Salt Lake County Arrest Records

Per Utah Code Title 77, Chapter 7, an arrest in Salt Lake County involves detaining individuals who have violated state or county laws, including misdemeanors (class A, B, and C), felonies (capital offenses, first, second, and third-degree crimes), and other infractions. The Salt Lake City Police Department, Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, Unified Police Department, and other municipal police departments handle arrests in Salt Lake County.

In Salt Lake County, the arresting officer creates an arrest report detailing the charges, the suspect's information, and any relevant evidence. After being informed of their Miranda rights, the suspect is taken to a detention facility. During the booking process, their personal information, fingerprints, and photographs are recorded, personal items are stored, and a medical evaluation is conducted if necessary. The suspect may be questioned further, advised of their rights and charges, and a preliminary court hearing is scheduled, often with bail set. This process ensures legal documentation of the arrest and prepares for subsequent judicial proceedings.

Arrest records are essential for legal documentation, procedural compliance, and assisting court processes. Salt Lake County Court Records, maintained by the Utah courts, include arrest reports, charges, court dates, case statuses, verdicts, and sentencing information. These documents ensure transparency and provide vital data for court cases and public safety.

Are Arrest Records Public in Salt Lake County?

Yes, arrest records in Salt Lake County are public documents according to the Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) in the Utah Code. This means that government law enforcement organizations may receive requests for access from the general public.

However, the Open Records Act and court orders may exclude some records from public access for specific reasons. Exemptions typically apply to records whose disclosure could interfere with legal proceedings, jeopardize an individual's safety, or incite public disturbance. Some examples of non-disclosed records include:

• Private data, including social security numbers, bank account information, and health information;
• Information, including witness names, that could impede a legal action or inquiry;
• Records that jeopardize an individual's safety;
• Records whose exposure could impede someone's right to a fair trial;
• Records that expose investigation techniques, compromising the judicial process;
• Records that are subject to attorney-client privilege;
• Juvenile records;
• Expunged arrest records;

Exempt records are typically accessible only to government officers, legal representatives, and the subjects of the records. Public access to these records is restricted and generally requires a court order.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

A Salt Lake arrest record contains the following public information:

• Personal Information: Name, date of birth, age, gender, mugshots, and other physical descriptions.
• Arrest Details: Date, time, location, arresting agency, booking information, and charges filed.
• Case Information: Case or docket number and presiding court information.
• Custody Information: Case status and bail amount (if applicable).

Salt Lake County Crime Rate

Law enforcement agencies in Salt Lake County reported 81,144 crimes in 2024, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety's Bureau of Criminal Identification Crime in Utah report. These figures include 3,809 violent crimes and 48,561 property crimes. The report calculated the 2024 crime rate for Salt Lake County as 6,750 per 100,000 residents. This represents a decrease from the 2023 rate of 6,972 per 100,000 persons.

The tables detail the 2024 figures for various crime categories in Salt Lake County.

Crimes Against Persons

Crimes Against Property 

Crimes Against Society 

Salt Lake County Arrest Statistics

According to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting database, in 2024, Salt Lake County's law enforcement agencies arrested 41,931 individuals for over 42,200 crimes. These arrestees comprised 30,354 males and 11,587 females. Most arrests were for larcenies, simple assault, and drug-related offenses. There were also significant numbers of arrests for DUI, vandalism, and aggravated assault. In 2024, Salt Lake had an arrest rate of 3,470 arrests per 100,000 residents. The table outlines the number of arrests for various crimes in Salt Lake in 2024.

Data Source: FBI Uniform Crime Explorer.

Find Salt Lake County Arrest Records

Salt Lake County is served by various law enforcement agencies, including the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, Salt Lake City Police Department and the Utah Department of Public Safety. These agencies are responsible for maintaining and sharing arrest records.

