Butte County Arrest Records

Butte County arrest records provide insight into arrests, bookings, and preliminary legal proceedings. Such records are created and maintained by the arresting police departments or agencies. Arrest records may also provide insight into one’s criminal history, so they are included in Butte County Court Records.

Under the California Penal Code, law enforcement officers in Butte County have the right to arrest individuals found committing or suspected of committing a criminal offense. Criminal offenses in Butte County may be categorized into felonies and misdemeanors.

Arrested persons are typically taken to the police department for “booking”— a process that involves documenting the arrestee’s personal information, details of the alleged crime, personal belongings, and fingerprints. The information obtained from this procedure is used to create an arrest record. After booking, the arrestee is detained in the Butte County Jail before and during court trials. The outcome of the trials determines if the arrestee is released from jail or not.

Are Arrest Records Public in Butte County?

Yes, Butte’s arrest records are public under the California Public Records Act (CPRA). However, the California Government Code exempts some arrest records from public disclosure. The exempted records include:

• Information that may endanger the safety of an individual involved in the investigation, especially the victim and witnesses
• Information that would prevent the successful completion of the investigation or any other related investigation
• Information on the current address of all individuals arrested by the agency
• Information that is restricted due to the victim’s request
• Criminal offender/juvenile record information
• Information that may deprive someone of a fair trial
• Information that may highlight an investigating officer's analysis or conclusion
• Medical record of the victim

Although the Government Code restricts public access to the information listed above, they may be released to the subject of the records, attorneys involved in the case, and government organizations when needed.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The California Government Code states that a public arrest record in Butte County should include the following information:

• Full name of the subject
• Date of birth of the subject
• Occupation of the subject
• The subject’s physical description, including sex, height, weight, and color of eyes
• The time, date, and location of the arrest
• The time and date of booking
• Circumstances surrounding the arrest
• The bail amount
• Detention facility where the arrestee is held or the time of release
• Charges the arrestee is currently being tried or investigated for
• Other outstanding warrants and probations.

Note: If any information listed above would compromise an ongoing investigation or the safety of any party involved in the case, the record custodian has the right to withhold it per the California Government Code.

Butte County Crime Rate

The latest crime statistics released by the California Department of Justice on the Open Justice Portal puts the number of reported crimes in Butte County at 5,325 in 2022. According to the report, property theft was the most prevalent crime, accounting for up to 74.16% (3,949) of reported crimes in the county.

With 2,547 reported cases, larceny-theft was the most prevalent property crime in the county in 2022. Motor vehicle theft followed with 739 reported cases, and burglary with 663 reported cases.

The prevalence of arson in Butte County is relatively low, with only 85 reported cases in 2022. The report also states that Butte County police departments received 1,291 reports of violent crimes, 75% of which were aggravated assaults.

Butte County Arrest Statistics

According to arrest statistics compiled by the California Department of Justice on the Open Justice Portal, Butte County police departments made 7,178 arrests in 2022. Of these arrests, 5,442 (75.8%) were for misdemeanors, and only two were for status offenses. Up to 1,734 (24.2%) were made for felony cases, including violent crimes (38.2% ) and property crimes (15.2%).

Find Butte County Arrest Records

In Butte County, nine police departments, the county sheriff’s office, and other law enforcement agencies are responsible for maintaining law and order. Local law enforcement agencies make most of the arrests. However, federal and state agencies may also arrest suspects/criminals in the county.

Individuals arrested by Butte County police departments are detained in Butte County Jail. To find detained individuals, one can contact the Butte County Jail at (530) 538-7471. The staff of the Butte County jail will provide information one will need to obtain inmate records. You can also visit the Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division or contact the Sheriff’s Office at (530) 694-2231. Regardless of the means adopted, you need to provide the following details for an effective records search:

• The arrestee’s full name
• The date and time of arrest
• The requester’s name and contact information
• A valid ID card

When federal and state agencies arrest violators of federal/ state law in Butte County, the inmates may be held in the Butte County Jail or transferred to detention facilities in other states. Such inmates can be found via any of the following methods:

• You can visit the county sheriff’s office as that is the location of booking for arrests made by state agencies.
• You can conduct an online search on the Federal Bureau of Prison (BOP) portal to determine the detention facility where the inmate is being held.
• You can also conduct an online search on the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS) portal. This portal was created by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to provide arrest records of individuals arrested by state agencies.
• Alternatively, you can utilize the inmate locator tool of the arresting agency to find an inmate. If the agency lacks such, you can contact the agency for information.

