Portsmouth County Arrest Records

Portsmouth County arrest records contain information on all arrest-related events. Searchers may find these records at the Portsmouth County Sheriff’s Office or other local law enforcement agencies or in public documents like criminal records. For example, Portsmouth County court records may contain arrest information.

Are Arrest Records Public in Portsmouth County?

According to the Virginia Public Records Act (VPRA) (§ 42.1-76), arrest records are accessible to the public unless otherwise stated by law. Consequently, the general public can inspect or make copies of arrest records in the possession of law enforcement agencies while carrying out the "public's affairs".

Nonetheless, the Act restricts the public disclosure of some arrest records, including:

• Records related to incidents involving juveniles
• Records that compromise the safety and security of a victim, witness, undercover agent, or others or compromise a criminal investigation are closed.
• Records of ongoing criminal investigation
• Records submitted in confidence to state and local law enforcement agencies
• Home or private phone numbers and email addresses.
• Residence information and personalized license plates
• Records containing details on special investigative techniques
• Records containing telephone numbers, pagers, or comparable devices used by law enforcement officials on official assignments.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

In Portsmouth County, the Virginia Open Public Records Act authorizes the disclosure of specific components of an arrest record, such as:

• The individual's name, age, race, and sex.
• Adult arrestee photographs.
• The date, time, and location of the arrest.
• The specific charges or offenses for which law enforcement agents arrested the person.

Portsmouth County Crime Rate

According to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), the Portsmouth City Police Department reported 877 violent crimes in 2022 and 744 the previous year. This figure translates to a 17.88% increase in all violent crimes from 2021 to 2022. Similarly, total property crimes increased from 3,693 offenses in 2021 to 4,846 in 2022, indicating a 31.22% increase in all property crimes.

A breakdown of the violent crime incidents in 2022 revealed that aggravated assault constituted 64.31% (564) of all reported violent offenses. Other significant violent crime types were robbery (210), rape (56), and homicide (47), constituting 23.94%, 6.39%, and 5.36%, respectively.

A breakdown of 2022 figures showed that larceny theft was the dominant property offense, with 82.74% (4,009) of all reported property offenses. Others include motor vehicle theft (415), burglary (412), and arson (10), with 8.56%, 8.50%, and 0.21%, respectively.

Portsmouth County Arrest Statistics

The 2022 NIBRS statistics from the Portsmouth City Police Department put the total number of arrested persons in Portsmouth County at 1,668. A breakdown of the type of offenses law enforcement officers detained offenders for showed that all other offenses aside from traffic was the most prevalent, with 39.80% (664), followed by simple assault at 19.48% (325) and larceny-theft at 7.19% (120). Other arrest types include driving under the influence, aggravated assault, and drug abuse violations, which constituted 5.99% (100), 5.81% (97), and 4.50% (75), respectively.

Find Portsmouth County Arrest Records

Interested persons seeking arrest records at the state level may visit the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) website to use their Inmate Locator tool. This search tool allows users to look up inmates under VADOC custody. The search engine does not yield results for inmates not under VADOC's custody. To perform a search, requesters must enter at least the first letter of the inmate's name and their complete last name or an inmate's seven-digit Inmate ID Number.

Requesters can refine their search results by entering more search criteria such as inmate's middle name, alias, release date, location, age range, sex, and race.

Alternatively, record seekers can submit record requests for inmate records to VADOC via US Mail, email, fax, in person, or over the phone. They can contact VADOC through the following address:

Virginia Department of Corrections
Administrative Compliance Unit
P.O. Box 26963
Richmond, VA 23261
Email: FOIA@vadoc.virginia.gov
Main Office
(804) 887-8445

Individuals searching for arrest information at the federal level can use the Federal Inmate Locator or the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Detainee Locator to trace the location and status of individuals in federal prisons or immigration detention facilities.

Free Arrest Record Search in Portsmouth County

Interested persons seeking free arrest records in Portsmouth County may contact the Portsmouth County Sheriff’s Office via their Records Division or message them through the website. The Portsmouth County Sheriff’s Office is located at:

Portsmouth County Sheriff’s Office
2690 Elmhurst Lane,
Portsmouth, VA 23701
(757) 488-7500
Records Division: (757) 488-7500 x 5001
Email: https://portsmouthsheriffsofficeva.gov/contact/

Searchers looking for free Portsmouth County arrest records may want to look into third-party public record databases. These web-based companies usually specialize in supplying public records to customers online and gathering public information from various official sources, including law enforcement. Visitors can do simple searches for free, but they must have to pay for comprehensive reports on a topic of interest.

Get Portsmouth County Criminal Records

Criminal records are official records detailing an individual's criminal history. These records typically include information about a person's arrests, charges, convictions, and sentences.

