Shelby County Arrest Records

Shelby County arrest records are official documents concerning arrest events within the county. Such records may feature an arrestee’s personal details, charges, booking date, and arresting agency name.

Arrests become necessary when an individual violates state or federal statutes. Peace officers are responsible for arresting such individuals and temporarily detaining them in the county jail. Note that officers may arrest with or without the aid of an arrest warrant. Warrants are not necessary if the peace officer witnessed the crime.

Shelby County arrest records mostly fall under the jurisdiction of local law enforcement entities. These entities create the records and maintain them for public access. For instance, citizens may inquire about arrest records through requests made to the county sheriff’s office.

In contrast, citizens may find arrest information in crime-related public files. For example, Shelby County court records include arrest data like the arrestee’s names, warrants, booking date, and bond amount.

Are Arrest Records Public in Shelby County?

Yes, most arrest records are classified as public records in Shelby County. The Kentucky Open Records Act enables public access to government-generated records. Through this law, public members may view or get copies of arrest records from government agencies. The agencies are required by law to release records to requesters that meet the legal requirement. Such requirements include providing search details about the requested document. Agencies may also require proof of relationship documents before disclosing confidential documents.

Kentucky state laws prevent public access to certain records. Such records contain information whose disclosure is deemed to not be in the public documents. The following Shebly County arrest records are exempt from public view:

• Law enforcement documents that may reveal the identities of informants in a criminal investigation.
• Crime scene photographs that may reveal killing, death, or sexual assault.
• Arrest records that are classified as private or confidential under state or federal statutes.

Shelby County Arrest Statistics

The Kentucky State Police releases annual arrest statistics for reported arrest events in Shelby County. According to the agency, Shelby County’s law enforcement entities made 3,596 arrests in 2022.

There are no available statistics reports for incarcerations in Shelby County. However, Kentucky’s correctional facilities housed a total of 19,309 inmates as of January 15, 2024.

Find Shelby County Arrest Records

To find arrest records in Shelby County, interested parties must contact the agencies responsible for maintaining such records. The county sheriff’s office is the primary custodian of arrests and incident reports. To get copies of such records, inquirers may contact the sheriff’s office during office hours at:

501 Main Street
Shelbyville, KY 40065
Phone: (502) 633-4324

Record seekers may look up arrest information in inmate records. Such records typically feature arrest information like the arrestee’s name, physical features, mugshot, charges, booking date, and bond amount. To access inmate records, inquirers must use online repositories provided by record custodians. The Kentucky Department of Corrections hosts an online search portal for offenders incarcerated in state correctional centers. To use the portal, inquirers must provide any of the following data:

• The inmate’s full name.
• Offender type
• Prison number, including DOC and PID numbers.
• Conviction information
• County of supervision.

In contrast, the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ inmate locator provides information on offenders currently held in federal correctional facilities. Inquirers may find inmate records on the portal by providing the inmate's name or prison identification number.

Shelby County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Shelby County arrest records are not the same as criminal records. The records are different in the following ways:

They contain different information

Shelby County arrest records typically contain arrest data like the arrestee's personal information, charges, arrest date and location, booking date, and bond amount. However, criminal records provide information on arrest events, court documents, and incarceration files.

The records are under the purview of different agencies.

In Shelby County, local law enforcement agencies have jurisdiction over arrest records. The agencies are responsible for generating and releasing the records to interested parties. Note the records are also maintained by the state’s courts and department of corrections. In contrast, criminal records fall under the jurisdiction of the Kentucky Court of Justice and the State Police Department. These agencies create criminal records by collating crime-related data from government entities.

The records have different social implications.

Criminal history records or rap sheets may contain an individual's criminal history. The record may cause negative social impacts, such as discrimination in workplaces or communities. However, arrest records do not create such effects since they do not reveal criminal convictions.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Shelby County, arrests remain on your public records unless they are sealed or expunged. The Kentucky Clean Slate Act automatically expunges dismissed arrest charges. To remove conviction records, offenders must meet the legal requirements and follow the standard procedures. The procedures include filing an expungement petition with a court of competent jurisdiction.

Who is eligible to expunge or seal arrest records in Shelby County?

Arrestees are eligible to expunge arrest records under the following conditions:

• The charges were dismissed with or without prejudice.
• The arrest charges were dismissed.
• You were convicted of a felony D offense.
• You were convicted of a misdemeanor offense.
• You received a pardon from the governor.

Shelby County Arrest Warrants

Shelby County arrest warrants are legal documents that authorize peace officers to arrest persons named in the document. Court magistrates may issue arrest warrants for reasons such as the following:

• There is a potential risk to life or property.
• There is sufficient evidence that the defendant violated state or federal statutes.

Arrest warrants issued in Shelby County must contain the following:

• The defendant’s names, aliases, and physical features like tattoos, race, sex, eye color, and height.
• Arrest charges
• A statement that directs the officer to arrest the defendant.
• Court official’s signature.

Do Shelby County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Shelby County arrest warrants do not expire. However, arrest warrants remain active unless the defendant is arrested or the court nullifies them. The statute of limitations has no effect on the validity of an arrest warrant.

Note: Interested parties may find active arrest warrants through the court that issued the warrant or the county sheriff’s office.