Darke County Arrest Records

In Darke County, arrest records detail instances where law enforcement agents took someone into custody and information on the offense that led to the arrest. Such arrests typically occur after probable cause has been established that an offender committed a crime. Following an arrest, law enforcement agents usually take the offender to the nearest police department or precinct, where they are booked. After the booking exercise, they are either released on bail or have the charges against them dropped.

The Darke County Sheriff’s Office is the primary agency responsible for creating arrest records in the county. These records are part of the more extensive categorization of Darke County Court Records, encompassing various public records, including criminal and civil court cases and other legal documents.

Are Arrest Records Public in Darke County?

According to the Ohio Public Records Act (OPRA), all public records, including arrest records, are public property. Therefore, the general public may inspect, copy, or reproduce arrest records unless otherwise stated by law.

Notwithstanding, the Act restricts public access to specific records. Some exemptions by the Ohio Public Records Act:

• Records identifying sexual crime and abuse victims or witnesses
• Images or depictions of victims of a sexually oriented offense
• Restricted portions of body-worn or dashboard camera recordings
• Records containing details on special investigative techniques
• Juvenile records
• Records containing confidential sources
• Records of ongoing criminal investigation
• Driver's license, state identification, social security, state or federal tax identification numbers
• Records that would jeopardize the lives or safety of government officials or law enforcement personnel, confidential informants, or witnesses
• Unlisted phone number, home address, and any other private information of law enforcement officers, district attorneys, judicial officers, and their families
• Financial records include credit/debit card numbers and bank account numbers.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Under the Ohio Open Records Act, Darke County arrest records accessible to the public include:

• The arrested person's name
• Date of arrest
• The location of the arrest
• The description of the detained person
• The arresting agency
• Specific charges or offenses against the arrested individual
• Bond or bail information, if applicable
• A booking photograph
• The court in which the case will be or was heard
• Any terms of release imposed by the court

Darke County Arrest Statistics

A 5-year crime statistics report by the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) revealed that the Darke County Sheriff’s Office reported 1,065 arrests between 2019 and 2023. The gender distribution of arrested offenders indicated that males constituted 76.06% (810) of all arrests within the period, while females accounted for 23.94% (255).

The racial composition of all arrests in the period under review showed that Whites were the predominant racial group arrested for various offenses, with 63.38%. Others include offenders with unknown racial groups, with 33.53%, and Blacks or African Americans, with 3.19% of all arrests.

Further analysis of the type of offenses law enforcement officers arrested suspects for between 2019 and 2023 showed that all other offenses aside from traffic were commonplace, with 33.30% (344), followed by simple assault at 21.69% (231) and driving under the influence at 13.62% (145). Others include possession of marijuana, other dangerous nonnarcotic drugs, and disorderly conduct, with 6.76% (72), 5.73% (61), and 2.82% (30), respectively.

Find Darke County Arrest Records

Requesters seeking Darke County arrest records may wish to explore the state and federal resources listed below:

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction: The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction offers users an online inmate search service for locating offenders serving time in a state prison. Such inmates may be under department monitoring or have been judicially released. Requesters may fine-tune their searches using parameters like name, county, and hearing date.

Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP): Record seekers may use the BOP Inmate Locator tool to find federal inmates detained from 1982 to the present. On the portal, they may search by name or BOP register number.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA): Interested parties looking for historical federal jail records (before 1982) may contact NARA. They provide an index of inmates formerly incarcerated in various federal prisons.

To order copies of convicts' records from NARA archives, the requester must provide details such as the inmate's full name and any middle names or initials since this may help narrow the search. Other details like the inmate's date of birth or approximate age at the time of incarceration, inmate's race, and estimated days in prison are also valuable information that may aid the search process.

Free Arrest Record Search in Darke County

Interested persons may access free inmate records via the Darke County Sheriff's Office's website. The site offers the public a Jail Roster that provides information on inmates currently in custody at the Darke County Jail.

The search tool, which is updated twice every hour, allows users to conduct name and booking number searches and returns the following results:

• Offender's identifying information: name, race, gender, date of birth, height, weight, eye and hair colors
• Booking information: agency, location, booking date and booking number
• Arrest information: arrest date, agency, location, and officer
• Jail history: case number, charge description, charge degree, status, bail type and amount, and previous detentions

Record searchers may also contact the Sheriff's Office or the Jail Division at the following address regarding inspecting the roster for free in person or obtaining certified copies of arrest records:

Darke County Sheriff's Office

5185 County Home Rd.
Jail Division: (937) 548-2020 ext. 2
Fax: (937) 548-9307
Records Division: (937) 548-2020 ext. 3
Greenville, Ohio 45331

While the inspection of non-confidential arrest records is usually free, obtaining copies of such records attracts a fee.

Darke County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

The functions, scope, and substance of arrest records and criminal records are different from one another.

Each time someone is taken into custody on suspicion of a crime, an arrest record is generated. These records only document incidents where someone is alleged to have broken the law. However, this does not mean they were convicted for the offense.

Arrest records will remain on a person’s record even if they are later found not guilty of the charges. The Freedom of Information Act and other relevant laws usually protect individuals with arrest records by restricting public disclosure of these records because they represent accusations and not convictions. Arrest records that do not result in convictions will not appear on criminal history checks.

Criminal records are lengthy official reports that detail someone's interactions with the criminal justice and judicial systems. These records document an individual’s arrests, court proceedings, convictions, and sentences.

Criminal records are subject to the Freedom of Information Act, meaning interested parties may access them for various purposes. Individuals with criminal records are more likely to have challenges with employment and housing compared to those with arrest records. This is because arrest records are typically linked with less serious offenses, such as traffic violations and minor theft. In contrast, criminal records often involve more serious crimes such as robbery, rape, and murder.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Unless expunged, an Ohioian's arrest record will remain visible to the public. Even if substantial time has elapsed since the arrest, the individual will still be subject to the public record except if they delete it.

Expunge Darke County Arrest Records

In Ohio, serious offenses such as sexual assault, aggravated murder, and kidnapping are not eligible for sealing or expungement. Besides, a petitioner must go through a waiting period, which differs according to the severity of the offense.

Process for Expungement, Removal, or Sealing

The applicant may start the process once their qualification has been confirmed. This must be preceded by the completion of any prison sentence, probation, or parole conditions and payment of all fines or fees related to the conviction.

Subsequently, the petitioner must present a formal request to the court that heard their case. This request must include all necessary paperwork and personal information, including name, date of birth, and details of the offense. Thereafter, the court will appraise the application to confirm that all conditions have been fulfilled.

If authorized, the court will grant an order sealing or expunging the records. This means that the records will no longer be accessible to the public, and the concerned persons may lawfully claim they have no criminal record for the expunged offense.

Darke County Arrest Warrants

In Darke County, an arrest warrant is a legal order issued by a judge, magistrate, clerk of court, or officer of the court designated by a judge authorizing law enforcement to arrest someone suspected of committing a crime.

The issuance of an arrest warrant requires probable cause, which may be established through a complaint or affidavits. This probable cause may include credible hearsay evidence.

The process starts when a complaint is filed. If the judge or magistrate believes the evidence is sufficient, they issue the warrant.

In Darke County, an arrest warrant must include the defendant’s name or a description that reasonably identifies them, a description of the offense, and the applicable law or ordinance. When a warrant is issued after the failure of a defendant to appear in court, it will order the defendant’s arrest and state bail conditions or detention until a court appearance.

Do Darke County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, they do not expire. If they did, that would encourage offenders to evade arrest or prosecution. An arrest warrant will be active until the subject named in the warrant dies or the judge quashes the warrant.