Douglas County Arrest Records

A Douglas County arrest record is an official document that details an individual's arrest and detention by law enforcement in Douglas County. It typically includes the individual's name, date of arrest, alleged offense, and booking information. These records are created when law enforcement officers in Douglas County apprehend and book a person caught or suspected of committing a crime into custody.

The information collected from the arrestee and other law enforcement details reported during the booking process forms the arrest record. This includes the arrestee's personal information, the alleged crime, arrest circumstances, arrest time and location, mugshots, and fingerprints—all of this becomes part of the arrestee's official Douglas County arrest record.

Douglas County arrest records simply indicate that a person was arrested without further information on what happened after the arrest. Information on the legal outcome of the criminal charges filed against them following their arrest is usually available in Douglas County Court Records and Colorado Criminal History Records.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office handles arrest records in Douglas County. They create, update, and disseminate these records. Additionally, municipal police departments, such as Castle Rock PD, generate and maintain arrest records for arrests made by their officers within their jurisdictions.

Are Arrest Records Public in Douglas County?

Yes. Douglas County arrest records are public under the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act (CCJRA). This Act allows the public to access criminal justice records, including arrest records, upon request. Interested parties can thus direct their requests to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office (and city police departments, where available) to view or copy these records.

However, exemptions under the Act restrict certain arrest records from public disclosure. These include juvenile records, sensitive personal information, information identifying victims of sexual assault, information related to ongoing law enforcement investigations, expunged or sealed arrest records, and information identifying witnesses and confidential informants.

To access arrest information or records deemed exempt or restricted under the CCJRA, interested individuals must fulfill the stipulated statutory requirements to access such information. These include the requesting individuals obtaining a court order that grants them access to those records and signing a statement that affirms that the records will not be used in any way to solicit for business or financial gain (per Section 24-72-304(1)).

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

A Douglas County public arrest record typically contains the following information:

• Name of the arrestee
• Biographical information like date of birth, age, race, etc.
• Date and location of the arrest
• Arresting agency (e.g. Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Castle Rock PD)
• Alleged offenses/charges
• Booking number
• Bail/bond amount set, if applicable
• Mugshot photograph
• The fingerprint of the arrestee
• A brief report of the events surrounding the arrest.

Douglas County Crime Rate

According to the 2023 crime data from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, Douglas County reported 8,788 crimes, with property crimes accounting for 73.69% (6,476 cases), drug offenses 16.70% (1,468 cases), violent crimes 7.91% (695 cases), and weapons crimes 1.70% (149 cases).

Property crimes included 5,167 larceny/theft, 659 burglary, 624 motor vehicle theft, and 26 arson incidents. Violent crimes consisted of 439 aggravated assault, 203 sexual assault, 45 robbery, and 8 homicide cases. The most reported crimes in Douglas County in 2023 were larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft, burglary, aggravated assault, and sexual assault.

Compared to 2022, crime in Douglas County increased by 17.49%. Property crime increased the most at 20.46%, followed by drug offenses at 13.80%, weapons crime at 11.19%, and violent crime at 2.21%.

Douglas County Arrest Statistics

Per the 2023 arrest data from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice ORS, Douglas County recorded 3,042 arrests. Of these, property crimes accounted for 1,440 arrests, drug offenses 792, DUI 524, violent crimes 223, and weapons offenses 63.

Arrests for violent offenses included 181 for aggravated assault, 25 for sexual assault, 14 for robbery, and 3 for homicide. Property crime arrests included 1,271 for larceny/theft, 80 for auto theft, 73 for burglary, and 16 for arson. Larceny/theft, aggravated assault, auto theft, and burglary recorded the highest arrest counts.

Find Douglas County Arrest Records

Individuals seeking Douglas County arrest records should contact the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. Under the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act, the Sheriff's Office provides these records to the public upon request. To obtain Douglas County arrest records from the Sheriff's Office, interested individuals should complete the 'Records Request Fillable Form' and submit it in person to the Sheriff's Office records division during business hours, Monday through Friday, or by email, or send it by mail to:

Douglas County Sheriff's Office
ATTN: Records
4000 Justice Way
Castle Rock, CO 80109
Phone: (800) 654-2733
Email: Records@dcsheriff.net.