In Portsmouth County, applicants can obtain criminal records through the Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE), the principal database for criminal records in Virginia State. The following section explains the step-by-step process:

• The applicant must fill out and notarize the SP-167 Form. The form is essential for requesting a Virginia criminal history record check.
• An applicant must also download the instructions for completing the form and create their SP-167 request to be printed for mailing.
• After the form has been completed, the applicant must mail it to the Virginia State Police at the following address:

Virginia State Police
Civil & Applicant Records Exchange (CARE)
7700 Midlothian Turnpike
N. Chesterfield, Virginia 23235

The processing time for a criminal record background check is approximately 15 business days after CARE has received the mail-in request. The agency does not provide expedited or same-day service.

Individuals who wish to hire potential employees or child and adult caregivers may request a national fingerprint-based background check under the National Child Protection Act. To get started, the applicant must complete the SP-230 form. This form does not require notarization and will provide details of convictions in Virginia only.

Virginia state law stipulates a fee of $13.75 for submitting fingerprints for a state VSP CARE search. For more information, interested persons should visit VSP's Fingerprinting for Non-Criminal Purposes page.

Portsmouth County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest records in Portsmouth County include details regarding a person's arrest, such as the day, time, place, and cause. The name, booking photograph, charges, and any other essential details related to the arrest are usually included in these records.

Law enforcement organizations use arrest records to track and document offenders. In other words, they are historical logs of people's dealings with the law.

On the other hand, criminal records provide a holistic summary of someone's criminal history, including arrests and convictions. These records explain the criminal offenses the person committed and whether or not they resulted in a sentence.

Employers, landlords, and other organizations use criminal histories in background checks to determine a person's eligibility for a job, rental property, or other needs.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Virginia, arrest records remain indefinitely on a person's record unless expunged. It does not matter if a person was convicted as a first-time offender for minor offenses such as possession of marijuana or reckless driving; these convictions will stay on their record forever. Virginia statutes do not distinguish between misdemeanors and felonies in this respect.

Expunge Portsmouth County Arrest Records

Applicants who wish to expunge Portsmouth County arrest records can follow the process detailed below:

• Applicants should thoroughly review the Virginia Code § 19.2-392.2 before beginning.
• Petitioners must prepare a petition for each charge. The petition packet must include their personal information, the charge or charges to be expunged, and all other information related to those charges. They must clearly state each charge to each charge to be expunged and coinciding dates.
• Petitioners must attach certified copies of warrants/indictments showing the disposition of the case to the petition.
• After filing the petition, the applicant will be given a date/time-stamped copy. The applicant must take the copy to the Police Department, where the applicant will be fingerprinted. The applicant's fingerprints and the petition will be forwarded to the Virginia State Police for a criminal history background check.
• The Virginia State Police will forward the criminal background history and the set of fingerprints to the Circuit Court Clerk's Office under seal. Afterward, the Court will send a letter to the applicant notifying them of their court date and time.
• Upon entry of the order on the hearing date, the applicant will be given one certified copy. The Clerk's Office will send a copy to the VSP. The VSP will subsequently notify all agencies to expunge the applicant's record. This process typically takes 3 - 6 months.

For further information, interested parties may contact the Circuit Court Clerk's Office at the following address:

Portsmouth Circuit Court
Civil Division
1345 Court Street, Suite 101
Portsmouth, VA 23704

They can also reach the Civil Division, Portsmouth Circuit Court, at (757) 393-8671, Option 4.

Portsmouth County Arrest Warrants

In Portsmouth County, an arrest warrant is a legal document issued by judicial officers (including magistrates and judges) granting law enforcement the power to arrest someone suspected of committing a crime.

Issuance of Arrest Warrants

• A magistrate conducts a probable cause hearing to decide whether there is reasonable ground to believe the accused committed the offense.
• The complainant, who may be a peace officer or a private citizen, provides an affidavit detailing the facts of the alleged offense.
• When the complainant is not a police officer, the complaint must be in writing.

Circumstances for Issuing an Arrest Warrant

• There must be adequate evidence indicating the accused committed or is committing an offense.
• There must be solid evidence and not just mere conclusions.

Contents of an Arrest Warrant

• Information about the subject of the warrant.
• The details of the alleged crime.
• Reasonable and factual evidence for believing the accused committed the offense.

Portsmouth County Arrest Warrant Search

Requesters seeking information on Portsmouth County active arrest warrants may contact the Sheriff’s Office Warrant Division at (745) 488-7500 x2751 and (757) 488-7500 x2531.

Searchers can also visit the VADOC website to review a Wanted Person list. On the page, visitors can view mugshots and physical descriptions of offenders.

Do Portsmouth County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants do not lapse in Portsmouth County or anywhere else in Virginia. They remain valid until the police arrest the person mentioned in the warrant or a judge cancels it. This means that an outstanding arrest warrant can result in an arrest at any time unless settled through legal means.