Shawnee County Arrest Records

Shawnee County arrest records are official documents that contain information on the arrest of individuals by law enforcement agencies within the county. An arrest becomes necessary if law enforcement has evidence that an individual or persons committed or will commit a crime.

Detained arrestees and convicts are typically housed at the Shawnee County Department of Corrections Adult Detention Center, Topeka Correctional Facility, or other Kansas Department of Corrections facilities. The Sheriff's Office, Topeka Police Department, and other local police departments generate arrest records.

Note: An arrest initiates the criminal justice process and will become part of Shawnee County court records if the resultant case proceeds to a court within Shawnee County.

Are Arrest Records Public in Shawnee County?

Yes, Shawnee County arrest records are public. Chapter 45 - 216 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A) declares that all public should be accessible to interested persons on request during office hours. Nevertheless, K.S.A. 45-221(a) exempts the following Shawnee County arrest records from public disclosure:

• Juvenile arrest records
• Arrest records that may impact an ongoing investigation
• Sealed And Expunged arrest records
• Arrest records containing victim information
• Confidential law enforcement records.

Exempted Shawnee County arrest records are accessible online to eligible individuals, authorized entities, or by court order.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

An arrest record contains personal information about the arrestee, the situation leading to an arrest, and the circumstances surrounding an arrest. Typically, arrest records information includes

• Name, date of birth, gender, and physical description of the arrestee
• Time, date, and location of arrest
• Name of the arresting agency and officers
• Charges against the arrested person
• Booking information (this includes booking number, mugshots, fingerprints, and items confiscated at the time of arrest)
• Bail and Bond information.

Shawnee County Crime Rate

Various law enforcement agencies in Shawnee County reported 4,276 larceny-theft cases in 2022. These account for 59.13% of crimes within the year. Also, there were 4,186 larceny-theft cases in Shawnee in 2021 (57.78% of all crimes for 2921). The table outlines the statistics for crimes in Shawnee County between 2018 and 2022.

Data Source: Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Shawnee County Arrest Statistics

Arrest statistics from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation show increased adult and juvenile arrests in Shawnee County. In 2021, 2,198 adults and 189 minors were arrested by law enforcement agencies in Shawnee County for various crimes. These figures are less than the 629 adult and 48 juvenile arrests for 2020. Also, 478 adult and 56 juvenile arrests were reported to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation by law enforcement agencies in Shawnee County in 2019.

Find Shawnee County Arrest Records

There are several ways to obtain Shawnee County arrest records. For interested parties who want to look for information on Shawnee County's arrests:

• Visit the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office website, expand the menu, and select Sheriff's Office
• Scroll down and click Request for Records to access the Records Request Page
• Send an email to the Sheriff's Office at SNSORecordsRequests@snco.us, or download a Request for Records Form, fill it out, and mail it to:

Shawnee County Sheriff's Office
Attn: Request for Records
320 S. Kansas Ave. Suite 200
Topeka, KS 66603.

• Log in to the Kansas Judicial Branch District Court Public Access Portal to view arrests that are part of Shawnee County criminal records
• Call or visit the Topeka Police Department at:

320 S Kansas Ave Ste 100, Topeka, KS, 66603
Phone: (785) 368-9551

• Log in to the Topeka Police Department website:
  • Scroll down and click Buy Police Reports Online
  • On the new page, click Police Report Request Portal, and select TPD Business Only and click Continue
  • Tick No to both questions on the Report Type page, and provide the necessary information to request access to arrest records for cases under the jurisdiction of the Topeka Police Department. It costs a minimum of $0.25 per page to access arrest records through the Topeka Police Department Police Report Request.
• Log in to the Kansas Inmate Search page on the State Courts Records Search website and look for court records relating to criminal cases within Shawnee County.
• Use third-party online Inmate Locators to search for Shawnee County inmate records to access arrest records.

Free Arrest Record Search in Shawnee County

To get free access to Shawnee County arrest records, visit the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office or other local law enforcement agency's websites and search for information on arrests. Requesters can also log in to the Kansas District Court Public Access Portal and register an account to access Shawnee County arrest records through criminal records information. In addition, free access to Shawnee County arrest records may be available through third-party websites (basic information may be available) or by visiting public libraries.

Get Shawnee County Criminal Records

Criminal records are official documents that provide comprehensive details of an individual's involvement with the criminal justice system. In Shawnee County and the rest of the United States, criminal records describe the arrests, prosecutions, convictions, sentencing, and incarceration of individuals. Shawnee County courts and law enforcement agencies keep rap sheets of individuals prosecuted for crimes. To access Shawnee County rap sheets:

• Log in to the Shawnee County's Request for Records page:
  • Use the email link on the page to request access to Shawnee County criminal records
  • Download a Request for Records Form, fill it out, and mail it to the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office
• Log in to the Shawnee County District Court page on the Thirteenth Judicial District website:
  • Scroll down and click Search Court Records to access the Kansas District Court Public Access Portal
  • Register, and log in, and search for Shawnee criminal records
• Visit the Kansas Bureau of Investigation website and navigate to the Criminal History Record Search page:
  • As a first-time user, read instructions on how to obtain a rap sheet search from the website
  • Click Perform a Record Check
  • Register to access the search portal
• Visit the Kansas Department of Correction website:
  • Click Offender Search to log in to the KASPER - Offender Population Search portal
  • Click Parole Absconders or Community Correction Absconders
  • Select Shawnee County from the drop menu to view rap sheets of Shawnee County parole and community correction fugitives

Requesters can also visit local libraries and search for Shawnee criminal records in their archives. Requests for Shawnee County rap sheets may require payment.

