Arrests are common in Stark County, Ohio. They often happen when law enforcement in the state has Reason to believe a crime has been committed or is being committed. The process of making an arrest may involve getting a warrant to show probable cause or, in some cases, making an instant arrest. Citizens can also make an arrest perSection 2935.04of the Ohio law.
After an arrest, a suspect is usually booked into the closest jail or police precinct. Booking is the procedure by which a police department gathers and enters data on a suspect into a computer system. This data includes the suspect's name, description, fingerprints, possessions, DNA, and specifics of the alleged crime. A few official documents are produced by the process, one of which is an arrest record. Arrest Records are not only important proof to show that law enforcement agents have detained a person; these records also form an essential part of criminal records used to create a criminal profile of individuals.
The importance of arrest records cannot be overstated because if a person is charged, arrest records will form part of legal records used to determine whether the individual is guilty of an offense. Hence, arrest records are also contained withinStark County Court Records, along with any arrest warrants issued during the criminal investigation and prosecution process.
Are Arrest Records Public in Stark County?
Yes, Stark arrest records are considered public records by theOhio Public Records Act(Ohio Revised Code 149.43), otherwise known as the Ohio sunshine laws. The law categorizes arrest records as part of government records classified under criminal records. This law gives members of the public the right to request these records from law enforcement offices and courts in the state. Citizens also have the right to view and make copies of these records. However, certain types of arrest records are made exempt from public access; these include:
- Records that are made exempt by the court as part of a protective order for a victim involved in the arrest
- Arrest records that are part of criminal investigatory records.
- Juvenile arrest records
Arrest records requests can also be denied by law enforcement in stark county if the person requesting the records has a suspicious criminal history.
What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?
Arrest records in Stark County, Ohio, usually contain the following information:
- The full name of the arrested person, including any aliases
- The arrested person's age
- The arrestee's date of birth
- A physical description of the arrested individual (sex, tattoos, height)
- The Reason for the Arrest
- Time and date of the arrest
- Location of the arrest
- Charges.
- Arresting agency
- Name of the arresting officer
- The location/facility where the suspect is being detained.
- Arrest report detailing the process of the arrest
- Information on any prior warrants for an arrest
- Possible release date
- Trial date (if known)
- Bail amount
Stark County Crime Rate
According to the most recent information from theOhio incident-based reporting system, Stark County had 17124 crimes recorded in 2023. According to the data, Canton County was the city with the highest number of crimes committed that year. In Stark County, property offenses accounted for 7314 of all recorded crimes or 42.7% of all crimes perpetrated within the county.
Larceny-theft (5162) was the second most often reported crime in Stark County, accounting for 30.1% of all offenses reported. The county's violent crime proportion was 7.2%, with 1248 cases. Murder was the least common crime, with only 11 recorded cases in the entire county, accounting for just 0.06% of all crimes reported.
Robberies(200) and aggravated assault (150) made up 1.16 and 0.8% of all crimes in Stark County, respectively.
Stark County Arrest Statistics
Crime data from the Federal Bureau of Identification (FBI)crime data explorershows that the Stark County Sheriff's Office made 819 arrests in 2022. The department made about 215 arrests for simple assault.68 arrests were made for drug abuse violations, with a further 52 arrests made for persons driving under the influence, while 55 persons were arrested for breaking liquor laws
Find Stark County Arrest Records
Anyone can find Stark County arrest records by visiting the Stark County Sheriff's Office or any police department within Stark County. Law enforcement agencies in Stark County maintain arrest records in their records section of departments. The record sections of law enforcement agencies in Stark County allow interested individuals to request copies of arrest records in person through mail or by telephone. For example, the canton police department in Stark County has a records room whose duty is to Gather, file, and process arrest records; respond to requests for arrest records; answer phone calls about records; and accept applications. The canton police can be reached, and requests can be made by phone at (330) 489-3172 or by Email at police.records@cantonohio.gov during office hours, which are 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
These agencies' records departments collect fees to disseminate copies of arrest records. The City Council, where the law enforcement office is located, usually establishes the costs for these requests as part of an ordinance. Hence, each office has its own procedures and fees for requesting and obtaining arrest records. The cost of requesting arrest records from the county sheriff's office is only $3 while requesting arrest records from the canton police department is free, and it costs $1 to make copies.
