Pulaski County Arrest Records

In Pulaski County, an arrest occurs when a law enforcement officer has probable cause to hold a person temporarily. After an arrest, suspects are usually transported to the Pulaski County Detention Center for booking.

Booking involves gathering personal information on the suspect and providing a report on observations and details of the arrest. The ensuing information will eventually form a Pulaski County Arrest Record. The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office is the custodian of arrest records. Individuals may also find arrest information in Pulaski County court records or criminal history records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Pulaski County?

Yes. Chapter 37 of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) states that members of the Commonwealth and representatives of the media have the right to access public information, including Pulaski County arrest records. As a result, interested parties may request copies of these records that the law enforcement agencies generate and maintain (§ 2.2-3704).

Although record custodians provide some of these records upon request, others are withheld from the public. There are limits on the availability of records that may compromise a person's safety or privacy (§ 2.2-3705.1). Such records are only released to eligible individuals or entities or under a valid court order.

Examples of information that are exempt from Virginia's FOIA include:

• Personal information that identifies the individual or confidential sources, although access will not be denied to the subject of the record
• Information whose disclosure would cause an unwarranted invasion of an individual's privacy
• Mental health assessment details an individual subject to commitment as a sexually violent predator under Chapter 9 (§ 37.2-900).
• Records whose disclosure may endanger the life or safety of law enforcement personnel
• Reports, court documents, and statistical registries required to be kept confidential
• Individual’s Account numbers or Social Security Number (SSN)
• Juvenile record information.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Some of the components of a Pulaski County arrest record include the following:

• The arrestee's personal information (the arrestee's full name, contact, and date of birth)
• The arrestee's description details (age, gender, height, weight, eye color, hair color, and race)
• The type of offense (felony, misdemeanor, or infraction), description, and any other criminal charges involved
• Arrest details (time, date, location of the arrest, and the arresting agency details)
• Booking information (time and date the arrestee was booked, the bond type, amount, and the arrestee's release date).

Pulaski County Arrest Statistics

Each year the Virginia Sheriff’s Association uses the 2023 crime report submitted by various law enforcement agencies to the Virginia Department of State Police to reflect the number of arrests in each county, including Pulaski County. The most serious offenses are Group A offenses, and the less serious offenses are Group B offenses. According to the Sheriff's Office report, the total arrests were 699, with 174 Group A arrests and 525 Group B arrests. According to the Police Department report, the total arrests were 466, with 268 Group A arrests and 198 Group B arrests.

Find Pulaski County Arrest Records

The Pulaski County Detention Center houses county, state, and federal inmates. Individuals may find records and information on all current inmates in the facility through the inmate roster online. The requester may search for the inmate's name on the website to obtain information about the inmate. The roster provides the inmate's physical description details, book date, charge type, and release date. Contact the facility for further information:

Pulaski County Detention Center
300 Hail Knob Road
Somerset, KY 42503
Phone: (606) 678-0130
Fax: (606) 678-2050

The New River Valley Regional Jail in Virginia serves Pulaski County, making it a custodian of inmate information for the public. Individuals may search for inmate information using the inmate lookup tool on the facility website. Complete a search using the inmate's full name to access their inmate ID and any housing information.

Individuals looking for inmate records in Virginia can also search online through the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) website using the Inmate Locator feature. Requesters may search for inmates in the county using information such as names, sex, race, age, inmate IDs, location, and release date. Interested individuals may also contact the department by sending mail requests to:

Virginia Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 26963
Richmond, VA 23261
Phone: (804) 674-3000

Review or inspection of inmate information may be free, but a fee may be required to make copies of the record.

Under Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), individuals can also request copies of the records, including inmate records, in person, by mail, or over the phone. Pulaski County prefers requests to be submitted in writing, but they cannot refuse to respond to a request that is not in writing. FOIA allows VADOC to charge for the actual costs of responding to FOIA requests. This includes fees for searching, retrieving the requested records, copying costs, and postage.

Free Arrest Record Search in Pulaski County

The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office is responsible for public records management, including arrest records. Individuals may request these records for free from the website through phone or email. Contact the office for further information:

Pulaski County Sheriff's Office
802 East Main Street
Pulaski, VA 24301
Phone: (540) 980-7800

Individuals can also search for Pulaski County arrest records for free through third party service providers. These third party websites work on their own and usually gather information from the official websites of law enforcement agencies across the county.

Users may need to complete a search for arrest records using basic information such as a subject's first and last name, county, and date of birth to search these tools. The downside to using these websites is that the completeness and accuracy of search results vary.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. Arrest records can be sealed or expunged if there was no conviction or the court dismisses the case. However, there are retention laws on certain misdemeanor and traffic infraction case records, including cases sealed in expungement proceedings (§ 16.1-69.55).

Expunge Pulaski County Arrest Records

In Pulaski County, an expungement will seal arrest records for criminal charges and remove these records from public view. However, an expungement does not erase all arrest records of the applicable criminal charges except the court grants permission for certain parties. Under section 19.2-392.2 of the Virginia code, individuals who meet the following eligibility requirements can file a petition to expunge Pulaski County arrest records:

• A defendant who pleads not guilty and is acquitted by a judge or jury
• A person whose identification has been used without authorization in a criminal case
• A person in a civil action who is charged with contempt of court, but is found not guilty
• A defendant convicted of a crime who later receives an absolute pardon
• A defendant that the Commonwealth Attorney’s office decides not to prosecute (nolle prosequi) for all charges.

To obtain an expungement, file a Petition for Expungement (FORM CC-1473) with the Pulaski County Circuit Court. According to § 19.2-392.2 E, the petitioner may obtain one complete set of the petitioner's fingerprints from the Virginia State Police (VSP) department. The State Police will submit the set of fingerprints to the Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE) with a copy of the petition for expungement.

After the hearing, the court will return the fingerprint card to the petitioner. Virginia law (§ 16.1-260) requires the petitioner to submit the form to the Commonwealth Attorney in the county. The petitioner should have a copy of the form, including any attachments, served on the Commonwealth’s Attorney in the county. (§ 19.2-392.2 D). The Commonwealth Attorney has 21 days after receiving your petition to object to the court.

Pulaski County Arrest Warrants

Pulaski County Arrest Warrant is an official document from a court magistrate for a law enforcement officer to effect an arrest within the county as a result of a criminal act committed.

This document is issued when law enforcement has enough evidence or probable cause to believe the accused has committed an offense. However, no magistrate may issue an arrest warrant for an offense based on a complaint by a person other than a law enforcement officer without prior authority by the attorney for the Commonwealth (§ 19.2-71).

A typical arrest warrant in Pulaski County contains the name of the suspect, a description of the alleged offense, the issuance date, the name of the issuing court, and the judge's name and signature.

Do Pulaski County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Pulaski County Arrest Warrants do not expire. Once issued, they will remain active until the arrest is made. However, an arrest warrant can become inactive if the court recalls it or the subject of the warrant dies before its execution.