St Johns County Arrest Records

An arrest entails law enforcement taking a suspect into custody, usually after a crime or when probable cause for arrest exists. Crimes for which an individual may be arrested are typically categorized as felonies, misdemeanors, or infractions, each having varying legal consequences. A law enforcement officer in St Johns County may issue a notice to appear, conduct a physical arrest with or without a warrant, or temporarily detain an individual (Fla. Stat. 901.16; Fla. Stat. 901.15; Fla. Stat. 901.151).

Following an arrest, the suspect is usually "booked"- a process of documenting the suspect physical descriptions, fingerprints, personal identifying details, and the offenses in question. This booking process is generally done in the "booking room" of an enforcement agency or a local detention facility and produces important legal documents, including the arrest record.

After booking, an arrestee may be released on bail or detained until their preliminary court hearing/arraignment, depending on the magnitude of the offense involved. The St Johns' County Sheriff's Office and other city police departments are responsible for generating and maintaining arrest records. Arrests often kickstart criminal justice proceedings, and the records generated may be part of St Johns County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in St Johns County?

Yes. Statute 119.07 of the Florida State Laws allows public access to most arrest records maintained in St. Johns County. However, Statute 985.04 prohibits public access to arrest records involving juveniles unless the juvenile was arrested for a major felony. Juvenile arrest records and other restricted arrest record information can only be accessed by the record bearer, a legal representative, or persons with required court authorization. Some arrest record information that may be exempt from public inspection include:

• Arrest records of ongoing investigations and law enforcement research
• Information that may endanger public peace and safety
• Personal identifying information of arrestees and their family members, such as mobile number, address, or social security numbers
• Information that may impede a fair trial proceeding
• Sealed or expunged arrest records
• Medical or mental health records.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The following information is available to members of the public who research arrest records in St Johns County:

• The arrestee's name and aliases
• Age, date, and place of birth
• Physical and distinguishing characteristics such as hair/eye color, height, weight, and skin color
• Employment or vocation details
• Mugshots
• Arresting agency and agent
• Occurrences that led to the arrest
• Parole and probation information
• Place, time, and date of arrest
• Type of arrest( with/without a warrant or a stop and frisk)
• Booking information
• Offense/charges
• Arraignment date and time
• Court case number and type
• Bail or bond information
• Arrest disposition and release information
• Information about the detention facility.

St Johns County Crime Rate

Reports published by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) indicate that the crime rate per 100,000 population in 2021 was 666.5, and the total crime index was estimated to be 1,903. There was a 25.8% decrease in 2021 compared to the figures collated in 2020. The most common property crimes committed in 2021 were larceny (1,183), burglary (237), and motor vehicle theft (115). Among violent crimes, aggravated assaults accounted for the most number of reported crimes at 322, followed by rape (46).

St Johns County Arrest Statistics

Annual reports published by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) reveal that St Johns County had 3,624 arrests in 2020, with an arrest rate of 1,383.7 per 100,000 residents. Out of the total number of persons arrested that year, 3,464 were adults while 140 were juveniles. Aggravated assaults had the most arrests (178), and murder had the least (5).

The arrest statistics recorded in 2019 show a significant decrease in the number of arrests. In 2019, 4,308 adults and 203 juveniles were arrested, making the total number of arrests 4,511, with an arrest rate of 1733.1 per 100,000 residents. Larceny ( 308) accounted for the most arrests, and murder (7) had the lowest number of arrests for the year.

Find St Johns County Arrest Records

Local law enforcement agencies like the County Sheriff's office and the various city/parish police departments in the county keep track of arrests done within their jurisdictions. One may find St Johns County arrest records by sending online, mail, fax, in-person, or phone requests to the records unit of the appropriate local record custodian. The procedures and costs of obtaining St Johns County arrest records vary among the record custodians. Researchers requesting arrest records may generally be required to provide information about the arrest, such as:

• The first and last name of the arrested individual
• The arrestee's birth date if known
• The time, date, and location of the arrest
• A valid photo identification.

To find arrest records maintained by the County Sheriff's Office, an inquirer can submit a request to records personnel by calling (904) 810-6610 or contacting the Records Unit using the information below:

St Johns County Sheriff's Office (Records Unit) to conduct a statewide arrest record search, including data for Seminole County

151 King Street
P.O. Box 1950
St. Augustine, FL 32085-1950
Phone: (904) 825-1074
Fax: (904) 209-1542

Mail requests containing the required documents and information may be sent to the Sheriff's Office via the following address:

St. Johns County Sheriff's Office
Attn: Records
4015 Lewis Speedway
St. Augustine, FL 32084.

Arrests may sometimes be carried out by state or federal agencies depending on the magnitude and nature of the crime involved. The Florida Department of Corrections online repository is the most suitable platform for searching for information related to persons incarcerated in state prisons and correctional facilities. Federal law enforcement agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) both maintain online searchable databases for retrieving information about inmates reprimanded in their custody. One may use these inmate search locators by inputting an inmate's name or identifying number.

Free Arrest Record Search in St Johns County

State laws permit interested members of the public to inspect and obtain copies of public arrest records by making requests to the record custodian. Inquirers may walk into the Sheriff's Office or any other police department during working hours to perform a search in person. While inspecting arrest records at a local police department or sheriff's office is free of charge, reproducing copies usually have charges attached.

