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  1. St. Lucie County Court
  2. St. Lucie County Arrest Records

St. Lucie County, Florida Arrest Records

St. Lucie County arrest records are records from law enforcement archives containing information on individuals arrested and in custody. These records include details like the detainee’s name, physical appearance, mugshots, and more.

Arrest records are limited to the details from the arrest event and do not contain any information that could determine the detainee’s guilt. They are available to the public according to the Florida Public Records Law. However, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement serves as the state’s central storage for criminal history records. According to Florida Statutes § 943.053, a consolidated criminal history record, which is an account of an individual’s interaction with the justice system, is more restricted.

Arrest records contain basic booking information, while criminal history records contain details of all arrests, charges, trials, and convictions, which may usually contain restricted or sealed information. St. Lucie County arrest records are created and maintained by the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office. This agency is the primary law enforcement body for the county. There are also local law enforcement agencies operating within the county, such as the Fort Pierce Police Department and the Port St. Lucie Police Department, which serve the two largest cities. These agencies maintain separate arrest records and must be requested from each agency.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in St. Lucie, Florida?

Yes, St. Lucie County arrest records are public records under Florida Statutes Chapter 119. These are laws that mandate government agencies to make their records available to the public for inspection and copying, except as prohibited by law or a court order. Thus, anyone can approach the sheriff’s office or court to request an arrest record in person or by phone. According to § 119.07(1), the records custodian must acknowledge requests promptly and provide access within a reasonable time.

While agencies may charge for making copies of arrest records, simply viewing or searching for these records is free. However, a special charge may apply if the volume or nature of the request requires supervision or extensive resources from the agency. Requesters do not need to provide a photo ID or be residents or citizens before they can access arrest records. These agencies also accept requests sent via mail.

What Do Public County Arrest Records Contain?

St. Lucie County arrest records contain basic booking details according to Florida Statutes § 119.011(3)(c). They contain publicly accessible inmate information, which will not violate the detainee’s privacy or safety. The law also contains information about records that are restricted from public access. These restrictions include private or sensitive information, such as details from active investigations, victim information, confession details, juvenile records, personally identifiable information, and sealed or expunged records. According to Florida Statutes § 119.071(2)(l), recordings such as dash camera and body camera footage may be restricted if disclosure will compromise an ongoing investigation. Here are the usual details contained in a St. Lucie County arrest record:

  • Full name, age, and address of the detainee
  • Booking date and number
  • Court details and disposition status
  • Mugshot
  • Name of the arresting officer and agency
  • The criminal charge or charges

St. Lucie County,  Florida Arrest Search

St. Lucie County arrest records can be searched using various methods. Members of the public can access statewide arrest information through public agencies such as the Circuit Court, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Department of Corrections. These agencies provide access to arrest information in person or over the phone. They also maintain online tools for providing access to arrest information, such as the Department of Corrections’ Offender Search portal. This website provides statewide search access to all inmates across all counties.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s records can also be accessed online through the Criminal History Record Check website. This website provides access to searches like Instant Search, Certified/Non-Certified Search, and ORI Search. The Federal Bureau of Prisons also maintains an Inmate Locator, which provides access to records of all arrested individuals across the country.

St. Lucie County Inmate Locator

St. Lucie County arrest records can be accessed through the Sheriff’s Office. This agency manages the county jail, which primarily houses all the county’s inmates. Members of the public can approach the sheriff’s office or the county jail in person to locate an inmate. The sheriff’s office or the county jail can also be contacted by phone at 772-462-7300 or 772-462-3450 with relevant details to find a detainee. St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office maintains an Inmate Lookup website, which allows searches for detainees using their first and last names.

