Franklin County Arrest Records

Law enforcement authorities generate Franklin County arrest records when an individual is apprehended for allegedly breaking a federal, state, or local law. These records provide details of the suspect's offense, biographical information, the location of the incident, and the holding facility where they are confined pending further judicial deliberations.

While the law authorizes police officers to apprehend an alleged offender at crime scenes without warrants, most arrests are only permissible after the prosecuting team or arresting agency secures arrest warrants from a sitting judge following official indictments. Usually, the suspect should be brought before a court within 48 hours of an arrest. This action and succeeding legal proceedings reveal the defendant's arrest details to the court clerk for the creation of Franklin County court records.

Members of the public inspect and reproduce arrest documents to understand the dynamics of an ongoing arrest incident or court proceeding within the jurisdiction. Legal attorneys also require arrest information to prepare judicial precedents for their client's initial arraignment and defense. On the other hand, prosecutors use this information to build strong cases against defendants.

Are Arrest Records Public in Franklin County?

Yes. According to the Massachusetts Public Records Law—the regulatory framework authorizing access to official records—public-funded entities, including law enforcement, are expected to disclose publicly available information to requesting members of the public. As a result, anyone can view and obtain the arrest information of people apprehended within Franklin County at any time.

However, the statutory definition of "public records" necessitates the legal exemption of certain records entirely or in part. This includes records specifically exempt from disclosure by statute and records deemed exempt under statute by necessary implication.

Per this rule, the following categories of records are not available for public consumption:

• Records pertaining to ongoing investigations or prosecutions
• Personal identifying information and data of an individual where disclosure may constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy and security.
• Medical files or information
• Autopsy reports
• Records related to juvenile delinquency cases
• Criminal Offender Record Information ("CORI")
• Incident reports of rape, sexual assault, or domestic violence

Typically, the public records law allows individuals to view arrest records and incident reports at no cost unless charges for the reproduction of copies are applicable. Likewise, the custodian should respond to record requests within 10 working days.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

A Franklin County public arrest record may bear the following pertinent information:

• A personal summary of the arrested person, including first and last name, race, gender, date of birth, and last known address
• The date and the person was apprehended
• Arrest number
• The description of the offense for which the person was arrested for
• Legal grounds for the arrest (the alleged state statute or municipal code violation that necessitates the arrest)
• Arrest status (Open or completed)
• Court charges
• Detailed description of warrants and warrant number
• Circumstances surrounding the arrest, including whether weapons were used, drug possession, display of violence, or the type of pursuit that led to an arrest
• The location at which the arrested individual is being detained
• Other information in a public arrest record may include booking date and number, court case number, court appearance, booking date, number, and type.

Franklin County Arrest Statistics

According to the arrest statistics compiled by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS), Franklin County recorded 1,466 arrests in 2023. 97.8% of those are adults, while 3.2% are juveniles. Among the arrestees, (932) were apprehended for Group B offenses, (228) for offenses against persons, (154) for crimes against property, and (152) for crimes against society.

The most reputable offense in the crimes against persons category is simple assault (214). On the other hand, shoplifting recorded (57) arrest counts within the crimes against property category. Meanwhile, drug offenses resulted in more arrests within the crimes against society category, with (134) arrests in 2023.

Find Franklin County Arrest Records

Arrest records are primarily generated during the booking process following an alleged suspect's arrest and detention at the county jail. Hence, they are preserved and disseminated by different arresting agencies within Franklin County. The following resources help retrieve the arrest information of Franklin County residents held by local, state, or federal law enforcement authorities.

Local Resources

Interested parties can ideally conduct arrest records searches via the Franklin County police department. Such requests can be made in person at the office's records division, via mail, or online. The police department provides daily public press logs, monthly arrest reports, quarterly arrest logs, crash reports, or incident reports for most cases. Nevertheless, there are legal exemptions governing the public release of any police records pertaining to domestic violence and abuse.

The Franklin County PD, in particular, allows members of the public to utilize the Online Request System for arrest record inquiries. One may also complete and submit a paper form by email to kgutauskas@franklinma.gov or in-person to the records access officer at the following address information:

The Records Access Officer
911 Panther Way
Franklin, MA 02038
Phone: (508) 440-2763

The Franklin County Sheriff's Records Access Division is another office to approach for local background checks and public arrest records retrieval. The records officer attends to the general public at reasonable times during business hours.