Shawnee County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest and criminal records are documentation of law and order. However, several distinctions exist between them. Some of these include.

Definition

• Arrest warrants are official documents that detail the circumstances surrounding the arrest of an individual by law enforcement agencies.
• Criminal records are official documents that comprehensively detail an individual's encounter with the criminal justice system.

Content

• Arrest records information may include
  • The arrestee's personal information
  • Arrest details
  • Charges
  • Booking information
  • Bail and Bond information
  • Incident report
  • Disposition
  • Court information
• Criminal records encompass arrest records and records of
  • Legal proceedings
  • Conviction
  • Sentencing
  • Incarceration

Purpose

• Law enforcement creates arrest records when they take an individual into custody. However, it does not confirm the guilt or innocence of the detainee.
• Criminal records detail the events from when an individual is arrested by law enforcement through legal proceedings, conviction, and incarceration. They are used for background checks on individuals by employers, law enforcement, and legal professionals.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Shawnee County, an arrest will stay on a record indefinitely. Nevertheless, a court can seal or expunge an arrest record and make it unavailable for public access.

Expunge Shawnee County Arrest Records

In Shawnee County, to expunge arrest information from a record, the individual must meet the requirements outlined by Kansas laws. Expunction of Shawnee County arrest information depends on the nature of the arrest. Per Chapter 21-6614 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, to be eligible for arrest records expunction if the arrest:

• Did not result in conviction (the court can expunge the records immediately)
• Are for misdemeanors, non-violent felonies, or juvenile offenses.

To remove an arrest information in Shawnee County, the owner of the record must complete the sentence that resulted from the arrest. In addition, the individual must not have any pending criminal charges, and the court will consider the person's conduct and rehabilitation after the arrest. Also, there is a waiting period after completing the sentence for a conviction before an ex-convict can request for the expunction of arrest information. Typically, for misdemeanors and non-violent felonies, the law imposes a waiting period of three and five years after serving the sentence for the crime. Juvenile arrest records have shorter waiting periods.

The following steps may guide interested parties to expunge arrest information from their records in Shawnee County.

• Gather documents that will aid the request for the expunction of the records.
• Download a Petition for Expungement of Arrest form from the Kansas Judicial Council website.
• Complete the petition form, attach the supporting documents, and file a petition at the Shawnee County District Court (filing fees and surcharge may apply)
• Serve notice to the agency responsible for the arrest and the Shawnee County District Attorney's Office.
• Attend the hearing to defend the petition, counter any objections, and answer any questions.
• If the petition is successful, the Will order the destruction or removal of the records from public access.

Shawnee County Arrest Warrants

Shawnee County arrest warrants are official documents issued by a judge or magistrate authorizing law enforcement to take an individual into custody. Per Kansas laws, a judge or magistrate of a Shawnee County court can issue an arrest warrant if law enforcement shows probable cause that an individual committed a crime or will commit a crime. Chapter 22-2302 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated outlines the legal framework for arrest warrants in Shawnee County.

Typically, an arrest warrant contains the following information:

• Name, aliases, date of birth, physical description, and identifying detail that may help law enforcement to identify the person
• Charges against the individual
• Affidavit or complaint outlining probable cause for the arrest
• Names of the issuing court and the arresting officers
• Signature of the judge or magistrate who issued the warrant and the date of issuance
• Directive to law enforcement on how to execute the arrest
• Bail information (if it applies).

Shawnee County Arrest Warrant Search

There are several options to search for active Shawnee County arrest warrants. For individuals searching for Shawnee County active arrest warrants:

• Log in to the Shawnee County Sheriff's website
  • Scroll down and click the warrant search icon to access the Warrant Search Page
  • Accept the terms and conditions
  • Use the name of the suspect to check for an active warrant
• Visit the Kansas Department of Correction website, scroll, and click Escapees to view active warrants on wanted persons.
• Search information on Shawnee County active warrants of third-party websites that have databases on Shawnee County law enforcement records.
• Check local newspapers and community notice boards for information on active warrants.
• Visit the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office or District Court to request active warrant information.

Do Shawnee County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In the United States (including Kansas and its counties), arrest warrants remain active until law enforcement apprehends the fugitives. However, a Shawnee County arrest warrant will become inactive upon the fugitive's death or if the court recalls it.