Summit County Arrest Records

The criminal justice process in Summit County, Ohio, usually begins with a pre-arrest investigation and an eventual arrest. When an individual is accused of a particular crime, and there is sufficient evidence to suggest that they are guilty, a law enforcement officer is given legal authority by an arrest warrant issued in a court to make an arrest. Section 2935.04 of the Ohio Administrative Code also permits arrest without a warrant if there is probable cause, such as when an officer witnesses an assault.

After an arrest, the individual is taken to the police station for booking. During this process, their fingerprints, mugshot, and biographical details are recorded, creating the initial arrest record. New arrest records are generated for first-time offenders while existing files are updated for repeat offenders.

The county sheriff's office maintains arrest records in Summit County, which can sometimes be found within the records of the county court clerk. However, arrest records at the sheriff's office pertain specifically to incidents within the county. A more comprehensive arrest record, part of an individual's criminal record, can be obtained from the Bureau of Criminal Investigations or the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. These records are also part of Summit County Court Records, ensuring complete documentation for judicial processes.

Are Arrest Records Public in Summit County?

Yes, arrest records are considered public records in Summit County. According to Section 149.43 of the Ohio Revised Code, arrest records are available to members of the public upon request from any government institution. Ohio's "Sunshine Laws" also allow citizens to view arrests and other official records.

However, not all information in an arrest record is publicly accessible. Certain arrest records are exempt from public viewing by law, including:

• Records that are part of trial preparation.
• Records that are part of an ongoing confidential law enforcement investigation.
• Juvenile arrest records.
• Records containing private medical information.
• Records containing information that may endanger the safety of a witness or other person, such as home addresses or telephone numbers.
• Records regarding the abuse of children.

Exempt records are typically accessible only to specific individuals, such as the subjects of the records, their legal representatives, or authorized persons or agencies with a court order.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

A Summit County arrest record contains the following public information

• Name of the arrested individual
• Age, sex, and physical description (height, weight, race, gender, eye color, hair color, tattoos).
• Physical address.
• Offense ID
• Assigned housing number.
• Time of arrest.
• Date of arrest.
• Date of birth.
• Arresting officer's number.
• Cause of arrest and statute description of offense.
• Arresting agency.

Summit County Crime Rate

The latest crime rate data from the Ohio Incident-Based Reporting System shows that property-related crimes accounted for 42% of the total crimes in Summit County. Larceny followed closely, making up 28% of the crimes. Additionally, property-related crimes constitute about 12% of the county's crime. The murder rate is low at 0.2%. The average rate of violent crimes is 8% compared to other Ohio counties. Notably, the city of Akron, the largest city in Summit County, has a significantly higher crime rate. The FBI uniform crime reporting system shows a similar range of crime rate information, albeit from an older year,

Summit County Arrest Statistics

The latest data from the FBI uniform crime reporting system reveals that the Summit County Sheriff's office made over 760 arrests for the year ending 2022. During that period, the most arrests were for larceny, with about 186 arrests made, accounting for 24% of the total arrests made that year. The second most arrests were for simple assault (157), which accounted for 21% of the total arrests. The number of persons arrested for drug-related offenses was (72) 10%. In comparison, the fewest arrests were for motor vehicle theft and gambling, with only four persons arrested for both crimes.

Find Summit County Arrest Records

Summit County's law enforcement network comprises 13 police departments and one county sheriff's office, each maintaining arrest records specific to its jurisdiction.

Anyone can find Summit County arrest records by requesting any city police departments within the county. Every city police department has online portals where requests can be made. Many departments also accept email, mail-in, and in-person requests. In-person requests can be made at the department's records room located within the police department's building. The Summit County Sheriff's Office also allows interested persons to request police records of arrest reports and incident reports.

Some police departments may require consent from the subject of the arrest record, especially for records of a private or confidential nature. For example, the city of Cuyahoga involves the owner of the arrest record to complete a release form to allow another person to obtain these records.

To make an official request for arrest records, the following information may be required:

• The subject's full name
• Date of the arrest
• Location of the arrest within Summit County (city, township, village)
• Requester's contact information
• Record number(if known).
• Valid government-issued ID (typically to prove one's eligibility when requesting nonpublic arrest records)

Free Arrest Record Search in Summit County

To perform an arrest record search for free, request one from the Summit County Sheriff's Department online portal. Police departments in Summit County also allow people to request arrest records as part of a public records request. Records are delivered via email at no cost.

Another option for searching arrest records in Summit County is through third-party aggregator sites. These websites allow instant access to carefully curated arrest records, arrest reports, and incident reports in Summit County and the state of Ohio. A few of these data sources are free to use; however, most of the sites provide search options for a fee ranging from $10 to $50.

Get Summit County Criminal Records

A criminal record is a comprehensive summary of an individual's arrest and convictions. A criminal record is a thorough document that provides more complete information about an individual's criminal history than an arrest record. It displays all accessible information concerning an individual's contacts or interactions with criminal justice agencies, including court depositions and trials.

Interested persons can contact the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation for comprehensive details regarding a Summit County criminal record. However, only a restricted quantity of data can be made publicly available with authorization, and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation's (BCI) computerized criminal history records are not accessible to the general public. Suppose someone needs a criminal background check for a job application. In that case, they can get a copy of their computerized criminal history from BCI, which they can review for correctness and completeness. Also, For a price, many private companies do criminal record checks; these checks can include data that wasn't sent to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.

