LaSalle County Arrest Records

Arrests happen when police officers take an individual or a group of people suspected of committing or witnessing a crime into custody. This typically occurs against the arrested person’s will and with the intent to prosecute or interrogate them. In some cases, arrests occur when a person is believed to be plotting or conspiring to commit a crime. That said, arrests can only be executed with probable cause.

People who are arrested within LaSalle County are typically detained in the LaSalle County jail. This is a medium security facility with a 305-inmate capacity that is operated by the LaSalle Sheriff’s Office. Once the arrested person has been taken into custody, the police will begin the booking process, which involves taking down relevant information that includes the suspect’s name, date of birth, address, mug shot, DNA sample, and details about the charge.

The public can access arrest records relevant to LaSalle County on the official website of the LaSalle County Circuit Clerk. The Circuit Court Clerk is responsible for managing and organizing LaSalle County Court records, including but not limited to arrest records. Interested persons can also contact the Circuit Clerk by visiting the LaSalle County Courthouse:

707 E Etna Rd,
Ottawa, IL, 61350

Or via phone call:

(815) 434-8271

Interested persons can also visit the Sheriff’s office:

LaSalle County Sheriff & Government Complex
707 E Etna Rd,
Ottawa, IL 61350

Or via phone call:

(815) 433-2161

Are Arrest Records Public in LaSalle County?

LaSalle County arrest records are accessible to the general public. This is based on the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). However, an arrest record may be restricted by law or court order in cases where:

• Arrest records of persons under the age of 18 (minors) are subject to strict confidentiality rules and are therefore inaccessible to the public
• Sealed or expunged arrest records are hidden from public view and can only be accessed by courts and law enforcement agencies.
• Arrest records that are relevant to ongoing investigations may be kept from public view for the duration of the investigation.
• Information that may be harmful to the arrested person, such as social security numbers, may be excluded from public arrest records.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

LaSalle County arrest records are accessible to the general public and typically contain the following data:

• The full name, age, gender, address, physical description, and photo of the arrested person
• Charges filed against the arrested individual
• Relevant details about the arrest, including the date, time, and location of the arrest
• The law enforcement agency involved in the arrest
• The correctional facility where the arrested person is being held

LaSalle County Crime Rate

According to FBI statistics, the city of LaSalle experienced five cases of violent crime and one hundred and four cases of property theft in 2019. Among the listed violent crime incidents, there were three cases of aggravated assault, one robbery, and one incident of murder/non-negligent manslaughter. Among the listed cases of property theft, there were ninety cases of larceny/theft, ten burglaries, one robbery, and four motor vehicle thefts.

The LaSalle County violent crime rate is 12.2 which is significantly lower than the national average of 22.7. The same goes for property theft which is at 23.7 compared to the national average of 35.4.

LaSalle County Arrest Statistics

The LaSalle County police force makes an average of 115 weekly arrests and around 445 arrests per month. This means about 5,340 individuals are arrested every year in LaSalle County, most of which are held in the LaSalle County Jail.

Find LaSalle County Arrest Records

There are several resources available to those interested in searching up arrest records in LaSalle County. A person can either use online options, make a written request or pay an in-person visit.

• Illinois Court Records:

Illinois Court Records page

• The Illinois State Police keep a database of criminal records relevant to the state, including LaSalle County arrest records. The process for accessing these records is outlined on their official website.

As a last resort, you can submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to access the specific arrest records you need. It is important to note that processing FOIA requests might require you to pay certain fees.

Free Arrest Record Search in LaSalle County

Individuals can access free online databases to look up arrest records relevant to LaSalle County.

Reliable websites for such searches include:

• LaSalle County Clerk Official Website:

You have the option of visiting the website of the LaSalle County Clerk to access an online database that contains arrest records relevant to LaSalle County.

• LaSalle County Jail Inmate Roster:

LaSalle County Jail Inmate Roster official website

• LaSalle County Sheriff's Offender Search:

Another reliable online resource is the LaSalle County Sheriff's Office Offender Search.

Interested persons can also visit the LaSalle Circuit Court Clerk to request access to these records.

LaSalle County Clerk address
Physical address: 707 Etna Road, Ottawa, IL 61350
Mailing address: P.O. Box 430 Ottawa, IL 61350

Get LaSalle County Criminal Records

A criminal record contains the history of a person’s contact with law enforcement agencies. This document contains information on a person’s arrests, convictions, and sentences. It also contains personal information such as the name, age, physical description, social security numbers, state and federal identification numbers, etc.

