Port St. Lucie Arrest Records

After a Port St. Lucie police officer makes an arrest, they bring the suspect to the St. Lucie County Jail for booking. Following booking, which includes recording personal information, fingerprints, and photographs, the individual will be brought before a judge for their first appearance within 24 hours. During this initial appearance, the judge will inform them of the charges and their rights, and set bail or release conditions. All the information retrieved from the suspect during the booking, the initial appearance, and the report written by the arresting officer will be used to generate the St. Lucie County Arrest Records.

Are Port St. Lucie Arrests Public Record?

Yes. The Florida Public Records Law ensures all arrest records are open for public inspection and copying. The Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD) complies with this law by providing access to its arrest records via email, mail, phone, fax, and in person during regular business hours. The requester does not need an ID or state the purpose for submitting the request. However, some arrest records are not available to members of the public according to Fla. Stat. § 9119.0713.

Port St. Lucie Crime Rate

In 2020, the Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD) reported 1,756 arrests on the FBI's Crime Data Explorer (CDE) database. About 1,337 of those arrested were male, and 419 were female. The arrest offense rates that same year totaled 1,887.

Find Port St. Lucie Arrest Records

Individuals can find Port St. Lucie arrest records at the Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD), St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, and Florida Department of Corrections (FDC). These agencies accept online and in-person requests during business hours. Copies of arrest records cost a small fee, but most online databases return arrest results without charges. For example, interested persons can use the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office's Inmate Lookup tool to find Port St. Lucie arrest records. Users can search by entering a partial first or last name, OR search with the "%" sign in the last name field to display all arrest information of inmates.

Free Arrest Record Search in Port St. Lucie

The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office publishes Port St. Lucie arrest reports on its website and makes them publicly available for free. Anyone who wants to see them should click the Arrest Report icon on the homepage. Afterwards, click on any of the links to the daily arrest reports. There are also reputable third-party aggregate websites where individuals can find Port St. Lucie arrest records without charges. However, they only return basic arrest information for free, which may not be updated in real-time. Users often have to pay to access complete reports or extra details.

Criminal Background Check in Florida

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Division of Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) maintains criminal history information for the state. The fee for criminal background checks is $24.00. The options for requesting Florida criminal history information include:

• Instant Search: Criminal record searches conducted via this database yield immediate results. The result can be printed or emailed, but will not be certified. Customers paying for this service by debit or credit card must pay an additional $1.00 credit card processing fee with the standard fee.
• Certified/Non-Certified Search: Customers must provide demographic information when using this database. Once FDLE staff receive the information, they will conduct a search. They will notarize the document and return it to the customer through regular US mail. Non-certified criminal history records are processed within five (5) business days, while certified copies take six (6) to seven (7) business days. The cost of the record must be paid by debit or credit card.
• ORI Search: Customers using this portal must provide a valid ORI to conduct a search. The cost of each search varies depending on the state agency, state statute, or authorized entity. The search results are sent directly to the requester authorized by the ORI.

Port St. Lucie Inmate Search

The Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) has over 89,000 incarcerated inmates in its 134 statewide facilities. Record seekers can visit these facilities during business hours to obtain copies of Port St. Lucie inmate records. Staff will need some information about the inmates to process the request. Copies of records attract a small fee. The FDC also has several databases where requesters can conduct inmate searches. Users will need a name or DC number to use any of the portals below:

• Search All Corrections Offender Databases
• Inmate Population Information Search
• Inmate Release Information Search
• Inmate Escape Information Search
• Supervised Population Information Search
• Absconder/Fugitive Information Search

Port St. Lucie Police Record Lookup

The easiest way to look up police records is online through the City of Port St. Lucie Public Records Center. Individuals who have used the portal previously can log in using their email address and password. However, first-time users must create an account. Individuals can also obtain copies of police records from the Port St. Lucie Police Department in person, by email at pslpd@cityofpsl.com, by USPS, by phone at (772) 871-5000, or by fax at (772) 344-4094. The record staff will charge a fee for copying police records. There is no labor charge if the request takes less than 30 minutes of staff time and no significant resources are expended. However, the requester may be charged for labor if it takes over 30 minutes of staff time. In-person and mail requests should be made at the address below:

Port St. Lucie Police Headquarters
121 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd.
Bldg. C
Port St. Lucie, FL 34984

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record in Port St. Lucie?

Arrests do not automatically disappear from a person's record over time. Unless expunged or sealed, arrest records remain accessible indefinitely. Even after a case is resolved, some mugshot websites and commercial databases may display these records. However, the Florida Department of State Division of Library and Information Services provides general schedules outlining how long law enforcement agencies must retain arrest records. For instance, criminal investigative records related to fraud are retained for eight years after the offense, while warrant indexes are kept for one year after they are served.

How Can I Get My Record Expunged for Free in Port St. Lucie?

Expungement is the physical destruction of an arrest record by a criminal justice agency (Fla. Stat. § 943.045(16)). To have their records expunged, individuals must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in Fla. Stat. § 943.0585 and 943.059. Applicants must first apply for a Certificate of Eligibility from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). They can download the Application for Certification of Eligibility Form from the FDLE's website or email the FDLE Expunge Section at SEinfo@fdle.state.fl.us to request the application form. After completing the form, the applicant should mail it alongside a money order or Cashier's check in the amount of $75 to the FDLE. Applicants who cannot afford the fees can apply for a fee waiver or contact the FDLE to learn how to avoid paying the fees. The Application for Certification of Eligibility Form should be mailed to the address below:

Florida Department of Law Enforcement
ATTN: Expunge/Seal Section
P.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302-1489

After receiving the Certificate of Eligibility, the applicant must file it alongside a completed Affidavit signed before a notary and a Petition to Seal or Expunge Form with the St. Lucie County Clerk of the Circuit Court. The filing fee is $42.00 payable by cash, credit card, money order, or cashier's checks. Applicants who cannot afford this fee can apply for a fee waiver. The petitioner should call the Criminal Department at (772) 462-6943 to find out the judge who will be assigned to their case, and to arrange for a hearing date/time on the court's calendar. After obtaining a hearing date, the petitioner must file the notice of hearing with the Clerk of the Court in person or by email at criminalcourt@stlucieclerk.gov. A copy must also be sent to the State Attorney's Office and the arresting agency. The judge will expunge the arrest records during the hearing if the petitioner is eligible.

Port St. Lucie Warrant Search

The St. Lucie County Courts issue arrest and bench warrants and direct them to the St. Lucie Sheriff's Office or the Port St. Lucie Police Department to serve. Individuals can request such warrants in person from the issuing court, police department, or the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office Warrant Unit. Caution must be exercised when making in-person inquiries due to the risk of immediate arrest. Alternatively, requesters can conduct Port St. Lucie warrant searches on the Florida Crime Information Center Public Access System (PAS). The search can be performed by name, race, sex, date of birth, or age.

Do Port St. Lucie Warrants Expire?

No, Port St. Lucie warrants do not expire. They remain valid until executed by authorized officials. However, the defendant's death or prosecutorial dismissal may cause the issuing judge to quash or recall them.