documents that authorize the arrest of a suspected offender. The magistrate is responsible for creating and issuing the directive to law enforcement agencies.

Per Art. 15.02 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, an arrest warrant is legal if it contains the following information:

• The suspect’s name or suitable description
• A statement on the suspect’s offense
• The magistrate’s name, official post, and signature.

In Galveston County, not all arrests require an arrest warrant. The state laws empower peace officers to conduct citizen arrests. That said, a magistrate may issue arrest warrants after receiving a complaint from law enforcement officers. The complainant must prove that the offender committed a crime against state laws.

Galveston County Arrest Warrant Search

In Galveston County, you can find active warrants at the sheriff’s or the Precinct 4 Constable’s Office. The latter keeps active warrants issued by the Justice of Peace courts and other jurisdictions. To obtain active warrants, residents may need to contact the constable’s office at (281) 316-8711. You can also find arrest warrants issued at the sheriff’s office at:

601 54th Street
Galveston, TX 7755
(409) 766-2300

Do Galveston County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In Galveston County, arrest warrants do not expire until they are resolved. To resolve an active warrant, you must contact the court that issued it. For instance, you must contact the Justice of the Peace Court to resolve warrants issued by the court.