Bristol County Arrest Records

In Bristol County, an arrest ensues when a police officer who has been empowered by law apprehends an individual who has been suspected of committing an offense. This apprehension can be carried out with or without a court issued warrant. The Bristol County Sheriff’s Office regulates the county jail that holds all detained persons. Record seekers can find details of inmates held at the county jail on the sheriff’s website.

In addition, they may also find arrest records of previous inmates through both local and state-level agencies. The county sheriff’s office is responsible for maintaining arrest records in Bristol County. Interested parties may view arrest records by visiting the sheriff’s office at:

Bristol County Sheriff’s Office
400 Faunce Corner Rd,
North Dartmouth, MA 02747

Additionally, interested parties may find Bristol County arrest records in other public records. For instance, Bristol County court records, such as criminal case records, may contain arrest records. Individuals will need to contact the district court clerk’s office to obtain court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Bristol County?

Yes, the public can access arrest records made in Bristol County under Part I, Title X, Chapter 66, Section 10 of the General Law, and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Additionally, people can request access to these records per Part I, Title II, Chapter 6, Section 172 of the General Law.

The process for publicizing these records to interested parties is outlined in Chapter 66, Section 10 GL. This process applies to all public records unless specified otherwise. For instance, certain records or specific details are sealed. Authorized individuals can only read them, even if arrest records are typically public and accessible to residents. These include:

• Information that has been classified for security reasons
• Information that includes commercial or financial secrets
• Records of arrests involving minors
• Information is only available to judicial system representatives
• Details to which access could put someone's life in jeopardy

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The following information is usually included in an arrest record in Bristol County:

• Details about the subject include name, birthdate, last known address, phone number, and any aliases utilized.
• The suspect's or offender's physical attributes include gender, race, height, weight, eye, and hair color. Identification characteristics such as scars, birthmarks, or tattoos may also fall under this category.
• A detailed account of the event, especially if the arresting officer was a witness. This includes the detainee's reaction to the arrest and an account of what transpired before the arrest.
• Specifics of any applicable criminal charges.
• The location and time of the arrest, the name of the arresting officer, photographs, fingerprints, details regarding bail, and the planned court date.

Bristol County Crime Rate

Per statistics released by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety, the Bristol County State Police recorded 202 crimes in 2023. This was a 3.06% increase from the previous year. The agency also recorded a clearance rate of 76.73%. Of the total crimes recorded, 152 were crimes against the society. Meanwhile, 43 and 7 were for crimes against the person and property crimes, respectively. The most common crimes committed in the county were drug crimes, which saw 132 offenses. This was followed by assaults, which saw 36 offenses committed.

Bristol County Arrest Statistics

There were 478 arrests made in Bristol County in 2023, according to data recorded by the Bristol County State Police. This was a 33.155% increase from 2022. Additionally, of the 478 arrests, three were for juveniles. The majority of the arrests made by the Bristol State Police were for Group B offenses, which had 318 arrestees, 66.5% of the total arrests made. Additionally, 28% of the total arrests made were for crimes against the society. Arrests for crimes against property and crimes against the person made up 1.2% and 4.3% of the Department’s total arrests, respectively. Driving under the influence saw the highest number of arrests at 261.

Find Bristol County Arrest Records

The Bristol County House of Correction, where all inmates are housed while incarcerated within the county lines, is under the jurisdiction of the Bristol County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office Jail Division is responsible for disseminating all information on inmates and jails. Interested parties may contact the division for information on primary charges, visiting hours, mail or phone communication, and inmate welfare. The Sheriff's website's Jail Information Page offers downloadable Visitation Request Forms and provides access to this information.

Free Arrest Record Search in Bristol County

Access to free arrest records is available to anyone looking for them via the Bristol County Sheriff's Office. The Office offers the channels people need to finish precise searches. In addition to the search portals provided by government organizations, interested people can visit websites owned by third parties. Usually, these websites aggregate a variety of public records, including arrest logs. Although these websites are free to use, they usually only provide a restricted amount of information about the topic of the record; record seekers may need to pay a charge to obtain more in-depth information.

