Ellis County Arrest Records

Ellis County arrest records refer to all documents that contain information on arrest events. Such documents provide information on the arrestee's name, physical description, arrest charge, booking date, and the arresting agency's name.

Arrests are necessary procedures for apprehending persons suspected of committing a crime. Officers have the legal right to apprehend or detain suspected offenders. Furthermore, they may book and detain arrestees pending the outcome of further investigations. The Ellis County sheriff's office generates and maintains all data concerning arrest events within the county. In addition, the agency discloses the record to interested public members.

Crime-related documents may include some information about arrest events. For instance, Ellis County court records may contain arrest details like the criminal charges, booking date, and bond amount.

Are Arrest Records Public in Ellis County?

In Ellis County, most arrest records are accessible to the general public. The Kansas Open Records Act authorizes public access to government-generated records and determines the procedure for obtaining them. Per the law, interested parties must obtain arrest records from designated public entities. For instance, you may obtain arrest records from the county sheriff's office by making an in-person request at this address:

105 West 12th Street
Hays, KS 67601
Phone: (785) 625-1040

However, the state law prevents public access to specific records. Exempted records usually contain information whose disclosure is not in the public interest. For instance, the following arrest records are not public in Ellis County:

• Records that may reveal the identities of security-vulnerable parties, like undercover personnel and crime witnesses.
• Arrest warrants that have yet to be issued to an arresting agency.
• Records that may reveal procedures or strategies used in investigations or prosecutions.
• Revealing data about victims of sex-related offenses.

Ellis County Arrest Statistics

There are no arrest statistics reports for arrests conducted within Ellis County. However, the state's law enforcement agencies documented 52,378 arrests in 2019. There are also no incarceration statistics for Ellis County. However, the state's correctional facilities housed 10,674 inmates as of April 28, 2025.

Find Ellis County Arrest Records

Interested persons or entities may find Ellis County's arrest records in inmate databases. Such databases typically reveal the arrestee's names, physical features, mugshot, criminal charges, bond amount, and booking date.

Local- or state-level government entities may maintain access to inmate databases. For instance, the county sheriff's office regularly updates an inmate log of current detainees in the county jail. Likewise, the Kansas Department of Corrections hosts an online database of current inmates in the state's correctional facilities. Users must fill out the inmate's name or KDOC number to view records on the platform.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons, via the Inmate Locator, offers an alternative option for viewing inmate records. The platform maintains information about inmates held in federal penal institutions. To view records on the platform, users must provide either their inmate's name or prison number.

Ellis County Arrest Records vs. Criminal Records

In Ellis County, there are apparent differences between arrest and criminal records regarding their content, custodian agency, and social implications.

Arrest records only contain arrest-related activities like the booking date, arrest charges, crime scene photos and videos, and bond amount. In contrast, criminal records contain information about an individual's criminal history. This means the documents will contain information on arrest events and court and incarceration.

The records are obtainable through different agencies. Arrest records are under the purview of arresting agencies, which are responsible for creating and maintaining such records. In contrast, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation is the official criminal record custodian. The agency creates such records by collecting crime-related documents from other entities, like the courts and arresting agencies.

Arrest records have almost no negative social impact since they do not reveal if the arrestee was guilty of the charges. However, this is not the case for offenders who have criminal records. The records reveal court convictions that may damage their chances of getting employed in specific industries.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Ellis County, arrests stay on your records unless the court seals or expunges them. Persons seeking to expunge arrest records must meet the legal requirements for the process. For instance, you may expunge arrest records if the charges were dismissed.

Ellis County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are written court orders that empower law enforcement officers to apprehend persons named in the document. In Ellis County, the court judge will issue arrest warrants under these conditions:

• The defendant failed to honor the court summons.
• Arresting officers provided an affidavit or complaint that the defendant committed a crime.

Under Kansas Revised Statutes, arrest warrants must contain these details:

• The defendant's names, aliases, and physical description.
• Criminal charges
• The statement that the defendant must be arrested or brought before the court.
• The court judge's signature.
• Court document number.

Do Ellis County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In Ellis County, arrest warrants have a lifetime validity. The warrants remain active even after the statute of limitations for the crime has passed. However, they become inactive when the court revokes them or the defendant gets arrested.

Expunge Ellis County Arrest Records

Per Kansas state laws, you may expunge arrest records by petitioning the district court in Ellis County. Note that the court may grant the expungement if you meet the legal requirements and follow the state-outlined procedures for expungement.

Who is eligible to expunge arrest records in Ellis County?

You may expunge arrest records if the charges were dismissed or you were arrested as a result of a mistaken identity. To expunge conviction records, you must wait one year after completing the state court sentence or program.

How to expunge arrest records in Ellis County

You may expunge arrest records by following these steps:

• Create a petition that includes the following information:
• The petitioner's personal information, like the names, sex, race, and age.
• Arrest information like the offense, arrest date, and arresting agency.
• Attach a filing fee to the petition if the arrest records led to a court conviction. There are no filing fees for expunging dismissed arrest records.
• Submit the petition along with the fees to the district court at:
  107 West 12th Street
  Hays, KS 67601
  Phone: (785) 628-9415