Colorado Arrest Records
Colorado arrest records are official legal documents containing information on when and where someone was arrested for a crime. Arrest records are considered public records under the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) and are open for scrutiny and inspection by any interested party. However, arrest records that involve a juvenile are considered confidential and may not be available for public view.
When searching for an arrest record, a person may find personal information on the arrestee, the reason for their arrest, the date and place when the arrest warrant was issued, and the name and signature of the issuing judge.
What Laws Govern Arrests in Colorado?
Authorities can only arrest a possible suspect in Colorado upon the issuance of a warrant duly signed by a judge. In case a person is arrested without a warrant, legal authorities need evidence or probable cause to justify the arrest, especially if they witness a crime.
In some cases, a law enforcer may stop a driver due to a traffic violation and arrest the person when they find an existing warrant upon running their name through their database. Arrests also apply for failure to appear in court or pay court-imposed fees.
A citizen’s arrest only applies in Colorado when a civilian sufficiently witnesses an act or acts indicating a crime. When this happens, a civilian can call the authorities to report the crime, perform or assist the peace officer during the arrest, and even use physical force to prevent a perpetrator from escaping.
What Is the Arrest Booking Process in Colorado?
The arrest booking process in Colorado can be broken down into three steps: background check, fingerprinting, and mugshots.
Once arrested, the police officer in charge will get the offender’s personal information, like their name and any alias, date of birth, and social security number. This information will be used to run a background check through multiple databases and see if the arrestee has any prior criminal conviction or arrest record.
Once that is done, the arrestee will get their fingerprints taken for another background check nationwide or through a national database. Afterward, the police can take mugshots of the offender to see if they match any descriptions of someone with an outstanding warrant. Mugshots can also serve as evidence and identifying information on an offender’s current physical condition during their arrest.
What Are Colorado Mugshot Records?
Mugshots are close-up images of a person during their arrest and are usually part of Colorado arrest records. A mugshot shows the arrestee’s profile to identify them easily and is commonly used in sex offender registries.
How Long Does an Arrest Record Stay in Colorado?
Colorado arrest records will remain on a person’s criminal history background unless they request to seal or expunge it. Once expunged, the arrest will no longer be available on record and cannot be accessed by the public. The same applies even when a potential employer runs a background check on an employee with an arrest history.
How To Expunge an Arrest Record in Colorado
To seal or expunge an arrest record, the petitioner must file their request using the appropriate form to the county, municipal, or district court where their arrest records are filed. A $20 fee applies for each expungement request and must be paid to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
How To Search Colorado Arrest Records
Colorado arrest records are available at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation via phone at 303-239-4208 or online through the Internet Criminal History Check. To check for arrest records online, every requester must have an account to log in and perform their search. Requesters may also use the individual feature and pay a non-refundable fee of $4.00 for every search, regardless of the results. To perform a search, requesters must provide a complete name and ensure correct spelling, date of birth, or a social security number, if available.
Otherwise, requesters may use third-party sites to search for arrest records, although information may vary depending on the availability.
Counties in Colorado
- Adams
- Alamosa
- Arapahoe
- Archuleta
- Baca
- Bent
- Boulder
- Broomfield
- Chaffee
- Cheyenne
- Clear Creek
- Conejos
- Costilla
- Crowley
- Custer
- Delta
- Denver
- Dolores
- Douglas
- Eagle
- El Paso
- Elbert
- Fremont
- Garfield
- Gilpin
- Grand
- Gunnison
- Hinsdale
- Huerfano
- Jackson
- Jefferson
- Kiowa
- Kit Carson
- La Plata
- Lake
- Larimer
- Las Animas
- Lincoln
- Logan
- Mesa
- Mineral
- Moffat
- Montezuma
- Montrose
- Morgan
- Otero
- Ouray
- Park
- Phillips
- Pitkin
- Prowers
- Pueblo
- Rio Blanco
- Rio Grande
- Routt
- Saguache
- San Juan
- San Miguel
- Sedgwick
- Summit
- Teller
- Washington
- Weld
- Yuma