To get LaSalle County criminal records, visit the official website of the LaSalle County Circuit Clerk and click on the ‘Online Court Records’ tab to begin your search.

LaSalle County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

An arrest record reveals that a person was taken into custody by law enforcement. This record only shows details about the initial contact between the suspect and the law and therefore contains information related to a specific portion of an individual’s criminal history. Illinois law prevents background checks from displaying non-conviction information on a report. This means an arrest may not always show up in a background check.

On the other hand, a criminal record includes all the information in an arrest record along with details about the court case. Illinois court cases that end with a non-conviction, such as a dismissal or acquittal, do not show up in a person’s criminal record. However, convictions for felony or misdemeanor crimes will appear in a person’s criminal history.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Illinois law states that an arrest will stay on a person’s record indefinitely unless it is expunged or sealed. If an arrest record is sealed, it will be made inaccessible to the public but can still be accessed by courts and law enforcement agencies. If the arrest record is expunged, it will be eliminated from all public records.

Expunge LaSalle County Arrest Records

An arrest can stay on a person’s record through the course of their life. This can occur even in cases where a person is wrongfully arrested or when an arrest does not lead to a conviction. This can make it difficult to find employment or rent/purchase a home in a desirable community.

However, it is possible to expunge an arrest that occurs in LaSalle County. This means the arrest record can be wiped from the State Police, local county state attorney and circuit clerk’s databases. Expunged arrest records do not show up in background checks. Also, once the expungement process is complete the individual will not be legally required to disclose the incident.

Within the right circumstances, expungement can be carried out by following a simple and accessible process. If you were arrested within LaSalle County and wish to have your record expunged, you may file a petition to the circuit court clerk to have the arrest record expunged or sealed. Before you file a petition, you must determine whether you are eligible to have your arrest record expunged or sealed. The best way to determine eligibility for expungement or sealing is to visit a criminal law attorney.

If eligible, there is typically a waiting period for one to apply for expungement, after which you should immediately file an expungement petition with the LaSalle County Circuit Court. In some cases, it may be necessary to attend a court hearing and explain why the expungement is appropriate. If the judge grants the expungement, the arrest record will be removed, though the removal process might take up to a year to be completed.

Not all arrest records are eligible for expungement. Individuals who are arrested for serious criminal offenses such as crimes that threaten public safety, or arrests that lead to convictions are usually not eligible for expungement. Arrests that do not lead to convictions are more likely to be expunged. Also, first time offenders and arrested individuals that complete pretrial diversion programs have a high chance of having their arrest records expunged. Juveniles are also likely to have their arrest records expunged, although not in all cases.

That said, there is another option which is to seal your arrest record. A sealed arrest record is not accessible to the general public. However, law enforcement, prosecutors and the courts will still have access to the record.

Regardless of what option you are able to apply, once a person expunges or seals their arrest record, they will be able to avoid problems with future background checks.

LaSalle County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is an official document issued by a judge to authorize a police officer to take a specific person into custody. An arrest warrant is issued once the judge believes there is probable cause for the arrest. In the absence of probable cause, an arrest warrant cannot be issued. This is done to protect people from unlawful arrests under the Fourth Amendment.

Arrest warrants give an actual notice to the person being arrested that contains information about the charges pressed against them. They may also contain details about the type of bail that must be posted for the arrested person to be released. It is worth noting that a warrant isn’t required to make a lawful arrest.

To obtain an arrest warrant, the police officer is required to submit a written affidavit to a judge or magistrate. The information contained within this affidavit must contain information that shows reasonable cause to believe that an offense was committed by the person named in the warrant. Once the judge is convinced of the necessity of the warrant, it is then issued.

LaSalle County Arrest Warrant Search

The LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office possesses a database of active arrest warrants. Members of the public can access this database to see if there is an active warrant for their arrest.

Interested persons can visit the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office website and click on the ‘warrants’ tab. Once there, enter the name of the person you want to look up and click the ‘search’ button.

Do LaSalle County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants stay active until the suspect either gets arrested or turns themselves in. If neither of these occur, the warrant will stay active indefinitely. This is done so suspects cannot avoid an arrest by simply waiting till the warrant is no longer active. However, the failure of law enforcement to act on a warrant may be considered a violation of the suspect’s right to a speedy trial and the warrant may be dismissed.

Suspects who believe the warrant for their arrest is deficient should speak to a lawyer to determine whether the warrant can be quashed. It is important to note that this may require the suspect to turn themselves into the police.