The St. Johns Sheriff's Office provides free countywide arrest information to the public online via the Records Request Center online portal. Inquirers will need to create an account and Log in before utilizing the search portal. Inmate information may also be freely accessed online on the Sheriff's Inmate Search Page. Alternatively, independent third-party aggregate sites that source data from various sources may be used to look up St Johns County arrest records.

Get St Johns County Criminal Records

A criminal record, also known as a criminal history or "rap sheet," is a summary of an individual's interactions with the law enforcement and criminal justice agencies in the county. It includes records of arrests, charges, sentencings, and criminal court proceeding dispositions related to the record subject.

One may be able to obtain St Johns County criminal records from different custodians at the county, state, and federal levels. The St Johns County Sheriff's Office provides local criminal history checks for arrests conducted within the state to inquirers for a fee of $1 per certified record and $0.15 or $0.20 per page of single—or double-sided photocopies.

At the state level, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Division of Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS), the state central repository for criminal records, makes criminal history information available to the public on request for a fee of $24 and an extra $1 for debit/credit card payments. The FDLE has provisions for instant search, certified/non-certified search, and ORI-based search.

In-person and electronic requests may also be sent to the FDLE using the information outlined below:

Florida Department of Law Enforcement
2331 Phillips Road
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Phone: (850) 410-8161
Email: backgroundchecks@fdle.state.fl.us.

St Johns County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest records and criminal records are most times used interchangeably to refer to an individual's criminal history. However, there is a slight difference between the two terms.

A criminal record is a log of all processes involved in a person's criminal past, from the arrest to the booking and then prosecution if available. It is detailed and contains the interactions between the record bearer and the criminal justice agencies in charge of the criminal case. A criminal record also reveals the disposition and outcome of the criminal proceeding, including judgments and sentencing. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement maintains criminal records of offenders within the state.

An arrest record is more concise and contains just information related to one's arrest, booking, and pretrial release, it does not contain the case disposition and other criminal information. Arrest records are usually managed by the local police departments and the Sheriff's Office.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Always. Florida statutes do not have prescribed periods for the removal or destruction of arrest records maintained by law enforcement agencies in the state. Arrest records remain part of an individual's criminal history forever unless they are sealed or expunged. Thus, the retention period of arrest records is subject to individual agency policy and the provisions outlined in the state's public records law.

However, the Florida Department of State's General Records Schedule for Criminal Justice Agencies directs that records be maintained till they become outdated, substituted, or lose administrative value.

Expunge St Johns County Arrest Records

Florida Statutes allow the sealing or expunging of arrest records in keeping with the requirements outlined in the law. A sealed record is prohibited from public access but may be accessed by certain entities as listed in Section 943.059(4)(a).

Expunged records, on the other hand, are not accessible by the public or entity without a court order. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) processes requests for sealing/expunging arrest records following a court order. Eligibility for sealing or expunging arrest records is outlined in Sections 943.0585 and 943.059 of the Florida Statutes.

The different types of sealing and expungement processes include:

• Administrative Expungement (Section 943.0581)
• Court-ordered sealing or Expungement (Sections 943.059 and 943.0585)
• Juvenile Diversion Expungement (Section 943.0582)
• Lawful Self-Defense Expungement (Section 943.0578)
• Human Trafficking Expungement (Section 943.0583)
• Automatic Juvenile Expungement (Section 943.0515)
• Early Juvenile Expungement (Section 943.0515(1)(b)2)
• Automatic Sealing (Section 943.0595).

To seal/expunge an arrest record in St Johns County, obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from FDLE by filling out and submitting a request form. Then, submit the filled form and filing fee of $75 to:

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

The FLDE takes about 12 weeks to send the Certificate of Eligibility. After this, the individual may file a petition for relief alongside the Certificate of Eligibility with a court of jurisdiction in the county where the arrest occurred.

St Johns County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant in St Johns County is a judicial edict signed by a judge or magistrate and issued to a law enforcement agent. St. Johns County Judicial officers are authorized by law to issue arrest warrants mandating the arrest and detention of a suspect within their jurisdiction if substantive probable cause exists. Arrest warrants may also be issued by a court if any of the following conditions are satisfied:

• The court discovers probable cause for an arrest after investigating complaints filed in police reports
• Occurrences of contempt of court or grand jury indictment
• Summons issued to the defendant have been returned due to a failed service of process.

St Johns County arrest warrants typically contain the following information:

• Name, signature, and office title of the issuing judicial officer
• The offender's name
• The crime for which the warrant is being issued
• Issuing date and time of the warrant
• The name of the issuing court and enforcement agency executing the warrant
• Bond/Bail amount if applicable.

St Johns County Arrest Warrant Search

Interested persons may perform a Johns County arrest warrant search in person or online. The County Sheriff's Office preserves records of active warrants and makes them available to members of the public on request.

In-person searches can be done at the Sheriff's Office between 8 AM and 5 PM on weekdays, while online searches may be conducted on the Sheriff's Warrant Search Portal. An arrest warrant search requires the searcher to provide a name or case number.

Do St Johns County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Arrest warrants issued in St Johns County remain active until the subject is arrested, deceased, or willingly appears in court. However, there are certain instances where a court may recall or quash a warrant, especially if the warrant was issued illegally or a party petitions the court to invalidate the warrant.