Antrim County Arrest Records

Under the Michigan Code of Procedure, section 764.15, officers may arrest and take an individual into custody when they have reasonable cause to believe the suspect has committed a crime. In Antrim County, the County sheriff and police department are responsible for maintaining law and order, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies.

Typically, arrestees are detained in the county jail before they are due to appear in court. The individual is booked upon arrest, and pertinent arrest data is formally documented. This creates an official arrest record integrated into the comprehensive Antrim County Court Records.

An arrest record usually contains the subject's identifying details, such as name, age, photograph taken at booking, address, and the facts establishing probable cause for the arrest. This document is part of the broader court records, which offer insight into an individual's contacts with the law and criminal conduct.

Are Arrest Records Public in Antrim County?

Yes. According to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FIOA) (MCL 15.231), public agencies are required by law to grant access to records they maintain to all requesters, except incarcerated individuals. However, some records are deemed confidential and sensitive and as such, are exempt from public disclosure. These include:

• Records that have been sealed or expunged by law
• Records about a criminal investigation
• Juvenile records
• Medical records, personal identifying information, including home address and social security number

Antrim County Arrest Statistics

According to a 2022 County sheriff's office report, the crime rate was 16.75 per 1,000 residents. The Antrim County jail system recorded about 1,151 admissions. The average daily jail population was 43 inmates. Among the inmate population, the distribution of the charges was 3rd degree felonies at 32.56%, 2nd degree felonies at 11.63%, 1st degree felonies at 6.98%, misdemeanors at 16.28%, and others constituted 32.55%.

Find Antrim County Arrest Records

In Antrim County, the County Jail is the designated location that houses offenders. The Sheriff's Office is the official custodian of records about individuals incarcerated by the county. Interested parties may get inmate records for Antrim County by submitting a request to the Sheriff's Office at the following address:

Antrim County Sheriff's Office
107 Grove Street
P.O. Box 568
Bellaire, MI 49615
Phone: (231) 533-8627
Fax: (231) 533-5803

Antrim County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

The terms "arrest record" and "criminal record" are often used interchangeably. However, there is a subtle difference. An arrest record indicates that law enforcement took an individual into custody, while a criminal record reflects a conviction following a legal process.

The existence of an arrest record doesn't necessarily mean the individual committed a crime. It simply signifies a suspect was taken into custody or interacted with law enforcement, but it is not proof of guilt. On the other hand, a criminal record is established when an individual is found guilty or pleads guilty to a crime.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Along with other criminal records, arrest records give an overview of an individual's criminal tendencies. As a result, they remain permanently in an individual's criminal record. However, a record custodian will remove it if the subject of the record takes the necessary steps to have it removed. Under the provisions of MCL 780.621, an individual can get an expungement order for eligible crimes from a court.

However, the court cannot expunge certain sets of convictions, including convictions for charges involving the sexual abuse of children, human trafficking, some traffic offenses, felonies such as domestic abuse, and criminal sexual conduct.

Antrim County Arrest Warrants

When a judge issues an arrest warrant, it permits law enforcement officers to arrest an individual suspected of a crime. They may legally take the individual for further questioning or prosecution. The primary purpose of an arrest warrant is to ensure that law enforcement agents have the legal backing to arrest and detain a suspect without violating their rights under the Fourth Amendment. Once the warrant is signed, it is logged into the law enforcement database.

An arrest warrant typically contains:

• The individual's name and description, such as eye color, ethnicity, and tattoos
• The specific crime for which the arrest is being made
• A command to arrest the individual and bring them before a judge or magistrate.
• The court or magistrate where the accused is to be brought

Do Antrim County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Once issued, an arrest warrant remains valid indefinitely. The only way to cancel a warrant is for the subject to be physically present in court for arraignment. The Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) immediately registers an issued warrant. This entry ensures the warrant's visibility during background inquiries, routine traffic stops, and lawful searches.

A warrant can persist indefinitely, especially for more severe criminal allegations. Neglecting to address an outstanding warrant exposes the individual to potential arrest at any time and may attract additional legal consequences.

Expunge Antrim County Arrest Records

Individuals with prior criminal records often have difficulty in employment, professional licensing, and housing. This makes it difficult for them to live everyday lives even long after the event. Recognizing these challenges, the State of Michigan offers a legal remedy through expungement. Expungement, governed by MCL 780.621, is the legal process of removing a conviction from an individual's criminal history or shielding the information from public disclosure. This effectively removes records of arrests associated with the expunged conviction. Afterwards, the sentence becomes non-public. Legally, it is as though the individual had not been found guilty.

Michigan's Clean Slate law allows the automatic setting aside of certain criminal convictions. Otherwise, individuals may petition the court for an order of expungement. The essence is to give individuals a second chance to mitigate the enduring consequences of criminal justice involvement, such as discrimination.

However, expungement is available only for specific eligible convictions; for example, multiple convictions from the same criminal offense are ineligible. Interested parties may visit the ICHAT website to verify the status of their expungement.