Sedgwick County Arrest Records

Sedgwick County arrest records are documents prepared by law enforcement agencies showing that a person was taken into custody under suspicion of breaking a law. Kansas Statutes authorize law enforcement officers to make an arrest with or without a warrant if the crime was committed in the officer's presence.

After a person is arrested, they are transported to the Sedgwick County Adult detention facility and processed into the jail's database (i.e., booked). During booking, details like the arrestee’s personal information, the charges laid against them, as well as their photograph are collected. Some of this information will be found in Sedgwick County court records if the case goes to court.

Are Arrest Records Public in Sedgwick County?

Yes. Arrest records are classified as public records. The Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) authorizes members of the public to inspect and copy public records created or maintained by governmental agencies as long as they have not been exempted from public disclosure by law.

However, to ensure that the rights of all individuals and privileged or private information are protected, some information may be exempted from arrest records. Examples of information restricted from public view include:

• Sealed records or records under non-disclosure
• Juvenile records
• Expunged records
• Criminal investigation records
• Records under attorney-client privilege
• Information threatening the safety of witnesses, and sources in the case.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records in Sedgwick County typically contain the following information:

• First, middle, and last name of the arrestee
• Arrestee physical description (race, height, weight)
• Arrestee sex
• Arrestee age
• Purpose of arrest or charge
• Booking details (date, time, booking number, holding facility)
• Arrest details (Date, case status, etc.)
• Bond information.

Sedgwick County Crime Rate

According to data from the 2022 Kansas Crime Index, Sedgwick County reported 23,268 index offenses in said year, a 3% increase from the 2021 total of 22,600 offenses. There were a total of 4601 violent crimes, including assault (3864), robberies (363) and rape (337). There were a total of 18,667 property crime offenses, including theft (14,400), burglary (2,207), and motor vehicle theft (2,060).

Compared to the 2021 Kansas Crime Index, violent crimes increased from the previous year’s total of 4,432 including an increase in assault (3,691) and rape (315), and a decrease in robberies (376). Property crimes also increased from the previous year’s total of 18,168 offenses, including an increase in theft (13,754), and burglary (2,026), and a decrease in motor vehicle theft (2,388).

Sedgwick County Arrest Statistics

Per the 2021 arrest report prepared by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation Incident-Based Reporting Unit, Sedgwick County reported 8390 arrests in 2021, a 27% decrease from the previous year’s record of 11,507 arrests. These included 1901 arrests for drug offenses, 1581 arrests for simple battery, 786 arrests for theft, and 786 arrests for aggravated battery.

Find Sedgwick County Arrest Records

Interested persons can find Sedgwick County arrest records from the Sheriff’s Office by searching online or visiting the agency. At the state level, offender information is available through the Kansas Adult Supervised Population Electronic Repository (KASPER) maintained by the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC).

To find a record using KASPER, searchers require the arrestee’s full name or their KDOC number. An advanced search for more specific results can also be carried out using social security numbers, state ID, date of birth, facility, etc.

Free Arrest Record Search in Sedgwick County

Individuals can conduct free arrest records search in Sedgwick County using one of the following sources:

• Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office: The sheriff’s office provides online and offline means for individuals to find arrest records for free. They maintain the online inmate Search tool with arrest records of individuals in custody at the Sedgwick County Detention Facility. Individuals can search for arrest records for free using the arrestee’s first or last name. Interested persons can also visit the Sheriff's office in person or contact them by phone or email to search for public arrest records for free.
• Third-party websites: Third-party websites are non-government-owned databases that give individuals an avenue to retrieve public records including arrest records. By entering key details about the case such as the case number, and first or last name, individuals can retrieve arrest records for free from some third-party websites. As they are not the official custodians of arrest records in Sedgwick County, records retrieved from third-party sources may vary in availability and completeness compared to governmental sources.

Get Sedgwick County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Sedgwick County detail a person's criminal history including their arrest, conviction, and sentencing records. Although criminal records may be restricted from public view sometimes to protect the interests of those involved in the case or the proceedings of the case itself, open records can usually be obtained from the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the case.