Active Warrant Search in St. Lucie County

An arrest warrant refers to a court-issued legal document that gives law enforcement the authority and order to arrest and detain a named suspect. In St. Lucie County, arrest warrants are issued by judges of the Circuit Court after a prosecutor or law enforcement officer proves probable cause. This can be done by providing enough evidence to show the judge that it is reasonable to suspect the named individual of committing the offense. After this, the judge signs the warrant, which gives it authority. The warrant will remain active indefinitely until the suspect has been arrested and detained. Arrest warrants can also be canceled when the case is resolved or the court recalls the warrant. They usually contain details about the suspect, such as the name and description, the date of issuance, the issuing judge’s name and signature, as well as the charges. Arrest warrants can be searched through the county Sheriff’s Office’s Warrants Unit. The St. Lucie County Clerk’s office or the online case search website it maintains also provides access to active arrest warrants that are documented through court case files. 

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in St. Lucie County

St. Lucie County arrest records can be found for free through various means. The public can physically approach the county clerk’s office or the sheriff’s Warrants Unit to request an arrest record for free. These offices also provide free access to arrest records over the phone. Individuals who want online access for free can use the sheriff’s office Inmate Lookup website to search for arrest records. This platform offers a name search using the detainee’s first and last names.

The county’s online case search portal also provides free search access to case documents that contain arrest details. This is common among arraignment documents from criminal cases. The online portals are limited to recent or current arrest records, which will exclude access to older records. There is no requirement for an ID to use these channels for free access. Sealed or expunged records and juvenile records will not be available through the free access channels due to legal restrictions.

St. Lucie County Arrest Report

St. Lucie County arrest reports refer to a narration of the arresting officer’s observations while executing the arrest. The report, which is also called an incident report or police report, usually contains the sequence of events leading up to the arrest, the factual basis of the probable cause, the witness statements or statements made by the suspect, and the evidence gathered at the arrest scene.

Unlike an arrest report, arrest records are limited to booking details. They refer to documents from law enforcement archives that contain information about individuals who are in their detention. These details are booking information, such as the name, physical description, charges, mugshots, and more. Arrest reports and arrest records are generally public records. However, arrest reports may be withheld until investigations become inactive.

Arrest records are publicly displayed as soon as possible as part of the county’s transparency regulations and in line with the public records law.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in St. Lucie County

St. Lucie County arrest records can both be expunged and sealed under the Florida Statutes. According to § 943.059, Florida Statutes, sealing involves the removal of a record from public access. This means the general public and most employers and landlords will not be able to access the records through background checks. The Florida Statutes § 943.0585 describes expungement as a complete removal of the records.

In this case, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is prohibited from releasing the records to anyone, including government agencies. A sealed record will also become eligible for expungement after being under seal for at least 10 years if the applicant remains eligible. The requirements for being eligible for sealing in St. Lucie County include:

  • The individual does not have a crime record
  • The individual has never sealed or expunged a record anywhere in the country before
  • All court orders relating to the arrest have been satisfied
  • The charge is not part of the disqualifying offenses. 

Individuals who meet these requirements will be eligible for expungement in St’ Lucie County:

  • The charge was not filed, there was an acquittal, the prosecution entered a nolle prosequi, or the case was dismissed.
  • The individual has no crime record
  • The individual has not sealed or expunged any record before

There are disqualifying offenses that can never be sealed or expunged. They are listed in Florida Statutes § 943.059(1)(a), and they include murder, manslaughter, domestic violence offenses, child abuse or lascivious offenses involving minors, arson, invasion robbery, kidnapping, carjacking, and any offenses that caused death. The state also offers various expungement channels, which include:

  • Administrative Expungement for arrests made by mistake or contrary to law
  • Human Trafficking Expungement for victims of human trafficking
  • Automatic Juvenile Expungement for underage offenders when they turn 21 years of age

How Do You Remove St. Lucie County Arrest Records From the Internet?

St. Lucie County arrest records can be removed from the internet after a successful sealing or expungement petition. The court will grant an order of sealing, which is usually sent to the relevant government agencies automatically.

In situations where the expungement is not executed in good time, you can obtain a certified copy of the court order and send it to the relevant agencies. This will address the records uploaded to government websites such as the county Inmate Lookup archives. This will not automatically remove your records from third-party platforms, which are not subject to the obligations of the government agencies.

However, most records platforms are open to removal requests, which you can strengthen by adding a certified court order.