How to Run a Florida Arrest Records Search
Being arrested in Florida, like any other state, means being detained by law enforcement for an alleged criminal act. This begins with being taken into custody and booked into jail with mugshots being taken. These events are recorded and made publicly available, while they are not technically a criminal record until a conviction is made, they still become part of a person's criminal history.
To run a Florida arrest records search, there are a few different options. They are sometimes posted on law enforcement websites that are publicly accessible. Otherwise, they are made available upon request but you will need to know the arresting law enforcement agency to do this. A third option is to use privately run third-party resource. These are often called public record websites, where you can pay for information. Since these are considered public records, these are accessible with many online resources.
What Does It Mean to Be Arrested in Florida?
Being arrested, in a nut shell, means you lose your freedoms. You will be detained, and read your rights, and given an opportunity to defend yourself in court. However, in the short term you may be doing some jail time, or released on bail if that is an option. If you are convicted of the alleged crime, then you may have to pay fines, restitution, or do some time. The long term implications are damaging to one's reputation as well. These records will show up on a criminal background check which can limit future opportunities of employment, housing, education, and traveling, to name a few.
How to Lookup Florida Arrest Records By County
Since most jails are run on a county level, usually by the sheriff department, you can start there. Knowing the county is paramount in finding out if someone was arrested in Florida this way. Depending on the county resources, you can either reach out to the sheriff department directly, or the county jail facility to make your inquiry. For example, if you want to find an arrest in Collier County Florida, you can visit the Collier County Sheriff Department website and view their daily arrest reports which are posted on their site. You can also search for jail inmates with their online search tool. Now, not all counties have these resources online so you may need to contact the respective sheriff or police departments in person for your request.
How to Search Florida Arrest Reports Statewide
If you want to search for arrests on a state level, there are options for this procedure as well. This might be the case if you don't know what county someone was arrested in. If this is the situation then there are 2 ways to go about this.
First, you can visit the Florida Department of Law Enforcement website. With this state run agency, you can request a criminal history report on a person to find out about their arrest history and criminal past. This process is not as quick as using county level resources but it is an option for state wide searches.
Secondly, you can use a third-party public records database. These privately run website allow users to search for people arrested and incarcerated with a first and last name. They typically charge a small fee for searching but it's a good option if you want quick results. Additionally, these resources allow users to run background checks and lookup someone's complete public record history.
How to Find Mugshots in Florida
Since mugshots are part of a person's arrest record, they are publicly accessible as well. They can typically be found as part of the arresting report but sometimes need to be requested separately. Every county may have a slightly different procedure on how they produce these results, so you may want to ask to see someone's Florida mugshots when you request a copy of the arrest report. For example, if you want to find mugshots in Broward County Florida, you would visit the Broward County Sheriff Department or the Broward County Jail. There are also multiple privately run websites that specialize in FL mugshots in the US. Some of these resources allow you to view mugshots for free but you will most likely need to pay for detailed reports.
When Can a Police Officer Arrest a Suspect in Florida?
The short answer is when there is probable cause. There are of course many reasons other than just probably cause. Such as if there is an active warrant for that person, or a probation or parole violation. Another reason may be someone calling in a domestic violence situation, or if the police officer witnesses something first hand that is illegal. Of course, this is just part of the process, there must be sufficient evidence to book and detain someone and that person must be convicted of that crime for it to stick.
Are Arrests in Florida Considered Public Records?
Yes, arrests and booking reports, including mugshots, are considered public domain. This means that anyone can view another person's police arrest report and booking information online through the respective law enforcment agency, or through third party websites.
