Waller County Arrest Records

In Waller County, arrest records are official recordings of arrests conducted within the county. Such records include information on the arrestee's name, charges, booking date, and the arresting agency details. Peace officers have the legal right to make arrests when there’s sufficient evidence of a crime. In addition, peace officers may make arrests without a warrant to prevent a potential loss of life or property. Arrestees are temporarily held at the county jail pending the outcome of subsequent investigations.

Waller County arrest records are mostly accessible through local law enforcement entities. These agencies generate arrest records and may release them to interested public members. For instance, the Waller County sheriff’s office allows online and offline requests for arrest records in their custody.

However, local enforcement agencies are not the only custodians of arrest records. For instance, arrest information may be accessible in Waller County court records and criminal history files maintained by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Are Arrest Records Public in Waller County?

Waller County arrest records are mostly accessible to the general public. Under the Texas Government Code (Chapter 552), the public can legally inspect or get copies of arrest information from designated government entities. Such entities are required to disclose requested arrest information. Nevertheless, the state law enables them to deny access to certain records.

In most cases, exempted records may include information whose disclosure is deemed to not be in the public interest. Exempt or non-public arrest records in Waller County include the following:

• Video evidence of a crime, unless the inquirer is negatively affected by the crime.
• Arrest information that may interfere with the prosecution and investigation of crimes;
• Sensitive images of crime scenes.
• Information regarding threats made to law enforcement officers;
• Internal law enforcement records regarding arrests that did not lead to a conviction.

Note: To obtain exempt arrest information, inquirers must provide valid identification and other documents as requested by the record custodian.

Waller County Arrest Statistics

The Texas Department of Public Safety creates an annual arrest report by collating arrest information from local law enforcement agencies. According to the agency’s report, Waller County’s local law enforcement agencies conducted 1,434 arrests in 2021. The report revealed that arrests were conducted for crimes like prostitution and manslaughter.

Likewise, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards maintains a yearly report on incarcerated persons in the county’s correctional facilities. Per the report, Waller County’s correctional facility housed 225 inmates as of August 1, 2022.

Find Waller County Arrest Records

Interested parties can find Waller County arrest records in public documents, such as inmate records and criminal history documents. For instance, inmate records include arrest-related data like the arrestee’s name, physical features, charges, booking date, and arresting agency. Such records are accessible through local, state, and federal-level agencies. At the local level, the county sheriff’s website hosts a searchable portal for persons detained in the county jail. Interested inquirers can search records by entering the inmate's name in the portal's allocated search box.

At the same time, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s inmate search platform offers online access to inmate records. The platform covers information on persons incarcerated in the state’s correctional facilities. To get records on the portal, interested parties must fill out these fields:

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

The Federal Bureau of Prisons’ inmate locator also offers access to inmate records. Interested parties using the portal must input the inmate's name or prison number to obtain inmate records.

The Waller County Sheriff’s Office is also a custodian of arrest records generated within the county. To get arrest records, interested parties may send an online or written request to the agency at:

100 Sheriff R. Glenn Smith Drive
Hempstead, TX 77445
Fax: (979) 399-5299
Email: reports@wallercounty.us

The written request must contain the following details:

• Type of incident
• Case number
• Arrest date and location
• Parties involved, including the names, birth date, address, and social security number (if known).

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Waller County arrest records will permanently remain on record unless they are sealed or expunged. Texas state laws allow interested parties to expunge their records through specified procedures. For instance, arrestees seeking to expunge records must send a written request to the court that passed the conviction. Nevertheless, not all arrest records can be expunged; sex-related crimes and murder records are not eligible for expungement.

Who is eligible to expunge arrest records in Waller County?

Arrestees can expunge their arrest records, provided they meet these criteria:

• You were tried by the court but later acquitted.
• You were tried by the court but later pardoned on the basis of actual innocence with respect to the offense.
• You were convicted of an offense committed before September 1, 2021, under Section 46.02 (a).
• The charges did not lead to a final conviction, and there was no court-ordered community supervision.
• You have not previously received an expungement of arrest records.

Waller County Arrest Warrants

In Waller County, arrest warrants are legal documents that authorize peace officers to arrest persons named in the document. The municipal or justice courts are responsible for issuing arrest warrants after receiving affidavits or complaints from an arrest agency. Note that the complaint must provide evidence that the defendant violated state or federal statutes.

Per the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, arrest warrants issued in Waller County must include the following:

• The defendant’s name and physical identifying features
• The defendant’s offense and other necessary information.
• A statement that the document is issued in the name of the “State of Texas”.
• A court order calling for the arrest of the defendant.
• Court judge’s signature.

Do Waller County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In Waller County, arrest warrants do not have an expiration date. Instead, warrants remain valid and publicly visible until the defendant gets arrested or the court recalls them. The statute of limitation does not affect the lifespan of an arrest warrant.