Essex County Arrest Records

Law enforcement officers in Essex County are authorized to arrest individuals who violate the law or constitute a threat to public safety. An arrest can be conducted with or without a warrant. A warrantless arrest is lawful when there is probable cause to believe an individual committed a crime or was caught red-handed. After arrest, the individual gets booked and detained until released on bail or arraigned for trial. They may be given a charging sheet stating the charges against them and any bond terms.

Essex County arrest records inform how, why, and where law enforcement agents apprehended and detained an individual. They are generated and kept by the county sheriff’s office and the state law enforcement presence. They are also contained within Essex County court records and, therefore, available to the public.

Are Arrest Records Public in Essex County?

Yes. The Open Records Act (OPRA) grants New Jersey citizens the right to view, copy, or obtain public records generated and maintained by public agencies when doing "public business". Many government documents, including arrest logs kept by local and state police departments, are open for public examination under the OPRA. As a result, documents, including details regarding arrests made inside the state, are available for access or acquisition by members of the public.

Under the OPRA, however, some records are excluded from public release. Individuals with a genuine need for such sensitive data can only do so if they are granted permission or if they can provide a court order from a competent jurisdiction. (In some situations, additional documentation—such as a legitimate form of identification—may be required.) Sometimes, certain parts of documents could be marked as confidential or the whole file withheld from public access.

Records exempted from public disclosure include:

• Information about Juveniles
• Information that may endanger a witness or other person's safety
• Information that may threaten the successful completion of an investigation or related investigation
• Information that may deprive a person of a fair trial
• Identifying confidential informant information
• Local and state criminal history information

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The Open Public Records Act (OPRA) in Essex County authorizes the disclosure of specific components of an arrest record:

• Arrestee's Information: This comprises the individual's name, age, and residence.
• Arrest Details: The date, time, and location of the arrest.
• Charges: The specific charges or offenses for which law enforcement agents arrested the person
• Arresting Agency: The law enforcement agency that made the arrest.
• Case Status: Information regarding the case status, such as whether it is ongoing or has been resolved.
• Court Information: Details regarding the court where the case will be adjudicated.

Essex County Crime Rate

According to a 2016 report from the New Jersey State Police, 19,924 offenses were committed in Essex County in 2016. This figure signifies a 9% drop in overall crime from the previous year. A breakdown of 2016 crime figures for the county shows that there were 124 murders, 195 rapes, 2,297 robberies, and 1,991 aggravated assaults. The year also recorded 2,628 burglaries, 9,351 larceny thefts, and 3,418 motor vehicle thefts.

In comparison with the 2015 crime statistics, rape and aggravated assault rates grew by 3% and 1% respectively. On the other hand, the murder rate dropped by 12% while there were 21% fewer robbery incidents, and burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft rates shrank by 19%, 2%, and 13%, respectively.

Essex County Arrest Statistics

According to the New Jersey State Police report of 2016, there was a total of 48 murder arrests in Essex County. That year, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault accounted for 22 598 and 1,069 arrests, respectively. In the category of property crimes, larceny-theft was responsible for most arrests, with 1,507 bookings, while 468 people were arrested for burglary and 34 for motor vehicle theft.

Find Essex County Arrest Records

Criminal arrest records, particularly public arrest records, can be obtained from the law enforcement division that made the arrest. Individuals who have basic information about an arrest, including the place of arrest and the full name and date of birth of the arrested person, can apply for the records directly from the agency charged with enforcing the laws of that place.

Essex County Sheriff’s Office is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for maintaining law and order in the region. In most cases, a request to the records unit may be submitted in person, by mail, or via fax. The requester must complete a written application and a fee to get records about arrests. The Essex County police department also allows the submission of reports online through its website. Individual police departments do not keep records beyond their jurisdiction. Individuals can access the County Sheriff’s website portal for online requests to make related inquiries.

Alternatively, interested individuals in Essex County can use the New Jersey Department of Correction’s online Offender Search Form to look up inmates in the state's jail facilities. The department's website provides access to this search tool. On the site, requesters can enter different search criteria, such as an inmate's SBI Number, first name, last name, or even a single name alias.

Requesters can also enter more detailed searches based on the inmate's sex, hair color, eye color, race, ethnicity, county of commitment, current facility location, and birth date and age. The search tool returns detailed records on an inmate, such as their current location, sentence length, and criminal history.

While the public has some access to arrest records held by law enforcement agencies, some records cannot be accessed by the general public. When an individual requires access to restricted or non-public arrest records, it may be possible to subpoena the record.

A subpoena is a court order that compels an individual to present a document or appear in court as a witness. Any subpoena for an arrest report must be made personally to the records custodian during business hours. This service costs $50. Further details about how to subpoena an arrest record can be obtained from the particular agency in possession of the record.

Free Arrest Record Search in Essex County

Arrest logs containing information about recent arrests can be accessed for free from the county Sheriff’s website. However, individuals must pay a fee to obtain a copy of an arrest record or a report. Alternatively, several websites offer arrest records to interested individuals. These websites can be found by inputting relevant keywords into a major search engine and are normally searchable by parameters including a person’s first and last name and county. Note that non-government sources' records must be checked for accuracy and completeness.

Get Essex County Criminal Records

Essex County criminal records are information on criminal activity and prosecutions within the jurisdiction. Unlike arrest records, these documents are appropriate indicators of an individual’s guilt concerning a crime.

