Kings County Arrest Records

Arrests play a vital role in the operation of law enforcement agencies in Kings County. A law enforcement officer (also known as a peace officer in Kings County) performs an arrest when there is sufficient evidence to believe a person has committed a crime. Under normal circumstances, a peace officer needs a warrant from the court to arrest a person. However, an arrest can still occur without a warrant if the officer witnesses a crime in progress.

When a person is arrested in Kings County, they are taken to a booking facility to have their information collected before being transferred to the county jail. The Sheriff's Office oversees the county jail's operation and is majorly responsible for generating an arrest record following an individual's arrest. Nonetheless, arresting police agencies also maintain records of their arrests.

If an arrestee is prosecuted for a crime, the arrest record will become part of the Kings County court records. Once charged in court, the record of the arrest will be required to aid the judicial process. The Kings County Superior Court hears county criminal cases and is the county's court records repository.

Are Arrest Records Public in Kings County?

Yes. The California Public Records Act (PRA) governs access to arrest records in Kings County. According to the PRA, arrest records are public records and are open to the public for examination or copying.

However, the Act restricts some arrest records in which the individual right to privacy is greater than the public's right to know. These arrest records include:

• Juvenile arrest records
• Sensitive personal information
• Personal information that can be used to identify crime victims
• Medical records

Arrest records can also be confidential if there is an ongoing investigation, and disclosing the record may interfere with the investigation process.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Per Cal. Gov. Code § 7923.610, public arrest records in Kings County contain the following information:

• The arrestee's full name and date of birth
• The arrestee's physical description (height, weight, sex, eye, and hair color)
• The arrest time and date
• The booking time and date
• Bail amount
• The time and manner of release or the location where the suspect is being detained
• The charges for which the suspect was arrested (inclusive of outstanding warrants from other jurisdictions, parole holds, and probation holds)

Kings County Crime Rate

The California Department of Justice (DOJ) provides annual reports on crimes that transpired in Kings County and other counties across the state through its Open Justice Data portal. The portal provides comprehensive data on the crimes committed in Kings. It also allows users to export the data and compare crime statistics across the various jurisdictions in the state.

As of 2023, a reported total of 2,472 crimes were committed in Kings County. Property crimes were the most prominent, with 1,799 offenses. The leading property crime was larceny-theft, with 1,129 incidents, followed by motor vehicle theft (387 offenses) and burglary (283 offenses).

Also, the county had 656 violent crimes. Aggravated assault accounted for 523 violations, rape for 80 incidents, robbery for 41 cases, and homicide for 12 incidents. There were also 17 reported cases of arson.

According to the provided data by the DOJ, Kings County witnessed a positive 10.92% decline in the crimes committed compared to the previous year, 2022.

Kings County Arrest Statistics

The Department of Justice also records all arrests made by law enforcement agencies in Kings County. The 2023 arrest statistics disclose that 4,979 arrests were made in the county.

There were 1,205 arrests made for felony crimes, of which 472 were for violent offenses, 166 property offenses, 29 drug offenses, and 43 sex offenses. Further, 495 arrests were made for other felony offenses.

Meanwhile, misdemeanor crimes constituted 3,758 of the total arrests, and status offenses accounted for 16 arrests.

Find Kings County Arrest Records

An arresting local law enforcement agency is responsible for generating an arrest record to document the event. The agency is also charged with preserving the record and furnishing access where allowable by law. This means that researchers can contact any agency responsible for an arrest to request the associated record in line with the state's Public Records Act. Basic information about the arrest, like the arrestee's name, will be required to acquire the record. Requests are typically made in person but may also be allowed by mail or online if the agency makes such provisions.

Additionally, arrest records for persons in the local jail can be obtained using the Kings County Sheriff's Office inmate locator. The inmate locator allows users to search using the inmate's name. The search reveals a detainee's personal information, arrest details, and charges(s).

Certain arrest information about an individual prosecuted in Kings may be found in their court records. A court record can be obtained from Kings County Superior Court in person or via mail. A mail request can be made in writing or by completing the Request for Record Search and Copies form and forwarding it to the court's address. The court's address is:

Kings County Superior Court
1640 Kings County Drive
Hanford, California 93230

Non-confidential court records can also be accessed on the computer terminals available at the courthouse. Alternatively, individuals can search for a court record remotely using the court's Case Search tool. The tool can be searched by name or case number.

