Miami Arrest Records

Arrests happen when law enforcement is directed by a warrant to apprehend someone and bring them before a court to answer charges alleged against them. Under Chapter 901.15 of Florida Statutes, law enforcement officers can also make arrests if they witness someone committing an offense or have probable cause that reasonably suggests that a person is engaged in or about to commit an offense.

Arrest information is usually maintained across multiple criminal justice and law enforcement agency databases. It may be found in various documents, including court records, jail rosters, inmate records, and prosecution dockets. The sheriff's office records cover Miami County arrest records gathered from police departments in other cities in Miami-Dade County.

Are Miami Arrests Public Record?

Yes. The Florida Public Records Law presumes that arrest records are open to public inspection and copying, unless specific exemptions apply. Exemptions generally apply if a requested record contains identifying juvenile information, records sealed by court order, records whose release may compromise the integrity of an active investigation, child abuse victim identifiers, sexual abuse victim identifiers, and identifying information about crime victims.

If a requested record contains public and restricted information, the records custodian is legally authorized to redact the restricted information before fulfilling the request. Restricted arrest records are only available to the record subject and third parties with a justified interest in the case, such as victims and attorneys representing any parties involved.

Miami Crime Rate

According to FIBRS crime statistics published by the Miami Police Department, some prevalent crimes reported in the City of Miami in 2024 are as follows: 1,435 burglary/breaking, 457 robbery, 2,120 motor vehicle theft, 1,448 drug/narcotic violations, 409 weapon law violations, 198 DUIs, 27 murder and non-negligent manslaughter, 4,497 simple assault, 1,742 aggravated assault, 20 human trafficking/commercial sexual act, and 102 forcible rape.

Find Miami Arrest Records

Individuals arrested in Miami are housed at the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department. Information about inmates is obtainable via an online tool provided by the department. This resource is searchable by an inmate's first and last name. Results returned by a search include an inmate's name, date of birth, jail number, booking time, mugshot, booking date, sex, race, location, charges, and bond amount. Direct further inquiries to:

Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation Department Headquarters
3505 NW 107 Avenue
Doral, FL 33178
Phone: (786) 263-7000

Free Arrest Record Search in Miami

Inmate search tools offered by the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department and that of the state's DOC are free. Another free alternative are privately-operated aggregator websites, although users may be required to pay for certain site features and complete arrest information. Moreover, these databases are usually not updated in real time and, as such, may feature incomplete or outdated information.

Criminal Background Check in Florida

The Division of Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS), Florida Department of Law Enforcement, is the state's central repository for criminal history information. Criminal background checks at this agency cost a fee of $24. Note that this service is only available to governmental agencies involved in licensing and employment, authorized under Florida law.

Record subjects can access a copy of their own criminal records free of charge, pursuant to Florida Statute 943.056, through a process known as "personal review". Personal review applications require a person to include a copy of their fingerprints captured by a law enforcement agency. A separate fee is usually assessed for capturing a person's fingerprints. Personal reviews can only be performed by record subjects or their attorneys.

Interested parties should complete the Personal Review of Florida Criminal History Record form and mail it alongside their fingerprint card to:

Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Post Office Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302-1489
Attention: Criminal History Record Maintenance Section

Note that copies obtainable for personal review do not contain demographic information and are not acceptable for employment, licensing, immigration, and other official purposes. Concerned individuals should request for a certified copy instead. Third parties and other members of the public can perform instant background checks online for a $24 fee (plus a $1 card processing fee).

Miami Inmate Search

Interested persons can look up information about incarcerated inmates—mostly felony offenders—sentenced to the Florida Department of Corrections, using the Corrections Offender Network. Information required to furnish a includes an inmate's first name, last name, and DC number. A DC number is a unique identification number assigned by the department to each inmate. Record seekers may check the appropriate box to search for an inmate using their alias.