A summit criminal record Criminal records can be obtained by providing the following information

• The full name, present address, and other details that can be used to identify the person whose records are being sought;
• The full set of fingerprints belonging to the person whose records are being sought;
• A signed authorization of the person whose records are being requested; additionally
• A business check payable to the "Treasurer of State of Ohio" in the amount of $22.00 or an electronic payment

The above information and an electronic fingerprint can be submitted to any physical BCI location. Alternatively, the fingerprint can be turned in through a third-party provider for a modest price.

BCI London
1560 State Route 56 SW
London, Ohio 43140
BCI Bowling Green
750 North College Drive
Bowling Green, Ohio 43402

Summit County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest records and criminal records are often used interchangeably to describe necessary information about a person's criminal history, but they contain different types of information.

In Ohio, an arrest record is a part of police records and includes listings of arrests and prosecutions, regardless of the outcome of the arrest or prosecution. The existence of an arrest record does not establish criminal activity.

In contrast, criminal records include a person's arrests along with convictions, criminal charges, and other interactions with the legal system and law enforcement. A criminal record is a detailed compilation of data regarding an individual's interactions with the legal system. In Ohio, a criminal history includes:

• Convictions
• Warrants for arrest
• Reports on incidents and police arrests
• Court documents

Another significant difference is that arrest records are usually obtained from police authorities, while individuals can obtain criminal records from Both Law enforcement and courts.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. Under Ohio law, arrests stay on a person's record forever, regardless of whether the arrest was for a misdemeanor or a serious criminal offense. Misdemeanor convictions do not immediately disappear from court records after a few years, as many people wrongly believe. Being arrested and having it appear on one's record can be quite problematic because even misdemeanor convictions result in a permanent criminal record that is viewable by the public, including potential employers. The public will always be able to view a person's criminal record unless they petition the court to have their misdemeanor criminal record expunged in accordance with the Ohio Expungement Statute.

Expunge Summit County Arrest Records

An arrest record is expunged when it is destroyed, deleted, or erased in a way that makes it permanently unretrievable, depending on its physical or electronic format.

Similarly, record sealing makes public records inaccessible to the public, although a sealed record remains intact and can only be accessed with authorization from the owner or a court order.

A Summit County arrest record can be expunged if the crime meets specific criteria set out by Section 2953.32 of the Ohio Revised Code. Individuals are eligible for expungement of a minor misdemeanor six months after serving the sentence or paying the fine. This process can be expedited if the individual is a first-time offender. A felony crime can be expunged 10 years after the case is settled. However, certain felonies cannot be expunged, including:

• Convictions for violent felonies with a sexual orientation, particularly those involving the exploitation of minors for sexual purposes;
• Convictions for first- or second-degree felonies;
• Convictions for felonies of the third degree if the offender has prior convictions for any number of felonies.
• Convictions for violent felonies other than those with a sexual orientation;

Eligible persons can have their records expunged through the following steps:

1. File a Motion: File a motion to expunge at the court where the case proceedings were held. The cost of filing a motion is $50. However, there is no charge for expungement if the case was dismissed or a "not guilty" verdict was reached. To complete the motion to dismiss form, individuals may need to request case records to obtain case numbers, municipal case numbers, charges, or any other relevant information.
2. Application Processing: After filing the expungement application with the Summit County Clerk of Courts Office, the individual will be contacted by the Summit County Adult Probation Department. Before the application is taken into consideration
3. Court Hearing: Once the background investigation and application processing are finished, the case file will be sent to the assignment office for a court date. The court will then contact the individual or their legal representative to notify them of the approval or denial of their expungement request or to summon them for a hearing on expungement.

Summit County Arrest Warrants

According to Ohio Rev. Code § 2935.08, an arrest warrant is a formal document issued by a judge, magistrate, clerk of court, or other court official recognized by a judge. It permits the arrest of a person specified in the warrant by peace officers.

An arrest warrant can be obtained through a court order or a prosecuting attorney's request following the presentation of evidence to the judge demonstrating probable cause for the arrest of a subject. The warrant is addressed to the county sheriff in which the indictment was discovered or the information or affidavit was filed, enabling them to locate and apprehend the defendant in any county, lodge him in custody, or bring him before a public court.

As per the Ohio rules of criminal procedure, a Summit County arrest warrant must contain the following information.

• The warrant must include the defendant's name or a description that allows for reasonable and certain identification of the defendant.
• The warrant must include An explanation of the alleged offense in the complaint.
• The relevant law or rule violated for the warrant to be issued.
• A copy of the complaint must accompany the warrant.

Summit County Arrest Warrant Search

Individuals can find Summit County active arrest warrants by visiting the warrant unit of any police department or the county sheriff's office within the county. The warrant units of law enforcement agencies have the primary responsibility of serving current and outstanding warrants within Summit County. They also keep track of arrest warrants that have not been executed in a computerized system.

Active arrest warrants are public records in Ohio. Hence, another Option for finding active arrest warrants is to search online or in person at any municipal court believed to have issued the warrant or by contacting the Summit County court clerk.

Do Summit County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants in Ohio are enforceable regardless of when they were issued. They remain on file until law enforcement executes them or a court revokes them. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of a warrant can be influenced by the statute of limitations for prosecuting specific misdemeanors and minor offenses. The statute of limitations sets a time frame within which legal proceedings must be initiated. For example, if the statute of limitations for prosecuting a certain crime is two years, the warrant is most effective within that period. After the statute of limitations expires, the ability to prosecute the crime may be hindered, but the warrant itself still exists. This means that while law enforcement can technically execute the warrant, the chances of successfully prosecuting the crime may be reduced.

Warrants for more serious crimes typically do not face the same limitations, as felonies often have longer or no statutes of limitations. Additionally, a judge can recall or quash a warrant if new evidence emerges, the case is resolved, or the person named in the warrant appears voluntarily before the court.