To search their records, Requestors need to provide law enforcement with the following information about the record of interest:
- Name of the arrested individual
- Date and Time of arrest
- A physical description of the detained individual
- Name of arresting officer(if known)
- Reason for arrest(if known)
For much older arrests, the law enforcement office may require more information to locate the record. Arrest records for recently arrested persons can be found in the booking area of the arresting agency.
Free Arrest Record Search in Stark County
Some police departments in Stark County offer free arrest records searches; however, getting copies of these records will require the requester to pay a small fee. It is also possible to request a fee waiver from the department, but any waiver is only given at the discretion of the law enforcement authorities.
Several third-party aggregator websites offer Arrest records search for free; these websites collect data from several government sources, including court dockets and sheriff department online databases. The free versions of these websites' arrest records may contain limited information. Other options from this website will require a person to pay a small one-time fee or a monthly subscription to access arrest records,
Get Stark County Criminal Records
A criminal record is a report of a person's criminal history, including all arrests, convictions, and sentences. It will also display charges that have been dropped, acquitted, or pending. The main purpose of a criminal record is to show comprehensiveness. Criminal records may be in e-format or on paper.
Criminal records specific to Stark County, Ohio, can be obtained from the county clerk's office. The county court clerk maintains a record of convictions and arrests for repeat offenders and persons who have been convicted by the court. Interested persons can access these records by making a public records request at the criminal division office of the county court clerk.
The central repository of Stark County criminal court records is the Criminal Investigation Bureau(BCI). A database of computerized criminal history records is kept up to date by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). This includes every person's criminal history in the state, including that of Stark County. However, criminal records are not open to the public, and restrictions exist on when they can be released. The only people who can seek a copy of their computerized criminal history from BCI are those who are subjects of a record. The Bureau allows in-person and online requests only. The following information is needed to
To obtain records from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, persons must provide the following information.
- The full name, present address, and other details that can be used to identify the person whose records are being sought;
- The full set of fingerprints belonging to the person whose records are being sought;
- The person whose records are being sought and their signed consent;
- A valid photo ID
Fingerprints can be submitted at any of the bureau's physical locations or online through a third-party provider.
On a federal level, criminal history records, also known as RAP sheets, can be obtained from the FBI.
Stark County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records
Criminal records are sometimes referred to as Criminal History Reports (CHS). This record includes information on an individual's whole criminal profile and history. It contains a person's convictions as well as arrest records for felonies, severe misdemeanors, and some petty charges.
An arrest record contains details on any questioning, apprehension, custody or detention, investigation, arrest, charge, indictment, or trial related to any felony, misdemeanor, or other offense.
The primary distinction between an arrest record and a criminal record is that Criminal records usually contain information on convictions(Time served, and guilty verdict), while arrest records may not since arrests do not always result in convictions.Arrest records do not establish criminal activity. It suggests that allegations of a crime existed at some point. Any interactions with law enforcement and information about convictions obtained after a person has gone through the legal system are recorded in a criminal record or criminal history.
How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?
Generally Arrest records are held by law enforcement indefinitely. Law enforcement in ohio follow theFBI retention scheduleand theBureau of criminal investigation retention schedule. the BCI schedule stipulates that a criminal record is retained for 110 years or 7 years after a person dies.Arrests relating to driving and sexual offenses can remain on a person's record for a very long time with no chance of being removed.
In Ohio, obtaining an expungement or sealing an arrest record is typically the only authorized alternative to have an arrest removed from an individual's record.
