DeKalb County Arrest Records

In DeKalb County, arrest records are official records created when law enforcement officials apprehend an individual for criminal activity. These records are produced when the officer finds an individual violating the law or when there is sufficient evidence to consider an individual a suspect in a criminal case.

Warrantless arrests are lawful when an officer catches the suspect in the act of committing a crime. In DeKalb County, arrest records are generated by local law enforcement agencies headed by the County Sheriff and subsequently transferred to the county jail and courts. Following Illinois Laws, the Sheriff’s office must grant the public access to DeKalb County Court Records upon request.

Note: All the information generated during this process, between arrest and arraignment, is generally included in an arrest record.

Are Arrest Records Public in DeKalb County?

Yes. In DeKalb County, arrest records are open to the public following the Illinois Freedom of Information Act ((5 ILCS 140/2.15). Under the FOIA, any individual can access adult arrest records except where such access is prohibited by statute or court order. This includes the general public, the arrested individual, interested parties, and journalists.

However, the Act's provisions can be overridden by other law provisions. For instance, certain arrest records are redacted as their disclosure may threaten individuals' life, safety, or privacy (5 ILCS 140/7). Likewise, under the Illinois FOIA, Juvenile arrest records are not included. In any case, restricted arrest records are limited to the subject of the record, public servants in the course of their duties, or individuals with a court order.

Nonetheless, if disclosing an arrest record jeopardizes the integrity of an ongoing police investigation or criminal justice procedures, the law allows the custodian to suspend access temporarily. However, if the custodian is pressured to divulge such a record, administrative staff will review the record and redact any confidential details.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

A DeKalb County arrest record includes the following information:

• Personally identifying information about the suspect, including full name, aliases, age, and address;
• Photograph;
• Details of the charges relating to the arrest;
• The arrest location and time;
• The name of the investigating or arresting law enforcement agency;
• The suspect's incarceration or custody status;
• Booking details.

Although the FOAA grants individuals access to public documents, some may remain undisclosed owing to privacy and confidentiality regulations.

DeKalb County Crime Rate

According to a 2018 report from the Illinois Police Uniform Crime Reporting (IUCR), DeKalb County had one homicide and human trafficking case, 70 rape cases, 35 robberies, 187 aggravated assaults, and 199 burglaries. In addition, county law enforcement recorded 1,341 petty thefts, 54 car thefts, and ten arsons. A five-year analysis showed a 14.4% drop in DeKalb County's crime rate.

DeKalb County Arrest Statistics

DeKalb County Jail houses an average of 140 offenders daily and processes an average of 40% of its inmate population monthly. About 10% stay incarcerated for between six and twelve months. County law enforcement agencies arrest and detain about 2,800 offenders annually.

Find DeKalb County Arrest Records

Residents who wish to access the DeKalb County arrest records can do so at any law enforcement office in the country. The records come primarily from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and the DeKalb County Police Department. Other law enforcement agencies in the county, such as the federal and state agencies, such as the State Patrol DeKalb Division, also conduct arrests.

To get an arrest record, contact the Records Bureau or Unit of the law enforcement department that conducted the arrest. All DeKalb County law enforcement agencies accept requests for arrest records in person, by mail, or electronically. When requesting an arrest record, provide the following information:

• The name of the arrested individual
• The arrest record document number (also known as the booking number)
• The date and time of the arrest
• The arrestee's date of birth (DOB)

For in-person requests, individuals can visit the Sheriff’s office at:

DeKalb County Sheriff's Office
150 N Main St,
Sycamore, IL 60178
Phone: (815) 895-7260

Law enforcement agencies offer access to arrest records online through a third-party service. To use this service, requesters must sign up with their full name, email address, home address, and other personal information. This third-party website allows searches for arrest records using a person's biological information (DOB) and provides results immediately.

Free Arrest Record Search in DeKalb County

Third-party aggregators may provide free arrest records in Dekalb County. Such sites automatically gather data from various sources, including the government, and store it in a database that anybody can access. To search any of these websites, requesters must provide the individual's name, the name of the arresting agency, and other relevant information. The free versions of these third-party sites may provide limited information on a person. For more deep and comprehensive searches, users may be required to pay a one-time or monthly membership fee.

Additionally, police departments in DeKalb County provide free in-person access to arrest records. Individuals interested in these records may check the department's in-house database in the records room. However, the government charges a fee for individuals who want to make copies of these records.

Get DeKalb County Criminal Records

Criminal records of DeKalb County contain details about a specific individual’s criminal background. It encompasses arrest records, charges, conviction records, sentence records, and all the related information within DeKalb County.

Individuals can get DeKalb County criminal records online. For in-person inquiries, visit the County's Clerk's Office at:

DeKalb County court
133 W State St,
Sycamore, IL 60178
Phone: (815) 895-7138

DeKalb criminal records may contain the subject’s full name, any other names the subject has used, the subject’s photo, DeKalb arrest record, booking information, charges, courts, conviction records, sentencing information, and probation or parole records.