Alternatively, individuals can use the online records request form & portal to submit requests to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office for arrest records. Requestors should note that the Douglas County Sheriff's Office has fees and associated costs that must be paid before their request can be processed.

Additionally, interested individuals can obtain arrest records from city police departments in Douglas County for arrests made within their jurisdictions. For example, to get arrest records from the Castle Rock Police Department, individuals can either complete the online request form or visit the police department in person. Note that fees apply.

Castle Rock Police Department
100 Perry Street
Castle Rock, CO 80104
Phone: (303) 663-6104
Email: PoliceRecords@CRgov.com.

To find federal arrest records, individuals can search the Federal Inmate Locator by name or number and use the Online Detainee Locator System for arrests by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Free Arrest Record Search in Douglas County

Interested individuals may lookup or search Douglas County arrest records for free by contacting the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. While looking up arrest records may be free, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies will charge fees to provide copies of these records.

Douglas County Sheriff's Office
4000 Justice Way
Castle Rock, CO 80109
Phone: (800) 654-2733
Email: dcso@dcsheriff.net.

Additionally, they may contact local police departments, such as the Castle Rock PD, to search arrest records of arrests executed by local police officers.

Castle Rock Police Department
100 Perry Street
Castle Rock, CO 80104
Phone: (303) 663-6104
Email: PoliceRecords@CRgov.com.

Alternatively, individuals can use third-party aggregate sites to access Douglas County arrest records for free. These online third-party sites collect and compile arrest data from various official sources, including Douglas County law enforcement agencies. Individuals can typically search these sites using a person's full name to access basic arrest information at no cost. However, users of these websites should verify the accuracy of information obtained from them, as they may not always reflect the most up-to-date official records.

Get Douglas County Criminal Records

A criminal record (also known as a 'rap sheet' or 'criminal history') is an official document that details an individual's history of crimes and encounters with the criminal justice system. It typically includes information on arrests, charges, convictions, and sentences. A person's criminal record contains details about all the crimes for which they have been arrested, the outcomes of charges filed against them, and the sentences imposed by the court for those crimes. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the custodian of these records in the state, and they are accessible to the public via criminal background check requests to the CBI.

Interested individuals can request Douglas County criminal records from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) online or by mail. Online requests are made via the Internet Criminal History Check System (ICHC), where users must create an account and conduct name-based searches for $6.00 per query. For mail-in requests, individuals should submit a completed 'Public Request for Criminal History Record Information' form to the CBI with a $13.00 processing fee, payable by money order, credit card, or cashier's check. The completed request form should be mailed to:

Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
Identification Unit
690 Kipling Street, Suite 3000
Denver, CO 80215.

Alternatively, individuals should contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for local criminal history reports, if available.

Douglas County Sheriff's Office
4000 Justice Way
Castle Rock, CO 80109
Phone: (800) 654-2733

Douglas County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest records and criminal records, while related, represent different things and serve distinct purposes in the Douglas County criminal justice system.

A Douglas County arrest record is a detailed account or report of a person's arrest history, including details of specific instances when a person was apprehended and taken into custody by local law enforcement. An arrest record typically contains the arrestee's details, the alleged offense, arrest circumstances, date, time, and location of arrest for every arrest instance chronicled on the record. These records are created, kept, and updated by the agency that executed the arrest (e.g., the Douglas County Sheriff's Office).

In contrast, a Douglas County criminal record is a broader, more comprehensive report (or dossier) of a person's criminal history within the Colorado criminal justice system. It contains information about arrests, charges, convictions, and court-ordered sentences related to criminal offenses. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) compiles, creates, and updates criminal records on individuals in Colorado, including Douglas County residents.

In summary, an arrest record documents an individual's arrest history, including details related to their arrest and booking into custody, while a criminal record provides a broader picture of their history with the criminal justice system within Douglas County and beyond, including post-indictment outcomes for each arrest instance.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. No part of Colorado law specifies retention periods for arrest records. Hence, unless expunged or sealed under C.R.S. §§ 24-72-701, et seq., arrests remain on a person's record indefinitely in Douglas County. Thus, persons with arrest records in Douglas County who are eligible for sealing or expungement must file a petition to seal their arrest records; otherwise, their arrest history will remain a permanent part of their public record.