Miami Police Record Lookup

The Records Unit of the Miami Police Department is the primary repository of all police records, and facilitates the processing, storage, retrieval, and management of reports. This department also handles record requests. Individuals may request records by contacting the department's Record Custodian in person during business hours (8am to 2pm) any day, with the exception of Wednesdays, weekends, and public holidays.

Citizens may also request for incident or accident reports online and by email (MPDRecords@miami-police.org). Calls-for-service data from 2017 to present maintained by this office are also available online. Inquiries usually require the case number, location of incident, the first and last name of an involved party, and date the incident occurred. Further inquiries may be made at:

Miami Police Department
400 Northwest 2nd Avenue
Miami, Florida 33128
Phone: (305) 603-6477
Fax: (305) 603-6481

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record in Miami?

Indefinitely. A person's arrest information remains on file until the court orders their expunction or sealing. Even if a person received clemency for the charges on the arrest record in question or the case was dropped or dismissed, they are still required to file an expungement petition. Note that an expungement does not automatically remove records from websites operated by private companies because the FDLE has no regulatory authority over them. The record subject may have to personally request that such companies delete their records.

How Can I Get My Record Expunged for Free in Miami?

Although legal aid societies and nonprofit organizations may offer assistance, enabling petitioners to boycott attorney fees, there is no guarantee of maneuvering the entire expungement process without certain fees or costs. The first step to expunging a record in Miami usually means meeting certain eligibility requirements. Record expungements are governed by Florida Statutes Sections 943.0585 and 943.059.

A person automatically qualifies for an expungement if the charge(s) that led to their arrest was dismissed or they were not found guilty. In addition, they must not have any prior expungements. Records initially ineligible for expungement may become eligible after 10 years of being sealed. While expungement completely destroys a record, sealing only shields them from public viewing. Individuals looking to expunge their records may follow the steps below:

• Record bearers who qualify for an expungement may begin the expungement process by completing an application for a Certificate of Eligibility.
• Obtain fingerprints on a Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) certified fingerprint form.
• Next, obtain a certified copy of the case disposition from the clerk of the courthouse that tried the arrestee.
• Submit the application and the court disposition to the local state attorney's office to verify that the case was withdrawn or dismissed.
• The final stage involves submitting the completed application, fingerprints, the case disposition, and a $75 fee at:

Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Attention: Expunge Section
P.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, Florida 32302-1489.

If the FDLE approves the application, it shall issue a Certificate of Eligibility. The processing time for the certificate of eligibility is expected to last for approximately 12 weeks. The record bearer should then proceed to file an expungement petition, copies of which shall be submitted to the arresting agency and the state attorney. Along with other supporting documents, the petition must include the certificate of eligibility.

The court typically reviews the petition and may conduct a hearing if need be. If the petition is granted, the court shall issue an expungement order. The entire process from when the petition is filed to when the court issues a ruling may last between five to seven months.

Miami Warrant Search

Arrest warrants are issued based on probable cause, while bench warrants are issued when the warrant's subject fails to appear in court on a scheduled date or violates a court order. Both types of warrants order law enforcement to make an arrest and bring the arrestee before a judge.

Interested persons can look for Miami warrants by perusing the Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC) Public Access System (PAS). To perform a search, a researcher must be able to provide a wanted person's basic personal information, including full name, date of birth, sex, and race.

Furthermore, in-person inquiries may be made at the Miami police department, the sheriff's office, or the county's clerk of court and comptroller's office. However, this should be done by a person's attorney or a third party, as they risk being arrested on sight if they visit any of these locations. Valid IDs are usually required for visitors.

Do Miami Warrants Expire?

No, arrest warrants do not expire. They remain in effect until executed, recalled or quashed. A warrant may also cease to be active if the case against the defendant is dropped or dismissed, or the defendant dies. While warrants issued for most felonies and misdemeanors remain active indefinitely, those for minor municipal violations may be subject to statutes of limitation, which may cause them to have relatively shorter durations.