Churchill County Arrest Records

In Churchill County, Nevada, the criminal justice process begins by processing a person suspected of committing a crime into a detention facility (primarily the Churchill County Detention Center) following an arrest. This process, typically called the booking process, helps to create a succinct account of the circumstances surrounding the apprehension and essentially logs the suspect’s information into the law enforcement’s database, making an arrest record. Arrest records are vital resources for the government, corporations, and the general public.

For example, while individuals and employers may search arrest records to gather background information about a person or employment applicant, law students and teachers often use them as research tools to aid their knowledge of the legal system. Meanwhile, arrest information is typically dispensed to various judicial institutions as the arrestee's crime is prosecuted. Hence, these records typically become a part of Churchill County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Churchill County?

Yes, Churchill County arrest records maintain a public status under the provisions of Nevada’s Public Records Law (NRS 239.010). Per the law, public agencies must adopt a policy allowing anyone to inspect and copy most documents in their custody during regular office hours. Records must be made accessible to requesters no later than the end of the 5th business day from the date the request for the records was made. Otherwise, the record custodian is required to send a written notice of their inability to provide the record and include information on the earliest possible time of delivering the record.

Nevertheless, in the interest of public justice, certain records are typically excluded from the provisions of the NRS. They are consequently deemed confidential or private and accessible to a few essential stakeholders. Such records include:

• Records that contain a natural person’s name, address, telephone number, and identifying information, if these data were submitted during registration with a local government agency for the use of a recreational facility
• Social security numbers
• Juvenile arrest records

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records in Churchill County generally contain the following information:

• The subject’s personal data
• Details of the arrest (date, time, etc.)
• Mugshot
• Charges
• Court information

Churchill County Arrest Statistics

According to recent Nevada Crime Statistics, the following number of arrests were reported in Churchill County:

Property crimes:

• Burglary-12
• Larceny-Theft-14
• Motor vehicle theft-7
• Arson-1

Domestic violence: 62

Violent crime:

Rape:1

Robbery: 2

Aggravated assault: 20

Find Churchill County Arrest Records

Churchill County arrest records are primarily held by the Churchill County Sheriff's Office, which also administers the Churchill County Detention Center. Per the state's public records law, individuals may visit the sheriff's office physically to inspect or obtain copies of arrest records during normal work hours. The detention facility may also be reached by phone at (755) 423-1596 or by fax at (755) 423-3298.

Note: Individuals are generally encouraged to use the sheriff's office public records request form to submit requests for arrest records. Requesters are expected to provide a specific and detailed description of the sought record to enable officials to locate the accurate records easily.

Nevada’s Department of Corrections’ online Offender Search platform is another valuable resource for finding arrest information of persons apprehended in Churchill County. Searches may be done by offender ID or demographics. However, it is worth noting that the department only provides arrest information of individuals serving a sentence of incarceration in the Nevada State Prison.

Finally, requesters can use federal resources, especially the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmate locator, to find arrest information for Churchill County arrestees incarcerated in a federal prison. Individuals may also approach the arresting federal law enforcement agency directly for information about their arrestees through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

Free Arrest Record Search in Churchill County

Individuals may inspect Churchill County arrest records for free at the record custodian’s physical address or through the online platforms discussed above. However, additional services such as reproduction and certification of documents attract fees (which typically cover the actual costs of facilitating the request). Requesters should also note that they may be liable for costs if their request to inspect a document requires an extraordinary use of technological resources or personnel (NRS 239.055).

Third-party repositories may also maintain free records of Churchill County arrests sourced from government databases. However, private repositories remain commercial entities, and free arrest records, where available, contain limited information and only serve as incentives to subscribe to paid and more comprehensive packages.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. Subjects of an arrest record typically have to initiate and complete an expungement process to have their records deleted from public databases. Otherwise, their records will remain a public affair and appear on criminal background checks throughout their lifetime.

Expunge Churchill County Arrest Records

Expungement of arrest/criminal records in Churchill County, known as "sealing criminal records" begins with the subject requesting a verified copy of their criminal history from the criminal history repository. Next comes the preparation of a Petition and Order to Seal Records, which can be found at the state’s Department of Public Safety’s sealing of criminal records page. The filled-out petition may then be sent for filing to the appropriate district or municipal court along with the following documents:

• A verified copy of the criminal history record
• A compilation of all custodians of the arrest records (including public or private agencies, officials, and companies)
• Information that accurately describes the arrest record

If the court finds that there are sufficient grounds to expunge the records, they may grant an order to that effect, and record custodians will remove the record from their database.

Individuals should note that there are various waiting periods for expunging certain records, depending on the category of offense. For example, per NRS 179.245, category A felonies require the subject to wait for 10 years following their date of release from actual custody or discharge from probation before attempting to have their records sealed (this provision is restricted to convicted offenders). Applicants are advised to contact a qualified attorney to confirm their eligibility status before proceeding to apply for a record expungement.

Churchill County Arrest Warrants

Churchill County arrest warrants are issued by a judge upon establishing probable cause to suspect that the subject has committed a crime or has been indicted by a grand jury. These warrants are provide law enforcement the legal authority to apprehend the named individual. Arrest warrants issued in Churchill County generally include the following information:

• Judge’s signature and office designation
• The alleged offender’s name and description
• The date of issuance
• The city, town, or county of issuance
• The alleged criminal offence
• A command that the subject be arrested and brought before the nearest available judge

A court typically keeps a record of issued arrest warrants. As such, a requester may approach an issuing court for information on outstanding warrants. Alternatively, interested parties may query the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office or any local law enforcement agency responsible for executing the arrest.

Do Churchill County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, While several factors may frustrate its execution, Churchill County arrest warrants do not have an expiry date and remain valid until executed. The issuing court will need to quash or recall the arrest warrant to render it unenforceable.