Note that records maintained by local authorities in Kings may not reveal information about those sent to federal or state prison after being arrested in King. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is the state agency handling the affairs of state inmates. The CDCR Incarcerated Records and Information search portal can be used to search the state's inmate database. An inmate can be located by name or CDCR number. At least a last name is needed to conduct a name search.

On the other hand, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmate locator allows users to look up federal arrestee/inmate records. The portal can also perform a name or number (BOP, DCDC, FBI, or INS) search.

Free Arrest Record Search in Kings County

Kings County residents can acquire an arrest record for free from any of the official record custodians. No state law imposes a fee for viewing arrest records. However, a fee may be charged if the inquirer wants a copy.

Also, several third-party vendors allow members of the public to find arrest records on their commercial websites. These vendors generally make it more convenient to search for arrest records, and most divulge some arrest information without charge. However, one may need to pay to access complete information in a third-party repository.

Get Kings County Criminal Records

A criminal record is a comprehensive summary of an individual's criminal justice interactions. It furnishes a subject's identifying information, arrests, charges, and dispositions.

In Kings, a local criminal history record is confidential per Cal. Pen. Code § 13300 and only releasable to the subject of the record, authorized third parties, and public agencies. The Sheriff's Office Records Division is responsible for safeguarding and disseminating the county's criminal records. During office hours, individuals can visit the Records Division to perform a local criminal history check. The requester may be required to provide a valid government-issued ID.

Meanwhile, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) is the official custodian of statewide criminal history records, which are also confidential under Cal. Pen. Code § 11105 to subjects of records and other authorized entities.

To acquire a statewide criminal record, a requester must complete the DOJ's Live Scan Form. In the form, "Record View" should be checked as the "type of application" and entered on the "reason for application" line. The completed form should be taken to a Public Live Scan Site for fingerprinting. Kings County residents have several Public Live Scan Sites across the county. The total fee incurred when utilizing the fingerprint services varies per site.

A standard fee of $25 (exclusive of the fingerprint services cost) is charged for each criminal history record request. Individuals may apply for a fee waiver if they meet the eligibility requirements.

Kings County residents out of the state can obtain their statewide criminal records from the DOJ by mailing a manually completed Live Scan Form and their fingerprint card to the DOJ. Requesters can utilize fingerprinting services at any law enforcement agency, provided the fingerprint card contains their full name, birth date, sex, and return mailing address. Below is the mailing address to send the request:

California Department of Justice
Bureau of Criminal Identification and Analysis
Record Review & Challenge Section
P.O. Box 160207
Sacramento, California 95816-0207

The criminal history record obtained through the above process is solely for personal review and cannot be used for international purposes. Persons seeking their criminal history records for foreign transactions should visit the DOJ's Visa/Immigration page.

Subjects of records can also acquire their nationwide criminal records from the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation). A request costs $18 and can be made online, via mail, or through an FBI-approved channeler.

Kings County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

A Kings County arrest record comprises important information about an arrest that took place in the county. Its sole purpose is to document the circumstances surrounding an arrest. Such records are part of Kings County public records and can be accessed by anyone except where restricted.

A criminal record, on the other hand, provides a more detailed history of a person's involvement with the criminal justice system. It contains information ranging from initial arrests to convictions and sentences. Criminal records in Kings County are private records. They can only be released to the subject of the record.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrests made in the State of California remain on a person's record forever, irrespective of whether the person was charged or not. Under certain circumstances, however, an individual can petition the court to have an arrest record sealed or expunged. This would ensure access to the record is restricted from the public's view. Nonetheless, sealed or expunged records may still resurface (if necessary) should the subject of the record have any subsequent interaction with the criminal justice system.

Expunge Kings County Arrest Records

Sealing or expunging are processes that restrict or remove police and court records, including arrest records, from public access. The Kings County Superior Court handles these processes.