Arrest warrants, mugshots, prison sentences, and other pretrial criminal records are examples of such records. The New Jersey State Police (NJSP) is authorized under the New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C.)13:59-1 to provide persons and organizations access to criminal history record information for noncriminal justice and licensing, including:

• Governmental agencies at the federal and state levels
• Potential employers
• Licensed private detectives

The following is the process by which applicants from Essex County may use the NJSP website to get their criminal history record information (CHRI):

• Schedule an Appointment: Applicants must first make an appointment with a vendor who has been authorized to collect fingerprints for CHRI checks.
• Procedure for Fingerprinting: During this activity, fingerprints from applicants will be gathered. This is a crucial stage since it allows the authorities to verify the applicant's identity and link it to the criminal record database.
• Payment: The fee for fingerprint scanning is $42.
• Download the Personal Record Request Letter: On the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) website, applicants may see the Personal Record Request letter 24 to 72 hours after providing their fingerprints. This letter represents a formal request for their CHRI.

Requesters have up to 90 days from the date of fingerprinting to obtain their Personal Record Request letter. If applicants cannot complete the form download within the stipulated period, they must repeat the process, including fingerprinting.

In addition, there are other alternative ways to get criminal records, including online resources such as the PROMIS/Gavel Public Access. The Sheriff’s Office can help with arrest records and, sometimes, background checks.

Interested persons can visit or send a request to the county Sheriff’s Office at:

Essex County Sheriff's Office
50 West Market Street
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 621-4111

Accessing or making copies of criminal records will be charged, and records containing sensitive information will require identity verification.

Essex County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Although “arrest records” and “criminal records” are often used synonymously in Essex County, they are not the same and contain different types of information. Law enforcement officers produce arrest records during an arrest. Such records usually include the physical characteristics of the arrestee, booking photograph, the arresting officer, witnesses, and the circumstances of the incident. They can often be obtained from the sheriff’s office.

Conversely, criminal records are extensive legal documents laying out a person's criminal history. New Jersey laws permit eligible persons to acquire criminal history records from the New Jersey State Police (NJSP), Identification & Information Technology Section (I&ITS), and State Bureau of Identification (SBI) for noncriminal justice purposes. These documents contain arrest and conviction reports and can include information about arrest warrants, arrests, third-party complaints, convictions, and even non-prosecuted cases.

An arrest record could be considered part of a criminal record. It contains information about an individual’s arrest, including the reason for the arrest and bail information. Nonetheless, it doesn’t state whether the individual was convicted of the offenses they were arrested for. It simply shows that an individual was detained by law enforcement for a while.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

After ten years of no criminal action, a person's entire arrest and conviction record will be automatically expunged by New Jersey courts. The waiting time for eligibility to wipe a record under the Clean Slate Law is ten years from the latest conviction, release from prison, or completion of probation, whichever happens last. However, murder, rape, arson, robbery, and kidnapping are not eligible for expungement under New Jersey law.

Expunge Essex County Arrest Records

Expungement is the legal process of removing or sealing portions of a person's record. Under state law, individuals wrongfully arrested in New Jersey may have such records sealed from the public eye. Expungement is available to individuals who meet the eligibility requirements, which typically include the following:

• No charges were filed following the arrest.
• The charges were dismissed, or you were acquitted of all charges.
• You have completed a pretrial intervention or diversion program.
• The arrest was for certain minor offenses, and you have completed the waiting period.

After establishing their eligibility, petitioners should acquire the requisite documentation, including arrest records, charge files, court disposition files, and other pertinent documents. They are also to obtain and properly complete the Petition form. File the petition in Essex County Superior Court with the other documents and serve the partition on the appropriate parties. Attend the hearing and follow up with the appropriate government agencies to confirm that the arrest records have been sealed or expunged.

Essex County Arrest Warrants

Essex County arrest warrants are legal directives from a judge issued to a law enforcement agency to present a specified person to the court to stand trial. Arrest warrants are of two major types- arrest warrants and bench warrants. A judge issues arrest warrants before the trial, while a court issues a bench warrant to arrest a person who fails to appear for trial. Arrest warrants never expire unless the arrestee has been taken into custody or the issuing court or the judge cancels the warrant, and this applies to both categories of warrants.

The judge's signature gives the warrant the required authority. At the time of the arrest, law enforcement officials are free to carry out the arrest with or without an arrest warrant. Nonetheless, a copy of the warrant must be sent to the designated person as soon as possible. Arrest records are openly available to the public and are considered public documents under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act. An arrest warrant typically includes the following information:

• The crimes alleged and the supporting statutes.
• The arrestee’s physical description and personal details.
• The circumstances of the arrest include date, time, and location.
• The arresting officer’s badge number and name.

Essex County Arrest Warrant Search

The Essex County Sheriff's Office and the New Jersey State Police maintain a list of the most wanted individuals on their websites. To receive a detailed description of a subject's physical attributes and the charges against them, visitors should select the "read more" or "more information" tabs under the photographs of the wanted individuals.

For more information on Essex County fugitives, interested persons may contact the Essex County Sheriff’s Office at the following address:

Essex County Sheriff's Office
50 West Market Street
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 621-4111

Do Essex County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Essex County arrest warrants do not expire. They will only become ineffective if the subject of the warrant appears in court, dies, or a judge or magistrate revokes the warrant for any reason. Individuals with outstanding warrants against them are likely to be pulled over and arrested whenever they encounter law enforcement agents since their warrant is recorded in a nationwide warrant database.