However, requesters should note that the Franklin County Sheriff's Office is a house of correction and jail housing offenders awaiting trial or serving a sentence of 2.5 years or less. The office is not an arresting/police authority or a court. Thus, police reports/police record checks should be conducted directly at the city/town police department(s), as explained above.

Likewise, corresponding information on court proceedings/possible charges on file should be requested through the presiding court. Be that as it may, requests for public arrest records and inmate information in the custody of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office should be made by email to recordsofficer@fcso-ma.us or by hand delivery or mail to:

Franklin County Sheriff's Office
Attn: Records
160 Elm Street
Greenfield, MA 01301

The office can also be reached by telephone at (413) 774-4014.

While record inspection is free, the inquirer may be required to pay a nominal fee to cover the cost of mailing or printing copies, where necessary.

State Resources

Anyone looking for information on defendants arrested in Franklin County, but transferred to a state prison should explore the resources provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction.

Federal Resources

Federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), US Marshals Service, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), may apprehend someone for breaking federal laws within the county. Such information can be accessed through the various online searchable databases provided by the agency. For example, the BOP's Find an Inmate is typically searchable using the detainee's unique identification number or name.

Free Arrest Record Search in Franklin County

Government online databases are not the only means of retrieving arrest information. Certain third-party aggregate platforms collate public arrest information and make it available to interested persons remotely. People can search Franklin County arrest records at no cost on third-party websites.

However, printing or viewing detailed arrest records may require a fee. One may leverage a one-time payment or trial subscription, depending on the platform's available model.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. Nevertheless, Massachusetts law permits record owners to expunge arrest records in Franklin County.

Expunge Franklin County Arrest Records

Expunging an arrest record means permanently destroying the information and making it no longer accessible to criminal justice agencies. Massachusetts expungement law permits applicants to apply for a time-based or non-time-based expungement.

Per MGL c.276, § 100E-100U, a time-based expungement generally applies under certain conditions. A few of these requirements include the following:

• The applicant should have no more than two records.
• The committed offense did not result in death or serious bodily harm.
• The offense was not carried out with a dangerous weapon.
• The offense is not a sexual abuse or violation.
• The crime was not committed against an elderly or disabled person.
• The offense is not an assault or battery on a household member.
• The crime is not a felony violation.

Meanwhile, the conditions for a non-time-based expungement are specified in MGL c. 276, § 100. People eligible for an arrest record expungement should complete and submit the Petition for Expungement, including other supporting files, to the office of the clerk court at the courthouse where the case was filed and adjudicated.

That said, if one is not eligible for expungement, they may apply to seal the arrest record. Sealing means the records may be publicly available to authorized persons or offices. MGL c. 276, § 100A governs the process for sealing an arrest record in Franklin. To seal a conviction record, the petitioner should confirm that they are eligible for the process, including ensuring that the offense to be sealed is not a severe misdemeanor or a felony.

Petitioners should fill out and submit the petition to seal their arrest record, alongside a copy of their criminal record and a certified copy of the court docket detailing the crimes committed. The petition for an arrest record expungement or sealing should be hand-delivered or mailed to the court having jurisdiction over the incident.

Franklin County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are directives issued to police officers authorizing the apprehension and restriction of freedom of a named subject. Per Massachusetts law, the affiant (requesting the warrant) should provide probable cause to release an arrest warrant. This probable cause may be founded on credible eyewitness testimony, evidence from an ongoing criminal investigation, or the belief that someone poses a risk to public safety.

Arrest warrants can also be issued when someone violates criminal justice conditions, such as parole and probation or court orders. Franklin County arrest warrants usually contain:

• The name of the person to be arrested.
• Physical identifying features of the accused.
• A description of the offense committed.
• The issuing judge's signature and title of office.

The warrant may also describe the conditions for release, such as the bail amount.

Do Franklin County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Franklin County arrest warrants never expire. They remain active until the alleged defendant is apprehended or willingly surrenders to local authorities.