Virginia Beach County Arrest Records

Virginia Beach County arrest records are official documents that detail every instance in which a person has been arrested and detained by local law enforcement in Virginia Beach in connection with criminal offenses and violations of the state's penal code. These records are created upon the apprehension of an offender and typically contain information such as the offender's name, the date and location of the arrest, details of the criminal offense committed, and photographs.

Virginia Beach arrest records do not represent culpability or indictment by a grand jury. Rather, they indicate that the named individual was arrested either for committing a crime, under suspicion of a criminal offense, or in compliance with judicial orders, such as bench and arrest warrants.

The arresting agency creates, manages, and disseminates arrest records in Virginia Beach. This includes the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office and the City of Virginia Beach Police Department. These agencies create, manage, and dispense arrest records for individuals apprehended by their officers. The public can obtain these records through requests to local law enforcement agencies in Virginia Beach County. They may also be found as part of Virginia Beach County court records and Virginia criminal history records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Virginia Beach County?

Yes. Virginia Beach County arrest records are public records under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (VFOIA). Under this Act, residents and citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia can submit requests to public agencies, including law enforcement, to obtain or inspect official records created or generated by these agencies during their official duties and responsibilities. Hence, interested individuals can contact a local law enforcement agency in Virginia Beach to obtain or look up arrest records.

However, not all arrest records are publicly accessible. Per Virginia Code § 2.2-3706, certain records are restricted or exempt from disclosure. This includes juvenile arrest records, records of sex offenders, the identity of victims or witnesses, criminal investigative files, expunged or sealed records, and any documents containing sensitive personal details like Social Security numbers or account information.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

A Virginia Beach County public arrest record typically contains the following information:

• The complete name of the arrestee and other identifying information, such as age, date of birth, etc.
• Physical description of the arrested individual, including race, height, eye/hair color
• The date, time, and location of the arrest
• Detail or brief account of events leading up to the arrest
• Arresting agency and/or officer
• Alleged offense details
• Booking information, including mugshot, booking number, date, and time
• Bail/bond information, if applicable
• Court appearance dates, if applicable

Virginia Beach County Crime Rate

In the 2023 crime statistics report, the Virginia Beach Police Department recorded 8,339 Part I crime incidents. Part I crimes include violent crimes (homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) and property crimes (burglary, motor vehicle theft, theft from motor vehicles, all other larceny). Of the 8,339 Part I crimes recorded in 2023, violent crimes accounted for 533, or 6.4%. Compared to 2022, this represents a 6.4% decrease. Meanwhile, Part I property crimes saw a 7% decline, from 8,391 reported in 2022 to 7,806 in 2023. Larcenies from motor vehicles decreased by 36%, and thefts of motor vehicles dropped by 24%—the lowest number recorded for these crimes in the last four years.

Virginia Beach County Arrest Statistics

According to the 2022 arrest and crime demographic breakdown for Virginia Beach, the VB Police Department reported 25,093 arrests for various offenses. Of this number, adult misdemeanors accounted for 16,952 arrests, juvenile misdemeanors for 1,123, adult felonies for 6,639, and juvenile felonies for 329. There were 18,548 arrests of males and 6,542 arrests of females.

Find Virginia Beach County Arrest Records

To obtain or look up Virginia Beach County arrest records, including inmate records, interested persons may direct their requests to local law enforcement agencies in Virginia Beach, such as the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office and the Virginia Beach Police Department. Requests to the Sheriff's Office may be submitted in person, by email, phone, or fax. Requests to the Virginia Beach Police Department can be submitted in person, by email, or online through the department's "FOIA Request Portal". In-person visits should be made Monday through Friday during business hours. Note that fees apply.

City of Virginia Beach
Department of Police
Records Unit
Virginia Beach Municipal Center (Building 11)
2509 Princess Anne Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
Email: vbpd@vbgov.com

Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office
2501 James Madison Blvd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
Phone: (757) 385-1971
Email: pso@vbso.net
Fax: (757) 385-1798

Free Arrest Record Search in Virginia Beach County

To access arrest records in Virginia Beach County, interested individuals should contact the local law enforcement agencies. The Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office and Police Department typically provide public access to arrest and inmate records through FOIA requests. While inmate records may be available for free, obtaining arrest or criminal records may incur a charge.

Alternatively, the public can access county arrest records, including those from Virginia Beach, through third-party aggregate websites that offer free searchable databases. However, since third-party websites are not government-affiliated, they may not always provide accurate or current public records information. Also, free access to arrest records on these sites is mostly restricted to basic and limited reports.

Get Virginia Beach County Criminal Records

A criminal record, often called a "rap sheet" or "criminal history," is an official document that contains the history of an individual's criminal convictions, arrests, or other legal interactions with law enforcement. It includes detailed information about arrests, charges, convictions, and sentences related to criminal offenses.

These records are considered public information, and their dissemination is governed by Virginia Code §19.2-389. In Virginia, the Virginia State Police (VSP), through their Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE), is responsible for collecting, maintaining, and disseminating criminal history data from law enforcement agencies throughout the state. Although the VSP is the main custodian of these records, local law enforcement agencies and courts also keep their records.

To conduct criminal history background checks with the VSP, interested individuals should complete the SP-167 request form online, print it, have it notarized, and send it by mail to the VSP. Employers and prospective employers should use the SP-230 form to submit criminal history record check requests. Individuals can follow the steps outlined in the "Instructions for Completion of Criminal History Background Search Forms" to complete the request forms. The completed forms should be mailed to the VSP at the address below. A fee of $15.00 per search applies to requests submitted via the SP-167 and SP-230 forms.