DeKalb criminal records are fully open to the public, excluding records involving victims of sexual or domestic assault, juvenile records, and sealed or expunged records. People can acquire criminal records by fingerprint search or name search. A fingerprint search can only be done with the subject's consent, while this is unnecessary in the case of a name search.

Name-based inquiries can be conducted through the Criminal History Response Process (CHIRP). Users must create an account and pay the applicable fee of $16 for paper documents and $10 for electronic records.

DeKalb County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Although they are distinct types of law enforcement records, the information in a Dekalb County arrest and criminal records may overlap. A criminal record, often known as a conviction record, contains information regarding arrests, convictions, jail terms, warrants, and other information that connects individuals to the criminal justice system. It is a more thorough record that includes an individual's criminal history.

An arrest record may be considered a subset of criminal records. It includes details about an individual's arrest, the reason for the arrest, and bail and bond information. However, it does not indicate whether the individual was found guilty of the offenses for which they were arrested. An arrest record only shows that a person was held in law enforcement custody for a while.

Arrest records that do not lead to charges or convictions are usually maintained by the arresting agency that created the record. In contrast, criminal records are collected and stored by a central bureau.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Dekalb County arrest records stay on a person's file for their entire lifetime and a few years after their death. However, arrest records for crimes that did not lead to charges or a trial can be automatically restricted from public access.

For most felonies, these records are restricted after four years. For major violent or sex-related felonies, the restriction period is seven years. Once restricted, only law enforcement agencies can access these arrest records for criminal justice purposes, while members of the public, including employers, cannot. The only way to completely remove an arrest record from all law enforcement databases is through a process known as expungement.

Expunge DeKalb County Arrest Records

According to DeKalb County laws, an arrest record can be expunged with the supervision of the court. Once expunged, the record is still available for criminal justice agencies and personnel use but is concealed from the general public. The process whereby an arrest record is erased is called record restriction. This means that a portion of the record is hidden and not erased. The court has to order this procedure because not every criminal record is eligible for expunging. Specifically, eligibility stems from when the arrest occurred and whether this led to a conviction.

The following categories of arrest records are eligible for expungement in DeKalb County:

• First-time offenders for minor offenses
• Misdemeanor convictions
• Certain felony offenses are not related to murder, sexual assault, or the use of a deadly weapon.

For arrest records that did not lead to a conviction, individuals can request expungement from the arresting agency if the arrest occurred before July 1, 2013. If the arrest happened after July 1, 2013, the request must be made to the county court clerk and the prosecuting attorney.

To expunge, remove, or seal arrest information, eligible applicants may follow these steps:

• Determine eligibility based on the offense's nature and the arrest date.
• Submit a request for expungement to the appropriate authority
• Await the court's decision to grant or deny the expungement request.

This process ensures that eligible arrest records are restricted from public access while remaining available for criminal justice purposes.

DeKalb County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a document issued by a court commanding a law enforcement officer to arrest a suspect for a certain crime. The warrant requires the accused person to be present before the court to answer the charges against them. Any act of intentionally omitting to execute an arrest warrant is considered contempt of court.

Before an arrest warrant is issued, a police officer presents proof of probable cause to a prosecutor. The prosecutor analyzes the evidence carefully to determine its admissibility in court. When a prosecutor confirms a possible cause, they write an affidavit detailing the facts and present it to the court for endorsement.

The Judge then looks at the evidence in an affidavit that is being relied on by the prosecutorial team. An arrest warrant is only issued when the judge feels the evidence is sufficient to meet probable cause standards. This judicial oversight ensures that the police and the prosecutors work within the legal frameworks when making arrests. After the judge has issued the arrest warrant, the warrant is entered into the law enforcement database.

An arrest warrant typically includes the following information:

• The name of the court that issued the warrant.
• The name of the defendant.
• Their physical description including height, weight, hair color, eye color, and other unique features that may help identify them.
• The criminal offense charged against the individual.
• The official issuing date of the warrant
• The signature of the judge issuing the warrant.
• The bail amount

DeKalb County Arrest Warrant Search

DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office allows interested individuals to search for active warrants through their online portal. Information on police reports and arrest records of DeKalb County is also displayed on the website. Alternatively, searchers can check for active warrants in person by visiting the Sheriff's Office during business hours:

DeKalb County Sheriff's Office
Public Safety Building - Sycamore Campus
150 North Main Street
Sycamore, IL 60178
Phone: (815) 895-2155

Additionally, the Clerk of Courts maintains records of current warrants, which can be retrieved online or by physically visiting the Clerk's office.

Do DeKalb County Arrest Warrants Expire?

DeKalb County arrest warrants do not have an expiration date. Once issued, they are valid until the person is apprehended, the judge revokes them, the case is dismissed, or the person dies.

The warrant is logged into the national database of warrants, and if law enforcement agents cannot arrest the individual, the warrant will always be available in the database. Anytime the individual comes across law enforcement, they will probably be charged based on the warrant.