Pottawatomie County Arrest Records

An arrest is the apprehension and detention of an individual to answer for committing a public offense (Criminal Procedure, §22-186). It occurs when the offender is physically restrained or gives himself to the officer's custody.

In Oklahoma, an arrest may be carried out by a peace officer, with or without an arrest warrant, or by a private citizen. Suspects in Pottawatomie County are typically taken to a local police station or sheriff's office to be booked for the alleged crime. This involves the process by which a police agency gathers and enters data about a suspect into a system. Hence, the Sheriff's Office and local police departments are primarily responsible for generating arrest records.

Arrest records may be part of the public records maintained by other agencies. This is because they contain information used to make decisions about an individual in both the criminal justice community and private industry. Consequently, arrest-related information may also be featured within Pottawatomie County Court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Pottawatomie County?

Yes. Under the Oklahoma Open Records Act (ORA), all records of public bodies and public officials may be accessed by any person who wishes to inspect, copy, or mechanically reproduce public records during regular business hours. This includes arrest records, provided they have not been sealed or expunged by a court. However, some information or records are exempt from public disclosure and may not be accessed by the general public. Some of these records include

• Juvenile arrest records
• Personal financial information
• Records related to an ongoing investigation
• Records with court orders restricting access
• All Social Security numbers included in a record
• Records covered by a state evidentiary privilege, such as the attorney-client privilege

Notwithstanding the restrictions on arrest records, certain individuals or institutions such as eligible attorneys, employers, courts and prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, and private citizens may have access to arrest data prohibited from public disclosure for criminal justice purposes.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The following information can be obtained from a Pottawatomie County public arrest record

• Name of the suspect
• Subject's gender
• Date of birth
• Subject's physical features such as height, weight, hair color, eye color, skin tone, build
• Subject's nationality
• Code
• Description of the offense
• Type of offense
• Disposition
• Case number/ OTN number

Pottawatomie County Crime Rate

Per the Oklahoma Crime Statistics provided by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, a total of 67,440 crimes against persons were committed in 2023, with simple assault numbering 34,319 (50.9%). Intimidation, aggravated assault, fondling, and rape numbered 15,884 (22.1%), 12,437 (18.4%), 2,060 (3.1%), and 1,748 (2.6%), respectively.

134,471 property crimes were committed, with 21,021 destruction/damage/vandalism crimes being the most common. All other larceny, burglary, breaking/ entering, and shoplifting crimes were 19,302, 18,002, and 15,323, respectively.

A total of 33,609 crimes against society were registered, with drug/narcotics violations numbering 18,231. Drug equipment violations and weapon law violations numbered 9,384 and 5,214, respectively.

Pottawatomie County Arrest Statistics

Per the arrest statistics prepared by the Oklahoma Office of Criminal Justice, a total of 1,842 arrests were made in Pottawatomie County in 2020. 531 arrests were made for index crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, larceny, burglary, motor vehicle theft), 249 arrests were made for alcohol-related crimes (DOI, liquor law violations, drunkenness), and 233 arrests were made for drug-related offenses (sales, manufacturing, and possession).

According to the arrest statistics provided by the FBI UCR, 101,053 arrests were made in Oklahoma in 2018. 22,658 arrests were made for all other offenses except traffic, while 17,766 were made for drug abuse violations. 14,717 and 11,304 arrests were made for property crimes and larceny-theft offenses, respectively.

Find Pottawatomie County Arrest Records

Anyone seeking arrest records in Pottawatomie County may obtain them by visiting local jails and holding facilities to make inquiries. For instance, one can contact the Pottawatomie County Public Safety Center online or in-person to look up or request arrest records. Individuals may also contact the county Sheriff's Office and other local law enforcement agencies to find arrest records. These agencies are chiefly responsible for arresting suspects and taking them into custody. Information concerning someone who was arrested but has not been tried or convicted can be obtained by contacting the agency responsible for the Arrest.

Court records leading to an arrest may be obtained by contacting the county court clerk. Information such as the subject's first and last name, date of birth, arrest number, and other information may be required to complete the search.

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections provides the general public with an Offender Lookup online page. This agency provides an online search tool for locating offender information, including arrest records. However, information disseminated via this online service typically relates to individuals who have been convicted of a crime. Interested persons may fill in the required information to obtain records on inmates held by the state.

Furthermore, anyone looking for an individual arrested by the FBI may utilize the Inmate Search service maintained by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. One can conduct a search by name or by BOP number.

Free Arrest Record Search in Pottawatomie County

Members of the public may utilize the Inmate Search online portal maintained by the Pottawatomie County Public Safety Center. The inmate search page displays a list of individuals currently incarcerated by the center. Mugshots of these inmates are also displayed with their names. Interested persons may also search for an inmate by inputting the first and last name of the subject and clicking on search.

Furthermore, members of the public may look up arrest records by utilizing third-party websites' online search services. These websites are typically owned and maintained by private entities that compile public records from several sources. While people can conduct basic arrest searches for free, consistent and in-depth use of these websites may require a paid subscription.

