Weld County Arrest Records

Arrest records are official documents that detail an individual's arrests and charges by law enforcement agencies. These records are created when law enforcement officers in Weld County apprehend a person caught or suspected of committing a crime. When an individual is arrested, they are typically booked into custody, which creates their arrest record. During booking, their personal information, the alleged crime, an account of the events surrounding the arrest, the time and location of the arrest, mugshots, and fingerprints are recorded. This information becomes part of their official arrest record.

The Weld County Sheriff's Office is responsible for creating, maintaining, and disseminating arrest records in Weld County. However, municipal police departments, such as Greeley PD, also create and maintain arrest records for arrests made within their jurisdictions. Arrest records can be obtained from their custodians, such as the Sheriff's Office or a municipal police department. In addition to law enforcement agencies, arrest records can be obtained from Weld County Court records or as part of an individual's comprehensive criminal history records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Weld County?

Yes. Arrest records are deemed public records in Weld County under the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act (CCJRA). This Act makes criminal justice records, including arrest records, available and accessible to the public upon request. To this end, interested individuals can submit requests to access, lookup, or duplicate copies of these records from the local law enforcement agencies in Weld County (the county sheriff's office or a municipal police department).

However, certain arrest information may be exempt from public disclosure (under the CCJRA), such as personal sensitive information (e.g., passwords, Social Security numbers), information identifying victims of sexual assault, ongoing investigations, records endangering public safety, and those involving juveniles.

Note: Interested individuals must fulfill certain statutory requirements to access arrest records classified as exempt under the CCJRA. These requirements include signing a statement affirming that the records will not be used for direct solicitation of business for financial gain (Section 24-72-304(1)) and providing a court order authorizing access to the exempt records.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

A public arrest record in Weld County will typically contain the following information:

• Name of the arrested individual
• Date of arrest
• Location of arrest
• Arresting agency (e.g. Weld County Sheriff's Office, Greeley Police Department)
• Charges/offenses the individual was arrested for
• Booking number
• Bail/bond amount set, if applicable
• Basic biographical information like date of birth, age, race, etc.
• Mugshot photograph
• A brief account of circumstances leading to the arrest
• Fingerprints
• Court case number, if charges were filed.

Weld County Crime Rate

Per the 2023 crime data for Weld County from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice ORS dashboard, the county reported 9,051 crimes. Property crimes constituted the most crimes at 69.46% (6,287 cases), followed by drug crimes at 14.70% (1,330 cases), violent crimes at 13.26% (1,200 cases), and weapons crimes at 2.59% (234 cases).

Violent crimes included 849 aggravated assaults, 6 homicides, 104 robberies, and 241 sexual assaults. Property crimes included 39 arson, 628 burglaries, 4,403 larceny/thefts, and 1,217 motor vehicle thefts. The top six crimes in Weld County in 2023 were larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft, aggravated assault, burglary, sexual assault, and robbery.

Weld County Arrest Statistics

Per the 2023 arrest statistics by county from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice ORS dashboard, Weld County recorded 2,955 arrests in 2023. These arrests were categorized as follows: 320 for violent crimes, 1,081 for property crimes, 686 for drug offenses, 759 for DUI, and 109 for weapons offenses.

Violent crime arrests included—267 for aggravated assault, 6 for homicide, 31 for robbery, and 16 for sexual assault. Property crime arrests included—835 for larceny/theft, 152 for auto theft, 88 for burglary, and 6 for arson. Larceny/theft had the highest number of arrest incidents, followed by aggravated assault, auto theft, and burglary.

Find Weld County Arrest Records

Individuals who wish to obtain Weld County arrest records should direct their requests to the Weld County Sheriff's Office. In compliance with the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act, the Weld County Sheriff's Office releases arrest records to the public upon request. To obtain these records, individuals should complete and notarize the "Application for Release of Records" form. The completed (and notarized) form should be submitted in person to the Sheriff’s Office Records Unit, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., or by mail to:

Weld County Sheriff's Office
Records Unit
1555 North 17th Avenue
Greeley, CO 80631
Phone: (970) 400-2770

Alternatively, the form can be submitted online via the public request portal or by e-mail to the Records Unit. The cost of searching, retrieving, and obtaining copies of arrest records is listed on the WCSO Open Records Fee Schedule.

Interested individuals can also obtain arrest records from municipal police departments in Weld County for arrests made within their respective jurisdictions. For example, to obtain arrest records from the Greeley Police Department, individuals can submit their requests online through the Greeley PD public request portal, by mail, or in person at the Greeley PD office:

Greeley Police Department
2875 West 10th Street
Greeley, CO 80634
Phone: (970) 350-9677
Fax: (970) 350-9686

For FBI arrests, individuals can search the Federal Inmate Locator by name or number. For U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests, they can utilize the Online Detainee Locator System or contact a local ICE field office.

Free Arrest Record Search in Weld County

Under the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act (CCJRA), interested persons can request and obtain arrest records from the Weld County Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments. However, these agencies charge fees for accessing or looking up arrest records.

To access Weld County arrest records for free, individuals can use third-party aggregate websites. These sites compile public arrest information from various law enforcement agencies, including those in Weld County, and offer it for free or a nominal fee. Individuals can search these sites with the names of the persons of interest to find or uncover arrest records. Basic arrest reports may be accessed for free on these sites. However, more up-to-date and comprehensive Weld County arrest reports on third-party sites may require a small fee.

Get Weld County Criminal Records

A criminal record, also called a criminal history or rap sheet, is an official document that chronicles an individual's complete history of criminal offenses and interactions with the criminal justice system. It includes details of arrests, criminal charges, convictions, and court sentences. A criminal record offers a comprehensive picture of an individual's involvement with the criminal justice system at all levels for offenses committed. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the official custodian of these records in the state, including those from Weld County.