Expunge Stark County Arrest Records
Expungement is a court-mandated procedure whereby an individual's criminal record is cleared of any evidence of an arrest or conviction. The best thing about an expungement is that if granted, a person is not legally required to disclose the information during a background check.
A person's eligibility and how soon they can apply for an expungement depends on how serious the offense they committed. A person who has been acquitted of a crime in court or dismissed their case can immediately apply for an expungement under Ohio law.
These categories of persons will also find that they have fewer restrictions in the application process to have their records expunged. A person arrested and convicted of a minor misdemeanor has a waiting period of just one (1) year before they can apply for an expungement. Individuals who are convicted of a serious felony crime can apply for an expungement three years later.
However, it is essential to note that there are no expungements for certain categories of arrests that stay on record forever. These include
- Offenses of a sexual nature as stipulated inChapter 2950 of the Ohio revised code.
- Convictions for crimes in which the offended party was younger than thirteen years old
- convictions for felony violent offenses, especiallydomestic violence, andviolating a protection order.
- Convictions for first- or second-degree felonies;
.The court may take into account each of the following while determining the outcome of an expungement application:
- The perpetrator's age;
- The offense's specifics and circ*mstances;
- The reversal or persistence of illegal activity;
- The criminal's work history and educational background;
- Additional facts that might be relevant to the rehabilitation of the offender.
On the other hand, making a criminal record private for the public is known as sealing a record. Law enforcement personnel may still be permitted access to a sealed record with a court's authorization. Ohio law makes provisions for sealing arrest records for persons involved infraudat least seven years after a conviction.
Individuals can initiate an expungement at the county court in Stark County, where they were handed a conviction verdict. If the arrest does not lead to a conviction, the county court clerk in Stark County will simply provide the person with the appropriate forms to complete for the application request. One example of the form that will be provided is the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI)expungement form. The forms must be completed and submitted to the county clerk's office, and a fee of $50 must be paid to initiate this process. If an individual cannot pay this fee, they will fill out a poverty affidavit form to show they cannot pay for the expungement process.
The court will schedule a hearing and invite the applicant to attend. It will then decide whether or not the application satisfies all legal conditions.
Stark County Arrest Warrants
A Stark County arrest warrant is an official document issued by a clerk, magistrate, or judge in the Stark County clerk's office.Section 2935.08 of the Ohio revised codegives law enforcement officers or private individuals authority to make an arrest. A warrant is issued when an officer presents a formal complaint to the county court and provides enough physical and informational evidence to show probable cause for a person's arrest.
A stark county warrant must contain the following information for it to be deemed valid
- The name of the suspect
- The Reason for the Arrest
- The initial complaint or affidavit presented to the court
- The name of the legislative body that issued the warrant
- The Time of issuance
Stark County Arrest Warrant Search
The first place to begin an arrest warrant search in Stark County is at the county clerk's office of the Stark County municipal court. The court maintains a list of all the arrest warrants it has issued and can also provide all the active warrants that have not been executed. The county court clerk can be contacted by calling tel:(330) 451-7929 or emailing:clerk@starkcountyohio.gov.Arrest warrants information is free to access as they are classified as public records in the state of Ohio.
Individuals can find stark county arrest warrants by contacting the warrant division of the county sheriff's office. They can appear in person with a photo ID at a local police department or sheriff's station or can request it by Email. The county sheriff's office maintains a list of persons who have had a warrant issued for their arrest; the county sheriff's office also maintains anonline database of wanted personsin the county. Interested persons can search the list using the full name of a person of interest.
Other police departments in cities within Stark County may also have warrants, especially if the person has committed a serious crime and the warrant has been active for over a month.
Do Stark County Arrest Warrants Expire?
No, Arrest warrants do not expire in Stark County, Ohio. A warrant can remain active forever until the person is apprehended or they die. However, a warrant can be made inactive by the court judge that issues it if there is evidence to show that the subject of the warrant is innocent.
