Putnam County Arrest Records

Putnam County arrest records contain details about a person's arrest and confinement in law enforcement custody. These records bear an arrestee's data, the reason for an arrest, and where an arrestee is detained.

Members of the public often need arrest details to process the release of arrested loved ones, prepare for criminal defense, and research neighborhood crimes. Public entities also rely on arrest records for background searches and criminal prosecution.

Arrest records are created and maintained by local law enforcement authorities. Still, some arrest information can be found in the Putnam County court records after a person is charged with an offense. As such, interested parties can approach courts and police bodies to obtain Putnam arrest data.

Are Arrest Records Public in Putnam County?

Yes. The Ohio Public Records Act allows any individual to request the inspection or reproduction of arrest records. Nevertheless, some records are considered confidential to the public. These include juvenile arrest data, confidential witness and victim information, medical and financial documents, records of ongoing police investigations, and expunged and sealed records.

In many cases, protected records are only available to parties of a case and other entities authorized by law. Law enforcement and other records custodians reject public requests for protected documents or information. However, requesters can challenge such decisions through a legal process.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Anyone can obtain the following arrest information from law enforcement agencies or courts in Putnam County, Ohio:

• Personal information: An arrestee's full name, weight, height, eye and hair color, age, and photograph
• Booking data: An arrestee's booking number and date
• Arrest details: The date, location, and time of arrest; the arresting agency or officer; and whether the arrest occurred with a warrant
• Initial charge(s): The offense(s) alleged to have been committed
• Bond details: Bail type and amount
• Court information: Next court appearance

Putnam County Arrest Statistics

Current Putnam County arrest statistics can be retrieved from local and state law enforcement agencies, including the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Individuals can also access the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Crime Data Explorer (CDE) to look up recent arrest statistics by reporting agency.

Find Putnam County Arrest Records

While courts and law enforcement agencies in Putnam County maintain overlapping arrest data, it is always recommended that one start their search with an arresting authority.

City police departments, like the Ottawa Police Department, are usually responsible for most arrests within city boundaries. People can visit these agencies or use their records request processes to gather information regarding recent arrests.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office also handles arrests within the county, especially those executed because of an arrest warrant. Interested parties can contact or visit the Sheriff's Department to obtain arrest information and request information on those in custody at the county jail.

It should be noted that if a person is convicted of a serious crime in Putnam, they will not be in the Sheriff's custody but may be in the custody of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. Interested parties can use the ODRC’s online inmate search tool or contact the department in person or by phone to obtain information about state inmates.

For federal arrests, one may approach the federal agency that took the individual into custody, as local law enforcement authorities do not collect or maintain information about federal arrestees. Requesters can use resources the federal body provides, if any, or access the Bureau of Prisons online Federal Inmate Locator to find federal arrestee or inmate data. The U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement also provides an Online Detainee Locator System to check where immigration offenders are being held.

Free Arrest Record Search in Putnam County

Accessing online resources provided by government entities to find arrest information often bears no charge on a requester. However, people may be expected to pay for copies of records.

Additionally, arrest records may be accessible for free on websites operated by independent vendors. These third-party entities are not affiliated with government agencies but gather publicly available data from multiple official sources.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Perpetually. Arrests can often be tied to a suspect until they obtain an expungement or sealing order from a court. However, expungement/sealing only applies to eligible individuals. Generally, people convicted of serious offenses do not have access to such processes.

Expunge Putnam County Arrest Records

Expunging arrest records in Putnam County equates to deleting them, whereas sealing makes records inaccessible to members of the public but accessible to certain authorized entities. Under Ohio Revised Code §§ 2953.31 through 2953.61, defendants who can expunge their arrest records include those who were never convicted, received pardons, had their convictions overturned, or were victims of human trafficking at the time a related crime occurred. Individuals with certain convictions related to firearms and low-level drug offenses may also expunge arrest records.

The application process involves obtaining and completing the expungement form (available at the court clerk's office), filing the petition in the Putnam County Court of Common Pleas, and awaiting the judge's decision.

Putnam County Arrest Warrants

A Putnam County arrest warrant is a legal order from a judge or magistrate that commands law enforcement to take a person into custody. It is typically issued when police officers convince a judge or magistrate of probable cause for an arrest, i.e., that a person has committed a crime. The process ensures that individuals are not unlawfully detained and that the legal system follows due process.

However, judges can also issue bench warrants for a person's arrest, for which law enforcement officers do not need to establish probable cause, as the warrant is a result of a direct violation of a court order, such as a failure to appear.

Arrest warrants generally include a suspect’s full name (including aliases) or description, the alleged offense, the issuing jurisdiction, and any conditions regarding the warrant's execution. Additionally, arrest warrants carry the signature of the issuing judge or magistrate to confirm their legality.

Individuals who want to view warrant records can approach the Putnam County Sheriff's Office or Clerk of Courts. A criminal or civil case search on the county's CourtView portal can also reveal whether a court approved an arrest warrant for a case.

Do Putnam County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Once issued, Putnam County arrest and bench warrants remain valid until defendants are taken into custody and brought before a judge. However, other circumstances can nullify arrest warrants, such as a judge quashing a warrant, the defendant turning themselves in, or the accused person becoming deceased.