Sedgwick County criminal records are available through the criminal history record search tool maintained by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). The agency maintains a central database for the criminal records of all persons living in Kansas who have interacted with the criminal justice system. Each name-based search costs $20, payable by certified check, money order, or credit card. For additional information contact the KBI via:

1620 SW Tyler
Topeka, KS 66612-1837
Attn: Adult Records
Phone: (785) 296-8200
Email: records@kbi.state.ks.us.

Sedgwick County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Sedgwick County arrest records are created by law enforcement officers upon arrest and contain information only about the arrest, such as the arresting agency, the reason for arrest, and a description of the arrestee. On the other hand, criminal records contain details of a person’s interactions with the Kansas criminal justice system. Available information includes the subject’s arrests, convictions, and sentencing information.

The key difference between criminal records and arrest records is that criminal records contain the verdict of the case and can therefore be used to determine whether or not a person is guilty of a charge while arrest records can not be used to determine guilt.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. Arrests stay on record indefinitely and are accessible to the public unless they are expunged or sealed following a court order. Even after records have been expunged, some governmental agencies have statutory authority to access these records (KSA 21-6614). Individuals can also access expunged records with a court order if it has been determined that the information is crucial to their case or needs.

Expunge Sedgwick County Arrest Records

Expungement is the removal of an offense or conviction from an individual’s criminal history or public disclosure. Not all arrest records are eligible for expunction. According to K.S.A. 22-2410, arrest records are eligible for expunction under the following circumstances:

• If the individual was found not guilty
• If the arrest occurred due to mistaken identity;
• If the court found no probable cause for the arrest;
• If the charges against the individual were dismissed or not prosecuted
• If the case is eligible for juvenile expunction.

To request an expungement, the petitioner must complete an expungement form, file it with the Court Clerk, and send a copy to the Office of the Sedgwick County District Attorney or the prosecuting agency with jurisdiction over the case. This form includes a petition, an affidavit, a personal information report, and an order of expungement which can be filled online or printed and submitted to the office in person.

The presiding court sets a date for a hearing, and if they determine that the record is eligible for expunction, the expunction is granted, the documents are filed with the Clerk of the Criminal Court, and a certified copy of the order of expungement is sent to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). The KBI then updates the individual's criminal records and instructs private record check agencies to do the same.

Unless exempted from payment, a $176 docket fee is required when filing a petition for expungement with the Clerk of Criminal Court. Although expunctions restrict the record from public view, agencies with statutory obligations concerning the case may still be authorized to view the record.

Sedgwick County Arrest Warrants

Sedgwick County arrest warrants are legal documents signed by a judge that permit law enforcement officers to take the individual named on the warrant into custody for allegedly committing a crime. The judge issues an arrest warrant based on an affidavit by the law enforcement officer. The affidavit should establish probable cause that the named individual committed a crime and if the judge is convinced, they or the magistrate issue and sign the warrant.

Arrest warrants are issued to facilitate an arrest with established probable cause, when a person is summoned but fails to appear in court, and when a person violates probation. Under KSA 12-4208, an arrest warrant typically contains the following information:

• The subject’s name
• The nature of the crime
• An order for the named individual to be arrested
• Signature of the judge or magistrate
• Bond amount.

Sedgwick County Arrest Warrant Search

A Sedgwick County arrest warrant search can be conducted online using the Warrant Search tool provided on the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office website. Individuals can find active warrants by entering the first or last names of the person they are looking for in the search fields. Individuals can also contact the sheriff’s office or visit them in person to conduct a warrant search.

Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office
141 West Elm Street
Wichita, KS 67203
Phone: (316) 660-3990

Do Sedgwick County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Arrest warrants in Sedgwick County do not expire until the named individual dies, and the warrant is executed or recalled by the judge who initially issued the warrant. However, factors that can delay the execution of a warrant include the severity of the charge, new evidence from the ongoing case, and jurisdictional policies.