Individuals seeking Weld County criminal records can submit their requests online or through mail to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). To request a criminal online from the CBI, visit the Internet Criminal History Check System. Individuals are required to create an account on the Internet Criminal History Check (ICHC) system and then conduct name-based searches for criminal records. Each name query on the ICHC incurs a cost of $6.00.

For mail-in requests, submit a completed 'Public Request for Criminal History Record Information' form to the CBI by mail. Mail requests incur a $13.00 processing fee, payable by money order, credit card, and business/cashier's checks.

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

Weld County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

While "arrest record" and "criminal record" may be related terms and occasionally used interchangeably, they have different meanings.

A Weld County arrest record is a documented report of the instances when an individual was arrested by law enforcement. This includes details such as the circumstances surrounding the arrest, personal information of the arrestee, alleged crime or charges, arrest date and time (and location), arresting agency, and mug shots. The law enforcement agency that arrested a person creates and maintains their record.

In contrast, a Weld County criminal record is an official record of a person's criminal history, including arrests, charges, convictions, and sentences. In other words, a criminal record offers a broader picture of an individual's interactions with the criminal justice system within Weld County and beyond. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the official custodian of criminal records in Colorado, including those related to Weld County residents.

Thus, an arrest record documents instances of a person's apprehension and detention by law enforcement, while a criminal record documents a person's entire criminal history of arrests, charges, convictions, and sentences.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. Per Colorado law, arrests stay on a person's record indefinitely in Weld County unless sealed or expunged. Eligible individuals must file petitions to seal or expunge their records, and only if these petitions are granted can an arrest be removed from a person's record or concealed from public disclosure. Otherwise, the arrest remains a permanent part of their record, accessible through background checks and other public records.

Expunge Weld County Arrest Records

Eligible individuals with Weld County arrest records can seal or expunge their records under C.R.S. §§ 24-72-701, et seq. Expungement and sealing of an arrest record destroy or restrict the arrest records from public access.

Per C.R.S. 24-72-704, an individual is eligible to petition to seal their Weld County arrest record if:

• Their arrest charges were dismissed, dropped, or they were acquitted.
• They completed a diversion agreement per C.R.S. § 18-1.3-101
• They were arrested for offenses for which no charges were filed and the statute of limitations for their offense has expired
• No charges were filed, and the statute of limitations has not expired, but they are no longer under investigation

Additionally, Weld County arrest records can be sealed under the following conditions:

• Records other than convictions (C.R.S. 24-72-705)
• Criminal conviction records (C.R.S. 24-72-706)
• Conviction records for offenses committed by victims of human trafficking (C.R.S. 24-72-707)
• Conviction records for crimes that receive a full and unconditional pardon (C.R.S. 24-72-710)

To seal an arrest record, individuals who meet the eligibility requirements to seal an arrest record in Weld County should complete the relevant petition form (Arrest Records —No Charges Filed, Conviction—County or District Court, Conviction—Municipal Court, Convictions–-Multiple Cases, Non-Convictions, and Pardoned Conviction).

The completed petition form should be filed with a $224 fee at the appropriate court (County District Court or Municipal Court). Individuals who cannot afford the applicable filing fees can submit a Fee Waiver Motion form (Form JDF 205) to the court.

Upon receiving a petition to seal an arrest record, the court decides whether to grant it, possibly after a hearing. If approved, the court orders the clerk to seal related case records. The signed order is then sent to record custodians, such as the Weld County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to exempt, restrict, or redact the arrest records from public access.

Per C.R.S. 24-72-701.5, Weld County arrest records can only be expunged in cases of mistaken identity or when related to juveniles. Under these circumstances, the petition to expunge the arrest record must be filed within 90 days of the arrest by the arresting agency, after which the court has 90 days to expunge the arrest.

Weld County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are official documents issued by a judge (or magistrate) authorizing law enforcement to arrest and detain a specifically named individual. A Weld County arrest warrant is issued when there is probable cause to believe a person committed a crime. Other instances when an arrest warrant can be issued include when an individual deliberately fails to appear in court or violates their terms of probation. The Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 16, Parts 1-3, govern the issuance and execution of arrest warrants in Weld County.

Obtaining arrest warrants in Weld County typically involves a law enforcement agent, such as a police officer, the sheriff's office, or the DA’s office, submitting a written affidavit (sworn statement) to the court. In the affidavit, the law officer provides sufficient facts and evidence to establish probable cause that a crime has been committed and that the named subject committed it. If the judge or magistrate determines sufficient probable cause after reviewing the affidavit, they will issue an arrest warrant to apprehend the named person.

A valid warrant in Weld County will typically contain the name or a clear description of the person to be arrested, the alleged crime, the date of issuance, the issuing judge or magistrate's name and signature, and the place of issuance of the warrant.

Weld County Arrest Warrant Search

Individuals interested in finding or looking up active arrest warrants in Weld County should contact the Weld County Sheriff's Office at:

1950 O Street
Greeley, CO 80631
Phone: (970) 304-6565
Toll-free: (800) 436-2859

Alternatively, they can send active warrant information requests to the sheriff's office warrant service division via email or use the Weld County ‘Active Warrant Search’ portal to conduct searches to determine whether an active warrant exists against a person of interest. Individuals can also lookup the Weld County 'Most Wanted Persons' list, as those whose names appear on the list likely have an active warrant.

Do Weld County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Arrest warrants issued in Weld County do not expire. Once issued, they remain active until the individual named on them is apprehended and taken into custody. However, certain factors can affect the validity or enforceability of an arrest warrant in Weld County. For instance, a warrant can become invalid if the court recalls or quashes it. Additionally, the court can invalidate a Weld County arrest warrant if it dismisses the charges for which it was issued.