Pasco County Arrest Records

It is standard procedure for Pasco County law enforcement agencies to document arrests. These form the county's arrest records, which detail the alleged crime, suspect, place and time of arrest, and the arresting agency and officer.

Individuals looking for arrest records in Pasco County can approach different local, state, and federal agencies. For example, individuals can review Pasco County court records for arrest details about a person charged in court. Additionally, some Florida public records, such as information maintained by the Florida State Police and Department of Corrections, contain various arrest details. Usually, one must have relevant search information, like an arrestee's first and last name, to obtain the records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Pasco County?

Yes. Under the Florida Sunshine Law, the public is authorized to access records created and preserved by public bodies, including courts, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, city police departments, the Florida Department of Corrections, and the Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

However, access to arrest records is limited by state statute (FS 119.071 and FS 119.0714) and court rule (Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin 2.420(c)).

The following records are restricted:

• Information related to victims in domestic and sexual violence cases
• Records that may uncover the identities of human trafficking and child abuse victims
• Arrest records of youths below the age of 18
• Information about ongoing investigations
• Arrest records sealed by court
• Information restricted by state and federal law

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Members of the public can find the following information in Pasco County arrest records:

• Offender's name, age, physical description, and photograph
• Offense and crime category
• Arresting agency
• Booking number and date

Pasco County Crime Rate

The 2021 Crime in Florida Report compiled by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement revealed 8,071 crimes reported in Pasco County in 2021, compared to the 8,620 offenses recorded in 2020. Larceny was the most prevalent offense, with 4,778 incidents.

Pasco County Arrest Statistics

The FDLE's 2021 County and Municipal Arrest report revealed 14,539 arrests in Pasco County in 2021, with adult arrests totaling 13,562. Simple assault (3,088) caused the most arrests, and the Pasco County Sheriff's Office apprehended more offenders (10,558) than any other local law enforcement agency.

Find Pasco County Arrest Records

Individuals seeking Pasco County arrest records can contact various public agencies, including the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, local courts, the Florida Department of Corrections, and the United States Bureau of Prisons.

U.S. Bureau of Prisons

People arrested in Pasco County and incarcerated for federal offenses serve their sentences in the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. Interested parties can use the Bureau's online Inmate Search tool to find details about the inmate and where they are being held. However, they will not see detailed arrest information. Instead, they can use the inmate's details provided on the web page to submit a Freedom of Information Act request to the Bureau to obtain incarceration records, including arrest information.

The Florida Department of Corrections

The Florida Department of Corrections allows the public to use its Offender Search system to find information about offenders serving time in state prison. The system also provides information about absconders, supervised offenders, and inmate escapees.

Site visitors can search for inmates by name and DC (Department of Corrections) number. The search results show the inmate's personal information, such as their name, photograph, date of birth, and physical description. It also indicates arrest details, including the type of offense, offense date, detainment date, arresting agency, and case number.

Pasco County Corrections Website

The Pasco County Corrections website hosts details about jail inmates. Selecting an inmate on the website displays their arrest information, including name, photograph, date of birth, arresting agency, booking number, arrest type, arrest report number, arrest date, offense type, and bond amount.

The website also displays arrest details for individuals with prior records.

Pasco County Sheriff's Office

Interested parties can submit public records requests through the Pasco County Sheriff's Office to order copies of arrest records. They can also use the following information to contact the office by phone, email, regular mail, fax, or in person:

Pasco Sheriff's Offices Public Records Department
20105 Central Boulevard
Land O' Lakes, FL 34637
Phone: (813) 235-6118
Fax: (813) 235-6119
Email: PublicRecords@pascosheriff.org

Individuals can also request background checks with the office to obtain arrest history information about specific individuals. The Sheriff's Office will only return prior records of arrests and charges within Pasco County.

Requesters must note that the office may deny their request or redact information if the records are connected to active criminal investigations.

Local Police Departments

Individuals can also submit public records requests to various city police departments, depending on which agency made the arrest and if the individual has not been charged in court. For example, one can head to the Dade City Police Department's Records page to find information on record requests.

They must note, however, that reports and records tied to active investigations may not be released.

Free Arrest Record Search in Pasco County

People can find arrest records for free through the Pasco Corrections website and the Florida Department of Corrections inmate search web portal. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons inmate search utility is also free.

However, requesting copies of documents from these bodies and local law enforcement agencies may come at a cost.

Get Pasco County Criminal Records

Criminal records are official documents detailing a person's history of arrests, charges, and convictions. Individuals can obtain these records by contacting various Pasco County law enforcement and judicial entities.

Pasco County Courts

The Pasco County Clerk and Comptroller's office maintains official case records for criminal matters adjudicated by the county's criminal courts. The office provides online, mail-in, and in-person options for viewing and accessing case files. People looking to view records online can use the Online Court Records Search (OCRS) tool to view details of different cases, including felonies and misdemeanors.

Individuals who want to view case files can visit the following locations:

East Pasco Records Retention Facility
38319 McDonald Street
Dade City, FL 33525
Phone: (352) 521-4489

Mailing Address:
38053 Live Oak Avenue
Dade City, FL 33523-3805

Jack Albert Records Retention Facility
8902 Government Drive
New Port Richey, FL 34654-5555
Phone: (727) 847-8962

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 338
New Port Richey, FL 34656-0338

Individuals who do not know the case numbers can use the online tool to avoid paying the assisted records search fee.

