| The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program | | | | subject, they will all show up as long as they are |
| reported that there were more than 14 million Police | | | | within the same state. |
| Reports Public Record made in the US by all | | | | Although there may be restrictions on the |
| enforcement agencies. This figure does not include | | | | accessibility and use of Public Arrest Reports under |
| traffic violations. According to preliminary reports by | | | | exceptional circumstances, they are Public Records |
| The Disaster Center, the numbers continued to climb | | | | nevertheless. As such, they are mandated by law to |
| for 2007 and look set to languish for years to come. | | | | be made available to anyone who may wish to |
| An arrest can be seen as serving basically two | | | | retrieve them and can be requested directly from |
| purposes. It stops a perceived violation of the law on | | | | the local Police Department where the subject |
| the spot. It also holds the arrestee in custody for | | | | resides or at any of the public offices assigned with |
| due judicial proceeding and disposition. While doing so, | | | | the function. |
| it not only prevents further extent of the offense | | | | The Police Force comes under state jurisdiction and |
| but also presumably isolates the bad apple from its | | | | Public Police Records are structured in accordance |
| barrel. This rationale is not Rocket Science and is in | | | | with that. As such, there are variations in regard to |
| practice across all civilized societies, with the task | | | | the treatment of Free Police Records from state to |
| most commonly charged to the Police. | | | | state. On top of that, the databases of the |
| It is a standard procedure for the Police to document | | | | respective state-level repositories are not linked. That |
| all their activities through Police Reports. In the case | | | | means a no-record-found covers only the state for |
| of Arrests, the associated reports will be entered | | | | which the search is conducted. It is reasonable to |
| into the subjects’ Police Arrest Records. Where | | | | speculate that the FBI has a federal Police Arrest |
| a subject does not have any Police Arrest Records, | | | | Record database but it is not likely to be publicly |
| one will be started. A distinctive feature of arrest | | | | accessible in view of security reasons. |
| records is that they stand whether or not there is | | | | Besides requesting them from the local Police |
| resultant incarceration. | | | | Departments and public offices, Public Police Records |
| We can learn a great deal about people from their | | | | can be purchased. There are plenty of commercial |
| Police Arrest Records. That’s why it is one of | | | | information brokers retailing such services over the |
| the most widely searched categories of Public | | | | internet. The great thing about such outfits is that |
| Records pertaining to Criminal Violation. At a basic | | | | there’s practically no waiting time. Reports are |
| level, they contain the personal details of the | | | | generally ready for download in a matter of minutes. |
| arrestee and the surrounding information of the | | | | On top of that, they often bring extras from their |
| arrests. If there had been multiple arrests on the | | | | private and proprietary sources. |