Get Bristol County Criminal Records

Access to name-based, statewide criminal offender record data is made possible by the Massachusetts iCori Service. To use the service, interested parties must create an account on the website and provide enough details about the requestor's relationship to the record's subject.

Following registration, requestors can obtain their allotted login credentials, enabling them to do a name-based record search on the portal. The asking party must supply the subject's full name, birth date, gender, and social security number to ensure an accurate search. To pay the fees associated with the search that was done, record seekers will also need to use a credit card.

Massachusetts Statewide Applicant Fingerprint Identification Services (SAFIS) provides fingerprint-based criminal record information. This service includes access to confidential criminal history information and statewide arrest records that would not be found through name-based searches. Only users approved by the state Department of Criminal Justice Information Services may access the service following state laws.

Bristol County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

When law enforcement takes a person into custody on suspicion of a crime, an arrest record is made in Bristol County. Important details, including the person's name, the arrest date, the charges, and the arresting agency, are all included in this document.

Arrest records are publicly available and do not prove someone's guilt or innocence. On the other hand, criminal records are created upon a person's court conviction. These records thoroughly account for the subject's arrests, offenses, bail details, convictions, prosecutions, and punishments. Unless restricted or exempted, these data remain on file for the subject.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrests in Bristol County will stay on an individual's record for life. As long as the arrest is not sealed or deleted, it becomes public knowledge. On the other hand, the record custodian may delete the record if they believe it needs to be updated or has been retained for longer than the department's retention limit. It is uncommon in Massachusetts for an arrest record that has been retained beyond the department's retention limit to be expunged.

Expunge Bristol County Arrest Records

In Bristol County, no specific laws regulate the sealing or expunging of arrest records. However, citizens can erase arrest records associated with their criminal records. Individuals looking to expunge or seal their records may apply to seal conviction and non-conviction cases and petition for expungement.

Massachusetts General Law c. 276, § 100A regulates the expungement of conviction records in Bristol County. Applicants may request that the Massachusetts Probation Service (MPS) seal their records if they meet the requirements. For example, misdemeanor cases can be expunged three years after the applicant has completed their sentence. Meanwhile, if it is a felony case, the applicant can file for an expungement seven years after their sentence has been completed.

MGL c. 276, § 100C provides the guidelines for sealing records of exonerated individuals. The requirements for sealing these records are as follows:

• The applicant was found "not guilty".
• The prosecutor failed to establish probable cause.
• The jury returned no bill;
• The court dismissed the case without probation.

The Petition to Seal Conviction Records Form is available to parties looking to seal their arrest records leading to a criminal conviction. Persons with no criminal conviction due to their arrest can fill out the Petition to Seal Non-Conviction Records form.

A person must apply to the Massachusetts Probation Service (MPS) to have a felony conviction sealed. Non-conviction sealing cases need to be submitted to the District Court.

Interested parties must complete and mail these forms to:

Commissioner of Probation,
One Ashburton Place, Room 405,
Boston, MA 02108.

Following an expungement, the public can no longer see an individual's arrest record. Law enforcement officials will still be able to see them, though.

Bristol County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a document that a judge issues in court, enabling law enforcement to carry out an arrest in Bristol County. It proves that there is probable cause to believe that someone is guilty of a crime and warrants an arrest; however, before a judge issues an arrest warrant, law enforcement must first present an affidavit to the judge outlining the specifics of the alleged offense and provide evidence pointing to the defendant. The judge then reviews the affidavit, determines whether sufficient evidence supports an arrest, and issues the warrant. Finally, the judge issues an arrest warrant after deciding whether or not to issue one.

Bristol County Arrest Warrant Search

Interested parties can find Bristol County arrest warrants at the county’s Sheriff’s Office. The Office is responsible for maintaining all active warrants in the county. Record seekers can visit the office address at:

Bristol County Sheriff’s Office
400 Faunce Corner Rd,
North Dartmouth, MA 02747

Do Bristol County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants in Bristol County are valid until they are executed, recalled, or quashed, and they do not have an expiration date. Its legitimacy may also be affected by how the warrant is carried out and how the matter is settled.