The following are the costs of copying case records:

• $1 per copy for regular pages
• $2 per document certification
• $2 per name per year for assisted records searches

State Attorney for the 6th Judicial Circuit

The State Attorney's office prosecutes criminal cases in Pasco and Pinellas counties and holds certain records related to such cases. Individuals can submit public records requests to the office's Custodian of Public Records by email, regular mail, and in-person visit using the following information:

Assistant State Attorney
Custodian of Public Records – State Attorney, 6th Jud. Ct.
14250 49th Street North
Room 1000
P.O. Box 17500
Clearwater, FL 33762
Email: publicrecordsrequests@flsa6.gov

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)

The FDLE maintains a statewide criminal history database containing information pooled from the state's law enforcement agencies. The agency provides criminal history information, such as arrest details, court case records, and incarceration information. The system is open to individuals (or their attorneys) who want to check their criminal records, government agencies, care companies, and certain employers authorized by law.

Eligible entities can use the Instant Search or Certified/Non-Certified Search options, depending on the type of results they want. Certified results are generally produced for national/internal adoptions and immigration purposes.

Instant Search results can be emailed or printed. The FDLE does not send them via regular mail. Each search costs $24, and a $1 processing fee may apply.

The FDLE also operates the Volunteer & Employee Criminal History System, which allows eligible organizations to access criminal history information on employees, volunteers, and applicants. The database contains FDLE and FBI records.

VECHS fees are as follows:

• Employee Background Check:
  • State Fee: $24
  • Federal Fee: $13.25
  • Total Fee: $37.25
• Volunteer Background Check:
  • State Fee: $18
  • Federal Fee: $11.25
  • Total Fee: $29.25

Pasco County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

While arrest and criminal records are considered public information in Florida, individuals should not conflate one for the other. Pasco County law enforcement agencies create arrest records when they take suspected offenders into custody. These records do not indicate a person's guilt or their involvement in the justice system, as charges may never be filed after their detention.

On the other hand, criminal records are only created after prosecutors file formal charges, and the case progresses through the court system. The records include arrests, charges, court orders, and sentences.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Pasco County arrests remain part of a person's criminal history record until they petition a court to expunge the records.

Expunge Pasco County Arrest Records

Individuals can seal or expunge their arrest records by petitioning a court to order the appropriate government agencies to hide or delete their records permanently. The process is governed by FS 943.059 (sealing) and 943.0585 (expunction) and starts with verifying one's eligibility with the FDLE.

Generally, an individual is eligible to request sealing or expungement in Pasco County if they meet the following criteria:

• The person was arrested, and no formal charges were filed.
• Charges were filed but dismissed, or the person was found not guilty.
• The offense is not one of the ineligible offenses listed in FS 943.0584.
• The individual has no adult convictions in Florida listed under FS 943.0585(d), and any qualifying juvenile offenses have been expunged.
• The person is no longer under court supervision for the offense.
• The individual has not had a prior expungement or sealing, except in specific cases where a record was sealed for 10 years.
• The petitioner has obtained a court order to seal their criminal history record for at least 10 years due to withheld adjudication or charges not being dismissed before trial. The 10-year requirement will not apply if they did not enter a plea, their charges were dismissed before trial, or the court acquitted them of all charges.

One must start the process by applying to the FDLE for a certificate of eligibility. This certificate qualifies them to petition the required court. The application must include the following:

1. The FDLE's application form and fingerprint card, which are obtainable from the agency's website.
2. A written and certified statement from the statewide prosecutor or the State Attorney for the 6th Judicial District confirming that their criminal history is eligible for expunction (only for expungement applications)
3. A certified document of the outcome of the criminal case if the petitioner was charged in court.
4. A $75 processing fee.

Upon obtaining the certificate of eligibility, one can petition the court having jurisdiction to seal or expunge the record. The petition must be accompanied by the certificate and a sworn statement that the applicant meets the requirements for expunction and does not have another similar petition pending before another court.

Petitioners are also expected to serve the completed court petition to the State Attorney for the 6th Judicial District or the appropriate statewide prosecutor. Once the court approves the sealing or expungement request, the clerk's office will notify the relevant agencies to restrict or delete the individual's arrest records.

Pasco County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are court orders permitting law enforcement to apprehend alleged offenders. A judge approves this order upon reviewing a complaint and finding reasonable grounds that someone may have broken the law.

Judges can also issue arrest warrants without reading complaints for the following reasons:

• Failure to appear in court
• Violating parole or probation
• Refusing to honor court-mandated obligations, such as community service, child support, or gag orders

According to Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.121, an arrest warrant must contain the following:

• Nature of the offense
• Name and description of the person to be apprehended
• The judge's signature and office title
• Date of issuance

Pasco County Arrest Warrant Search

Arrest warrants are considered part of arrest and court records. As such, individuals may be able to find them using resources provided by law enforcement agencies and the Pasco County Clerk and Comptroller's office.

Pasco County Sheriff's Office

The Pasco County Sheriff's office runs a dedicated webpage for viewing active warrants. The page lists offenders alongside their offenses, names, warrant IDs, issue dates, and warrant types. Selecting an offender displays more information, such as their physical descriptions, addresses, and charges.

FDLE Website

Individuals can use the FDLE's Wanted Persons Search web portal to find active warrants. The application displays people with warrants issued for their arrest from different Florida jurisdictions, including Pasco County. Site visitors can search by name, nickname, ethnicity, sex, and age. The system reveals a wanted person's photograph, aliases, last known address, warrant number and date, offense, physical description, and reporting agency.

Pasco County Clerk and Comptroller

Since courts issue warrants, interested parties can approach the Pasco County Clerk and Comptroller's office to find arrest warrants. They can use the Online Court Records Search (OCRS) tool or order records in person, by mail, email, or telephone.

Do Pasco County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Pasco County arrest warrants do not expire. These writs remain valid until executed by law enforcement or revoked by the issuing judge or court.