Per Cal. Pen. Code § 851.8, an individual who was arrested but not convicted (not charged or charged but not found guilty) may petition the court to seal their arrest record. The petition must be verified and filed in the court where the charges were initially filed at least 15 days before the petition hearing. A copy of the petition must also be served to the prosecuting attorney and the arresting law enforcement agency at least 15 days before the petition hearing. The petition must include the following information:

• The petitioner's name and date of birth
• The date the arrest occurred
• The city and county where the arrest occurred
• The law enforcement agency responsible for the arrest
• Any additional information from the arresting agency or court, such as the police report case number or court number related to the arrest or charges filed
• The offense on which the arrest occurred
• The charges filed, if any
• A written declaration from the petitioner stating the grounds on which the arrest record should be sealed

An order to seal an arrest record will be released if the action is deemed to serve the best interests of justice. If the petition is granted, the arrest is legally considered not to have occurred.

Not all arrestees can petition the court to seal an arrest record. An arrestee can be ineligible on the following grounds:

• A future charge may arise based on the arrest.
• The arrest charge is for murder or an offense for which there is no statute of limitations unless the individual is found innocent of the charges.
• The defendant deliberately evaded the arrest by absconding from the jurisdiction or was involved in identity theft.

A person may also petition the court per Cal. Pen. Code § 1203.4 to expunge a conviction. The conviction, however, must not be for any of these offenses:

• Murder
• Rape
• Arson
• Lewd acts on a child under 14
• A felony crime punishable by death or life imprisonment
• A sex offense requiring registration
• Escape from a correctional facility within the previous 10 years

An eligible petitioner must have completed the conviction sentence, not be serving another sentence, and have no current charges. Once all conditions stipulated by the court are met, the court may issue an order to expunge the conviction. This process does not necessarily erase any arrest record. It only modifies a guilty plea to a plea of not guilty.

Kings County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a legal paper administered by a judge that permits law enforcement personnel (also known as peace officers) to arrest and detain an individual. According to the Cal. Pen. Code §§ 813 - 829, the procedure for issuing an arrest warrant involves the following steps:

• A peace officer submits a formal complaint, accompanied by the available evidence, to the court. If the suspect is a peace officer, an employee of a public prosecutor's office in California may submit the complaint.
• The sitting judge examines the complaint and evidence provided
• The judge approves a warrant of arrest in writing if the evidence is satisfactory.

A bench warrant, however, may not necessarily follow this process. A bench warrant is a sort of arrest warrant issued when a person is summoned to court but fails to appear on the specified date and time or when a person disobeys a court order. In this case, the warrant is issued without a complaint being filed with the court.

An arrest warrant will typically contain the following information:

• Name of the suspect (The suspect may also be designated by any name if the original name is unknown)
• County where the arrest warrant was issued
• Date and time of issuance
• Court instruction ordering the arrest of the suspect
• Name of the issuing court
• The signature and office title of the issuing judge or magistrate
• Amount of bail

Any Kings County peace officer may serve a warrant. Once a warrant is issued ordering the arrest of an individual in Kings County, the person officially becomes part of the county's wanted list. The warrant information is also entered into the California Department of Justice's Wanted Persons database.

Kings County Arrest Warrant Search

The Sheriff's Office Records Division processes and verifies all arrest warrants issued in Kings County. Members of the public can visit the Sheriff's Office to confirm the existence of an active arrest warrant. The inquisitor may need to provide a valid ID at the office to proceed with the request. Below is the Sheriff's Office address:

Kings County Sheriff's Office
1550 Kings County Drive
Hanford, California 93230
Phone: (559) 584-1431

Alternatively, individuals may probe Kings County Superior Court for arrest warrant information. The details of an arrest warrant issued for a case that made it to court may be featured in the case record. Individuals can search for these records at a courthouse public self-service terminal or using the case search feature on the court's website. A case record can also be requested in person or by mail.

Do Kings County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. California law makes no provision for the expiry of an arrest warrant. An arrest warrant issued in Kings County remains valid so long as the suspect has not been apprehended and arraigned. A warrant of arrest can also be recalled or quashed by the court, or can become invalid, upon the following bases:

• The warrant has been executed, or the suspect surrendered voluntarily
• The suspect is dead
• A procedural error occurred
• Evidence supporting the issuance of the warrant is found to be unreasonable or inaccurate

If a person suspects an active arrest warrant in their name, it is best to contact a lawyer to learn the proper steps to take. Opting to wait out the warrant is not recommended.