Free Arrest Records Search in Butte County

Anyone can request Butte arrest records from the police departments or law enforcement agencies per the California Public Records Act. Arrest records search is free in Butte County. However, duplication of Butte arrest records may attract a fee.

Anyone can approach the county sheriff’s office physically to request details of an arrest. You can also choose to look up an arrest record on the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Booking Logs. The BCSO Booking Log is a compilation of bookings done by police departments in Butte County. It provides the following details:

• The name of the arrestee
• The date of booking
• Descriptions of charges
• Inmate ID

Individuals unsatisfied with the information provided in the Booking Log can visit the sheriff’s office in person or contact them at (530) 694-2231. If the booking was done by another county agency, you may need to contact the agency in person or online to request the arrest record.

Alternatively, you can search for arrest records on third-party websites. Though owned by private companies, most third-party websites provide public records to requesters. Some of these websites may require you to subscribe or pay a fee before arrest records are released.

Get Butte County Criminal Records

Criminal records provide details of all contacts an individual has had with the criminal justice system including police departments, law enforcement agencies, and trial courts. Details in criminal records may include arrests, court dispositions, and pending warrants. Under the California Penal Code, criminal records can only be released to the subject of the record, individuals with the subject's consent, law enforcement/government agencies, and some employers. Requests for criminal records sent by non-eligible parties will not be processed.

Eligible parties can request Butte criminal records from the Sheriff’s Office records unit via mail or in person. For an effective records search, it is advisable to provide the following information to the records unit:

• The name of the record subject
• Date of arrest or criminal incident, if known
• A valid ID to prove eligibility
• The requester’s name and contact information

Record subjects can approach the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to request their criminal records. Notably, record subjects who reside in California are required to submit a Live Scan fingerprint, while non-residents must submit manual fingerprint cards (Form FD258). A guide on submitting these fingerprints and criminal records requests is available on the DOJ website.

Another option may be to approach the Criminal Justice Information Services Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Notably, this is for record subjects only. Requests sent to the FBI should be written, and they should include proof of payment ($18). They can be submitted via mail or online.

Butte County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Though used interchangeably, “arrest records” and “criminal records” have distinct definitions.

Butte arrest records are created and maintained by the Butte County sheriff’s office, other police departments, and other law enforcement agencies. They contain details of a subject’s personal information, physical description, reasons for arrest, incident reports, the arresting officer, and the outcome of the arrest. Arrest records do not contain details of court hearings or other crimes.

Butte’s criminal records, on the other hand, contain a compilation of records from different agencies in the criminal justice system. They include the subject’s personal history, mugshots, arrest records, active warrants, fingerprints, and court dispositions. Criminal records are maintained by the California Department of Justice.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. There is no expiration period for arrests on one’s records. However, law enforcement agencies in California have retention policies that vary among agencies. For instance, the California DOJ maintains criminal records until the subject reaches 100 years old. To erase an arrest from your record, you should consider record sealing or expungement.

Expunge Butte County Arrest Records

Arrest records can be sealed or expunged. Sealing prevents public access to a record, while expungement deletes it. California does not offer true expungement; therefore, record sealing is a better option.

Individuals arrested but not convicted can seal their records under the California Penal Code using the Petition to Seal Arrest and Related Records form (Form CR-409). On the other hand, factually innocent individuals can request the sealing of records using the DOJ’s Form BCII 8270.

Individuals who have completed their probation can file a petition for the case to be reopened using Form CR-180. This allows the individual to withdraw their plea and receive a dismissal of the conviction.

Petitions for sealing can be filed by oneself or an attorney. You can check the California Judiciary Clean Your Records page for more information on record sealing.

Butte County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is an official document that permits a peace officer to arrest and detain an individual. Per the California Penal Code, arrest warrants are issued by a judge/magistrate and they must include the following details:

• The name of the arrestee (the judge may use any name if the arrestee’s name is unknown)
• The time of issuance
• The location of issuance
• The signature and title of the judge/magistrate
• The name of the issuing court

Although arrest warrants are issued before arrests are made, the California Penal Code permits a peace officer to make a warrantless arrest if probable cause exists.

Butte County Arrest Warrant Search

The Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) maintains a record of all arrest warrants issued in the county. You can contact the BCSO in person, via mail, or by phone to request a warrant search.

Requesters can also approach the Butte County Superior Court to request criminal court records. The records will provide details of a trial, including the issuance of a warrant.

Alternatively, one can approach the California DOJ to request a comprehensive criminal history record that will list all pending warrants.

Do Butte County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, an arrest warrant issued in Butte County stays active until the subject dies, is apprehended, or the warrant is recalled.