Expunge Douglas County Arrest Records

Douglas County residents can seal or expunge certain arrest records under Colorado law (C.R.S. §§ 24-72-701, et seq). Sealing arrest records restricts public access to them, while expungement destroys the record completely.

Per C.R.S. 24-72-704, the sealing eligibility criteria for arrest records include:

• Charges dismissed or acquitted
• The arrestee completed a diversion agreement (per C.R.S. § 18-1.3-101)
• No charges were filed after the arrest and the statute of limitations on the alleged offense has expired
• No charges were filed, the statute of limitations has not expired, but the investigation has closed.

Arrest records can also be eligible for sealing if they're related to non-conviction records (C.R.S. 24-72-705), certain criminal convictions (C.R.S. 24-72-706), offenses by human trafficking victims ((C.R.S. 24-72-707), and fully pardoned crimes (C.R.S. 24-72-710).

To seal a Douglas County arrest record, eligible individuals must complete the appropriate petition form:

• Arrest Records —No Charges Filed form
• Conviction—County or District Court form
• Conviction—Municipal Court form
• Convictions–-Multiple Cases form
• Non-Convictions form
• Pardoned Conviction form

Next, they must file the petition with a $224 fee at the relevant county district or municipal court. They may submit a Fee Waiver Motion if they’re unable to pay the filing fee.

After receiving a sealing petition, the court will either grant or dismiss the petition (with or without a hearing). If granted, the court orders the sealing of the specified arrest records. This order is sent to relevant agencies, like the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, to restrict public access to the sealed records.

However, the expungement of arrest records is more limited. Under Colorado law, the expungement of arrest records only applies to cases of mistaken identity or juvenile arrests. In these cases, the arresting agency must file an expunge petition within 90 days of the arrest, and the court has 90 days to process the petition.

Douglas County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are legal orders that authorize law enforcement to arrest and detain a person (or bring them to court). Douglas County arrest warrants are typically issued when there is evidence establishing that a person committed a crime, a defendant fails to appear in court, or a person does not comply with court orders. Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 16, Parts 1-3 govern how courts in Douglas County issue arrest warrants and how law enforcement officers execute these warrants.

Before a judge or magistrate issues an arrest warrant against a person in Douglas County, law enforcement must establish probable cause that the person committed a crime. This usually involves the law enforcement agency or officer submitting a written complaint (affidavit of complaint) alleging that the individual committed an offense, supported by evidence or witness testimony (which is examined under oath). If the judge or magistrate finds sufficient probable cause in the affidavit, they will issue an arrest warrant for the named individual.

A Douglas County arrest warrant typically contains the name of the defendant/accused, the alleged offense, the issue date, the name of the issuing judge or magistrate, the location of issuance, and the issuing court.

Douglas County Arrest Warrant Search

Interested parties who wish to search or find Douglas County arrest warrants should contact the Douglas County Sheriff's Office in-person or by e-mail to the warrants division.

Douglas County Sheriff's Office
4000 Justice Way
Castle Rock, CO 80109
Phone: (800) 654-2733
Email: dcso@dcsheriff.net.

Alternatively, interested individuals may look up or search the Douglas County Sheriff’s “Most Wanted Persons” list. Persons whose names appear on the list typically have an active arrest warrant.

Note: A Douglas County arrest warrant may not be made public until after execution. It may only be disclosed to the person named in the warrant and their legal representatives (upon identity verification).

Do Douglas County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Douglas County arrest warrants do not expire. Once an arrest warrant is issued in Douglas County, it stays active until the person against whom the warrant is issued is either arrested or surrenders to law enforcement. However, a Douglas County arrest warrant can become invalid and void if the court recalls or quashes it. This typically occurs if the court dismisses the charges for which the warrant was originally issued. In such cases, the arrest warrant becomes invalid and is no longer enforceable.