Camden County Arrest Records

The Camden County Sheriff's Office manages and maintains criminal records of individuals who have been arrested and prosecuted within the county. They provide these records to individuals and organizations that request them. Arrest records may also be found at the Camden County Court Records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Camden County?

Yes, arrest records are public in Camden County, New Jersey. According to the State of New Jersey Open Public Records Act, these records are available for public access and can be obtained from various government agencies, including local law enforcement agencies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Camden County Court.

However, some sensitive information or records that show individuals' financial or private health records and Information on adoption, according to the N.J.S.A. §9:3-51 and 52, are typically exempted from the public. Also, records from ongoing investigations are typically not shared, as are records of cases where the subject is a juvenile.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Arrest records in Camden County, NJ, are public. They typically contain specific information;

• an individual's criminal history, including arrests, inquiries, warrants, reports, logs, and mugshots.
• Names, aliases, and any tattoos of the individual;
• Scars, as well as other distinguishing physical characteristics;
• Age, gender, height, weight, and ethnicity;
• Criminal charge(s) related to the arrest;
• Arrest and booking details;
• Name of the detention center where the individual is held;
• Name of the arresting agency.

Camden County Arrest Statistics

Camden, New Jersey, a city with nearly 78,000 residents, from 2008 to 2014, statistics revealed a steady decline due to policy changes in policing in Camden. Some notable statistics from the Camden County Police Department include>:

• 38.88% reduction in murder and manslaughter
• 25.71% reduction in rape
• 34.87% decline in Robbery.
• 67.99% decline in motor vehicle theft
• 41.39% decline in nonviolent crimes
• 31.18% reduction in burglary crimes, among others

About a decade later, the total number of arrests made in 2023 was 97,256.

Find Camden County Arrest Records

Arrest records can be accessed through a number of means. These means include:

• through the local resources at any of the local police stations in the county. Records here can be accessed at the Office of the Sheriff or the particular police station where the arrest was made. A form can be filled out online, and within five working days, the request will be processed.
• Through state resources, the New Jersey State Police, via the Criminal Information Unit (CIU), keep records at the state level that are accessed through fingerprint-based search. The public is advised to follow these steps to access these records;
  • Schedule a fingerprint scan online.
  • Upload the fingerprint in the scan center (this may attract a cost of about $50)
  • Get the Personal Record Request Letter from the state police website.
• Input the subject's last name and birth date to access the records.

After this procedure, it is important to note that it may take ten working days to get a response with your request fully processed.

Note: Per N.J.A.C. 13:59-1 et seq., the agency will only disclose criminal records to the applicant or the following entities:

• Prospective non-government employers
• Government entities
• Private detectives who have a license from the Division of State Police.

Free Arrest Record Search in Camden County

Free arrest records in Camden County are available on request from government agencies such as the local Police Department and the Sheriff’s office, and they are available online through third-party websites that provide access. As a disclaimer, third-party websites may not always pass the credibility test. Therefore, it is important to go through the approved and official channels of the local or state police and the Sheriff’s office. These records are mostly free. However, they may sometimes require a fee for reproducing the records in cases where they will be mailed to the inquirer.

Camden County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

In Camden County, NJ, arrests are typically made when an individual has been caught in the act or when law enforcement authorities suspect involvement with a crime. An arrest record, therefore, does not categorically mean that an individual broke a law. At best, it is a record of the authorities suspected to be involved in a case with reason. On the other hand, a criminal record is fundamentally started when an individual has gone through due process and has admitted guilt or been found guilty of a crime.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

According to New Jersey’s Clean Slate legislation, you can apply for an expungement and sealing of your records after ten years. Criminal records and arrest records can be expunged and sealed. The provisions of the legislation permit law enforcement agencies to expunge the records of arrest, even for cases where an expungement was not requested within about a decade from when the arrest was made.

Expunge Camden County Arrest Records

The New Jersey expungement handbook explains that an arrest record expungement refers to eliminating all existing digital and physical records of the arrest like it never happened. This applies also to Camden County. The uniqueness of this legislation implies that different regulations apply in Camden County. These include:

• People who qualify to have their records expunged are typically those who have committed only one crime in their lifetime. Two or more convicted crimes under the provisions of the legislation are not eligible to request an expungement unless specific requirements are met.
• For drug-related offenders, if you have met the standards set by the rehabilitation program, then you can apply for Expungement.
• Also, the legislation explicitly states that an individual's complete record is erased 10 years after their most recent conviction, paying fines and fees, and finishing probation or parole.

To complete the expungement, it is necessary to first get a copy of a criminal record from the police department, the Camden County Court Records, or any other local law enforcement agency. After the records have been obtained, three forms will be issued: Forms A, B, and C.

• Petition for Expungement (Form A): This first form requests your expungement order and explains your eligibility.
• Order for Hearing (Form B): The judge uses this form to set the day and time of the hearing.
• Order of Expungement (Form C) If a petition for Expungement is approved, the court will sign a formal document called an Expungement Order.

When the forms have been duly signed and submitted, a copy of Forms A, B, and C will be sent back to you. Details on the time and date of the hearing will also be specified in Form B. All agencies involved in the case with the records will also be sent the forms. Particularly:

• The New Jersey Attorney General;
• The State Police Superintendent, Expungement Unit;
• The County Prosecutor or the Municipal Court Clerk if the case was heard in a municipal court;
• The person in charge of the police department where the arrest was made or the offense was committed is the Chief of Police;
• The head law enforcement official of any other state law enforcement agency involved in the arrest;
• The superintendent or warden of any facility where an inmate is housed.

Upon the judge's approval, the court will subsequently send a signed order granting the expungement. Once the order has been obtained, it is crucial to forward it to all government entities that have the record, such as the FBI, courts, police departments, and probation departments, instructing them to have it removed. For more clarity, kindly refer to the New Jersey expungement handbook.

Camden County Arrest Warrants

An active arrest warrant in Camden County authorizes the police to arrest and detain the individual named in the warrant. These warrants are issued by a judge, typically as a result of a law enforcement agency demonstrating probable cause that the individual named in the warrant committed a crime. The Camden County Sheriff's Department is responsible for serving arrest warrants issued by the local courts.

Do Camden County Arrest Warrants Expire?

An arrest warrant issued by a court cannot expire. Although law enforcement agencies may not immediately act on the warrant to make the arrest due to the priority cases at hand, the warrant is still active and binding.

In accordance with the New Jersey Court Procedure, warrants typically contain:

• the defendant's name or, if unknown, any name or description that identifies the defendant with reasonable certainty.
• It shall be directed to any officer authorized to execute it and shall order that the defendant be arrested and brought before the court issuing the warrant.
• The judicial officer issuing a warrant may specify therein the amount and conditions of bail, consistent with R. 7:4, required for defendant's release.