Lake County Arrest Records

In Lake County, an individual may be arrested by law enforcement agencies if there is a warrant authorizing the arrest or probable cause to believe the individual has committed a crime. The primary law enforcement bodies in the county are the Sheriff’s Office and various local police departments. These agencies maintain and provide access to official information about arrests and detentions. Additionally, other official documents, such as Lake County court records and criminal records, may also contain arrest information.

Are Arrest Records Public in Lake County?

Yes, Lake County arrest records are public pursuant to the provisions of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Hence, members of the public may access most arrest records without legal restriction. However, the Freedom of Information Act protects certain information in arrest records from public disclosure, including:

• Records of juvenile arrests
• Information that may interfere with law enforcement proceedings
• Information that may endanger the safety of law enforcement personnel or other individuals
• Information that may compromise the security of a correctional facility

Nonetheless, these records may be accessible to government agencies and persons authorized by the court.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Section 2.15 of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act outlines the information in public arrest records. This includes:

• Identifying information about the arrestee
• Charges related to the arrest
• Time and location of arrest
• The arresting authority
• Information on detention and discharge

Lake County Crime Rate

According to statewide criminal statistics presented by the Illinois State Police, Lake County recorded a total of 5,191 offenses in 2021. These included 67 rape cases, 88 aggravated assaults, 187 burglaries, 1,010 larceny cases, 106 motor vehicle thefts, 413 drug violations, and 75 weapons violations.

Lake County Arrest Statistics

In 2021, Lake County recorded a total of 1,929 arrests. Offenses with the highest number of arrests during the year included the following:

• DUIs with 468 incidents
• Drug violations with 254 incidents
• Simple assault with 130 incidents
• Weapons violations with 34 incidents
• Larceny with 50 incidents

Find Lake County Arrest Records

Record seekers can find Lake County arrest records through several tools provided by criminal justice agencies at the local, state, and federal levels of government. For example, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office maintains an online inmate locator that enables users to search inmates in the county by name, booking number, and booking date. Similarly, the Illinois Department of Correction (IDOC) is the official custodian of statewide inmate information. Anyone can search this information by name, IDOC number, or birth date using the Individuals in Custody online search. Additionally, at the federal level, the Federal Bureau of Prisons grants public access to records of persons incarcerated in federal prisons through its inmate locator tool. Anyone may search for inmates’ information using this tool by their names or registration numbers.

Free Arrest Record Search in Lake County

Interested persons can search Lake County arrest records using any of the following free tools:

• Lake County Sheriff’s online inmate locator
• IDOC’s individuals in custody online search resource
• Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator tool

Third-party websites are also convenient options for searching a wide range of public records, including Lake County arrest records. However, these sites are not official sources, and the information they have may not be comprehensive or accurate.

Get Lake County Criminal Records

Lake County criminal records refer to official information about a person’s history with the criminal justice system. Information often contained in Lake County criminal records includes warrants, arrests, detentions, trials, sentences, acquittals, convictions, and other crime-related information. These records can be obtained from the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. To do so, order the required request form using the Uniform Conviction Information Forms page. Upon receipt of the form, complete it and mail it with a check or money order for the applicable fees to:

Illinois State Police
Bureau of Identification
P.O. Box 88727
Chicago, IL 60680–1727

Note that a criminal record request may be name-based or fingerprint-based, which is more comprehensive. Applicants making fingerprint-based requests must send fingerprints to the Illinois State Police electronically through recommended vendors licensed by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

Lake County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Lake County arrest records and criminal records are part of the official information maintained by criminal justice agencies. While they share some similarities, they differ in the range of incidents they cover. Arrest records are limited to information about the initial apprehension of a person following a criminal allegation. They do not include subsequent events such as arraignments, trial details, convictions, or other dispositions. However, criminal records cover all parts of the criminal justice process, including the outcomes of trials and post-conviction proceedings.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Lake County, an arrest remains on a person’s record indefinitely until expunged or sealed. An expungement results in the destruction of the records, while sealing a record only restricts it from public access. As such, certain employers, law enforcement agencies, and persons authorized by court order.

Expunge Lake County Arrest Records

Section 5.2 of the Illinois Criminal Identification Act allows individuals in the state, including those in Lake County, to seal or expunge their arrest records under certain conditions. To be eligible for expungement, the arrest must fall within one of the following categories:

• Arrests that did not result in a conviction
• Arrests related to a conviction that has been reversed, vacated, or pardoned
• Arrests where the individual has a Certificate of Eligibility for Expungement
• Arrests related to a conviction for a misdemeanor or a Class 4 cannabis offense
• Arrests resulting in sentences of court supervision (with a waiting period of 2 to 25 years, depending on the offense)
• Arrests resulting in sentences of qualified probation (with a waiting period of 5 years after completing the probation)

Similarly, records of arrests that did not result in a conviction and arrests related to convictions that are at least 3 years old from the completion of the sentence are eligible for sealing. For arrests in the second category, the waiting period may be waived if the individual completes certain educational goals.

Note that some records cannot be expunged or sealed, even if they fall within the eligible categories. Examples include arrests related to convictions or supervision for driving offenses, minor traffic violations, DUIs, and sexual offenses. To expunge or seal an arrest record in Lake County, complete the Request to Expunge or Seal Criminal Records, submit it to the Clerk of the Circuit Court, and pay the applicable fees.

Lake County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a court document granting law enforcement agencies the authority to arrest a person. Judicial authorities typically issue warrants upon application by the prosecution, which must demonstrate probable cause for the arrest. According to Illinois laws, Lake County arrest warrants must contain the following information:

• The identifying details of the suspect
• The nature of the offense
• The date and county of issuance
• The signature of the issuing judge
• An order to arrest and bring the suspect before the court
• Conditions for release, if any
• Any limits on the execution of the warrant

Lake County Arrest Warrant Search

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office maintains a list of active warrants, which is regularly updated. Anyone can access this list on the warrant information page on the Sheriff’s Office website.

Do Lake County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Lake County arrest warrants remain active and publicly accessible until the named individuals are arrested or surrendered to law enforcement. Additionally, a court may cancel an arrest warrant that it previously issued.