Get Pottawatomie County Criminal Records

Pottawatomie County criminal records are documents that contain information concerning the history of an individual's interaction with the agencies in Pottawatomie County. The Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office generates and manages the county's criminal records. Interested persons may contact the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office for a criminal history record via mail or in person at

Pottawatomie County Courthouse.
14101 Acme Road Shawnee
Oklahoma 74804
Phone: (405) 275-2526
Fax: (405) 275-3576

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) works hand in hand with law enforcement agencies all over the state to compile, manage, and distribute public arrest record information to the general public. According to the Public Records Act, name-based searches are carried out by this agency for record seekers. The first and last name of a subject and date of birth must be included in requests for criminal history record information Title 51 § 24.A.5.2.

To request a criminal history record, fill and submit the Criminal History Request Form via Fax: ((405) 879-2503), mail, or in-person to:

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation
6600 N. Harvey
Oklahoma City, OK 73116

Members of the public may also request and retrieve a criminal history record via the OSBI's Criminal History Information Request Portal (CHIRP). Individuals are required to create an account at no cost to make use of this service. Per Title 74 § 150.9 (B)(2), the price for an Oklahoma name-based criminal history background check is fifteen dollars ($15.00) per search. Requestors may also conduct a criminal history record search via fingerprint by mail in person with a required fee of $19.

Pottawatomie County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest records and criminal records are often used interchangeably by the general public to describe a person's criminal history. However, they do not have the same implications.

Arrest records are documents that indicate that an individual has been taken into custody by a law enforcement agency for suspicion of criminal behavior. Some arrests occur at the scene of an incident, while others are made following a warrant order, which is issued after police conclude they have enough evidence to detain a person of interest.

On the other hand, criminal records are official documents that outline the charges and evidence against an individual for a crime committed. They include the testimony from law enforcement and witnesses, as well as the judge's or magistrate's findings and decisions. Criminal records may consist of misdemeanors or felonies.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Oklahoma, arrest records remain public for the rest of a person's lifetime. Any interaction an individual had with the law that brought about an arrest, charge, or conviction for a felony offense will remain on the offender's record for the rest of the person's life, even if they were found innocent, unless they take steps to have it erased.

Expunge Pottawatomie County Arrest Records

Expungements allow individuals to seal their criminal court record or arrest record. This prevents the public from having access to the information. A Section 18 expungement permits a person to clear their complete arrest record. A Section 991(c) expungement permits a person who received a deferred sentence to expunge their plea and have the disposition of their case changed to reflect that it has been dismissed. "Pled not guilty, case dismissed" will be the disposition. However, a 991(c) expungement will not remove the arrest record. To expunge an arrest record, one must file an expungement petition with the OSBI. Eligible requesters who have not been arrested for 5 years since the date of their last conviction must provide information such as the arrestee's name, social security number, date of birth, date of Arrest, charges, and disposition. After reviewing the request, the OSBI will forward a letter of approval to the court, alerting them of the decision to expunge the information. Then, the court will forward the order to expunge all agencies with custody of the records. Expunging an arrest record requires a $150 processing fee. Fees may be paid to the local law enforcement agency expunging the records.

Individuals authorized to file a motion for the expungement of a record, as provided by section 18 include, but are not limited to

• Individuals arrested with no charges of any type
• Individuals who were below the age of 18 at the time the crime was committed
• Someone who has been acquitted
• An appellate court reversed the conviction and issued instructions for its dismissal
• Someone who has received a full pardon by the governor over a crime for which the person was sentenced

Pottawatomie County Arrest Warrants

Arrests and arrest warrants in Pottawatomie County are carried out under the Oklahoma Statutes Title 22. Per Criminal Procedure § 22-171, an arrest warrant is issued when a complaint that an offense has been committed is presented to a magistrate. The complaint, which a law enforcement agent delivers, must be accompanied by an affidavit. If the magistrate is satisfied that the offense was committed or that there is probable cause to believe that the subject committed it, a warrant of Arrest is issued. An arrest warrant is directed to and must be executed by a peace officer. An arrest warrant in Pottawatomie County must specify

• The name of the defendant or designated name
• The offense for which the magistrate issued the warrant
• The date and time the warrant was issued
• The county, city, or town where it was issued
• If the offense is bailable and the set amount for bail
• The signature of the magistrate who issued the arrest warrant and his office or title
• Times of day when the warrant may be served, where applicable

Any peace officer who is ordered or delivers a warrant may serve it in any county in the state, except for those issued for the violation of city ordinances.

Pottawatomie County Arrest Warrant Search

The Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office is generally in charge of managing arrest warrants throughout the county. These warrants, issued by judges or magistrates, grant the sheriff's department the authority to arrest a person accused of a crime. An individual may visit the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office to look up names listed under active arrest warrants. A "Most Wanted" list maintained by the Sheriff's Office provides information on individuals with active arrest warrants who are suspected of significant crimes.

Inquirers can also visit the Pottawatomie County court in person to look up information on active warrants within the county.

Do Pottawatomie County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Arrest Warrants in Pottawatomie County do not expire. Unless the individual named in the warrant is arrested or a magistrate or judge quashes an arrest warrant, it will remain active. Felony warrants typically never expire.