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

Alternatively, individuals may submit local criminal record requests to the City of Virginia Beach Police Department. To do so, interested persons must submit a signed and notarized "Criminal Record Information Request" form (PD-150), by mail or in person, to the Virginia Beach Police Department. This service costs $15 per search request.

City of Virginia Beach
Department of Police
Records Unit
Virginia Beach Municipal Center (Building 11)
2509 Princess Anne Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23456

Virginia Beach County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Although Virginia Beach County arrests and criminal records are related, they differ in scope, content, and use.

Virginia Beach arrest records are official documentation containing details of an individual's arrest, including the date, time, location, and the charges filed at the time of arrest. They also include the arrestee's booking details, mugshots, and arresting agency or officer information. The custodian of a person's arrest record is the law enforcement agency responsible for the arrest, such as the Virginia Beach Police Department or Sheriff’s Office. Arrest records are created solely to report or document every instance of a person’s arrest and detention for criminal offenses. They do not, in themselves, imply guilt or conviction for the alleged offenses.

In contrast, Virginia Beach criminal records are broader, encompassing a person's entire criminal history, including arrests, convictions, sentences, and details of any incarceration or jail time. A person's criminal record is not limited to their locality; it includes every interaction with criminal justice systems both within and outside their locality in Virginia and beyond. The Virginia State Police’s Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE) manages criminal records, not just local law enforcement. Local law enforcement agencies and courts must report arrest and disposition information to the CCRE, the authoritative source for these records.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Forever. Unless sealed or expunged, arrests remain indefinitely on people's records in Virginia. However, under the Virginia Code and the Library of Virginia Retention and Disposition Schedule, law enforcement agencies, including the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office and Police Department, follow a retention schedule for arrest records. This includes adult arrests (100 years from birth), deceased adult arrests (removed 1 year after death notification), juvenile arrests (23 years from birth), and arrestee property records (3 years from creation).

Expunge Virginia Beach County Arrest Records

Individuals with arrest records in Virginia Beach can expunge them, provided they meet the conditions outlined in the state's expungement law. When arrest records are expunged, they are removed or erased from official records, making them publicly unavailable as if they never occurred. Per Virginia Code § 19.2-392.2, eligible persons include those acquitted of their crimes, individuals whose charges were dismissed in court, arrested persons who were not charged, those whose criminal convictions were reversed and charges dropped on appeal, and individuals whose charges were dropped after completing a diversion program.

To pursue an expungement, persons with arrest records in Virginia Beach must complete and file a petition for expungement with the Virginia Beach Circuit Court. First, the petitioner must serve a copy of the expungement petition to the prosecuting attorney in Virginia Beach County. The attorney has 21 days to respond. The petitioner must also provide a copy of the petition to a local law enforcement agency (i.e., the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office or the Virginia Beach PD) and obtain a full set of fingerprints.

The law enforcement agency will then submit the fingerprints and a copy of the petition to the Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE) at the Virginia State Police (VSP). The CCRE will forward the petitioner’s sealed criminal history, along with the fingerprints and relevant documents, to the court.

Once the court receives the criminal history from the CCRE, a hearing will be scheduled. The court will decide whether to approve or deny the petition during the hearing. If approved, an expungement order will be issued. The court clerk will then send a copy of the order to the Department of State Police, ensuring that the state and local law enforcement agencies process the expungement.

Virginia Beach County Arrest Warrants

A Virginia Beach County arrest warrant (otherwise referred to as a 'process of arrest in Virginia') is an official order or document that authorizes law enforcement to arrest a person. In Virginia Beach, arrest warrants are issued by magistrates or judges primarily for criminal offenses, as well as for failure to obey a summons or violation of court orders. These warrants are issued and executed in line with the Code of Virginia, Title 19.2, Chapter 7.

According to the law, before an arrest warrant is issued, a law enforcement officer must present evidence establishing probable cause to a magistrate or judge. If the magistrate or judge finds the probable cause sufficient, they issue the warrant or "process of arrest". The warrant must specify the accused's name (or description), the offense charged, the issue date, the name of the issuing judge or magistrate, the location of issuance, and the issuing court, and command that the accused be arrested, detained, and/or brought before a court.

Once issued, a Virginia Beach arrest warrant can be executed anywhere and at any time within the state by law enforcement officers.

Virginia Beach County Arrest Warrant Search

Per Virginia law, interested individuals can submit requests to law enforcement agencies in Virginia Beach County to lookup or find information on active arrest warrants in the county. To request information about active arrest warrants in Virginia Beach, individuals should contact the Professional Standards Office of the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office in person, by email, phone, or fax.

Alternatively, individuals may use the City of Virginia Beach online active warrant search tool to search for and find active arrest warrants in the county. They may also refer to the Virginia Most Wanted List to find individuals with active arrest warrants, as those listed are wanted for criminal offenses and likely have arrest warrants issued against them.

Do Virginia Beach County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Virginia Beach County arrest warrants do not expire. They remain active until the arrest warrant is executed or the issuing court recalls or quashes it. Arrest warrants are executed when the person named on the warrant is apprehended and taken into custody or surrenders to law enforcement. However, courts in Virginia Beach County may quash or recall arrest warrants for felony offenses and misdemeanors after a certain period, particularly in cases of mistaken identity or if the subject of the warrant is deceased (Code of Virginia).

Generally, while Virginia Beach County arrest warrants remain valid until executed or recalled, certain circumstances may affect their execution and validity. These include whether the court dismisses the charges for which the warrant was originally issued, the jurisdiction of the warrant, and the statute of limitations for the underlying offense.