To find arrest records, contact the relevant agency's records department where the arrest was made. Requests can be made by mail, online, or in person. Each organization has unique policies regarding record access and related costs. Typically, you'll need the following information for the search:

• Full name of the arrestee (first, middle, and last name)
• Date of birth of the arrest record subject
• Case details such as arrest date, case/docket number
• A U.S. government-issued ID (e.g., driver's license, passport)
• Contact information of the requester

Local law enforcement agencies often hold incarcerated people in temporary facilities before they are released on bond or charged. The Department of Corrections handles longer-term incarceration. Records can be obtained by submitting a request to any holding facility online, by mail, or in person.

For example, the Salt Lake City Police Department allows public records requests online or by mail at:

Salt Lake City Police Department
Service Desk
P.O. Box 145497
475 South 300 East
Salt Lake City, UT 8411

In-person requests can be made at the Service Desk in the Salt Lake City Public Safety Building lobby from Monday to Friday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. (closed during holidays). The processing fee is $0.25 per page.

The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office provides a jail roster on its official website, which is maintained by the Department of Corrections. Records can also be picked up in person at 3365 South 900 West, Salt Lake City, Utah 84119.

For state-level inquiries, visit the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) office of the Utah Department of Public Safety at 4315 South 2700 West Suite 1300 Taylorsville, Utah 84129, or fill out a request form and mail it to their office.

For federal arrests, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) offers a Federal Inmate Locator website to find the institution where an inmate is being held and obtain further arrest details.

Free Arrest Record Search in Salt Lake County

In Salt Lake County, access to arrest records is usually free of charge. The Utah Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) requires all government entities to make public records, including arrest records, available to the public upon request. The one expense that may be incurred is the processing fee for creating duplicate copies, which the agency and the quantity of copies determine.

The public can view arrest records at no cost by visiting the offices of local law enforcement agencies, such as the Salt Lake Sheriff's Office. To perform a search, the requester must provide the arrestee's first and last name. Additional data like date of birth and case/docket number may also be helpful for speedy results. Additionally, some arrest information can be viewed for free by browsing the inmate jail log sheet on their official website.

Arrest records are also accessible to the public upon request via third-party websites. The majority of these websites are owned by private companies that focus on gathering and preserving public records. A person looking for arrest records might not have to pay anything to read the most basic information in the record; however, there might be fees for a more detailed record and for making duplicate copies.

Get Salt Lake County Criminal Records

Criminal Records are official documents that detail a person's criminal activity. They are sometimes called "rap sheets" or "criminal history". These documents usually contain charges, convictions, arrests, and sentencing details. Local, state, and federal courts and law enforcement agencies maintain them. Criminal histories are utilized for many purposes, such as background checks for jobs, licenses, and legal matters.

Although there are several ways to obtain criminal records in Salt Lake County, the local sheriff's office is often the first place a requester may want to look when starting such a search. You can submit requests online, through mail, or in person. As previously stated, interested parties can obtain these documents from the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office by using any of the previously listed methods.

Per the Open Records Act, the only people who may access a complete criminal history record are:

• The person who is the subject of the record.
• Their legal representative.
• An authorized government agency.
• Someone with a court order.

The Salt Lake District Courts also keep criminal history records. Interested individuals can contact the Salt Lake County District Court office at 450 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84111. Additionally, the district and justice courts provide an online case search facility known as "X-change," where subscribers can obtain case information; records not open to the public are not shown there.

Salt Lake County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest and criminal records are different in Salt Lake County, Utah. Arrest records include information about individuals detained by the police, such as the date of the arrest, the charges, and biographical details. These documents indicate an arrest but do not always suggest guilt or conviction.

In contrast, criminal records offer a thorough account of a person's interactions with the criminal justice system. They include formal charges, court hearings, convictions, sentencing, and arrests. While arrest records focus on the actual arrest, criminal records cover a wider range of legal outcomes. Both documents are typically available to the public, though there may be certain limitations for sealed or erased records.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Salt Lake County arrest records usually remain on a person's record indefinitely. However, under certain circumstances specified by Utah state law, an individual may file a petition for expungement. The expungement process and eligibility criteria depend on the type and gravity of the offense, the case's outcome, and the amount of time that has passed since the arrest or conviction. For instance, certain misdemeanor charges, usually three to five years, may be expunged after a predetermined amount of time without causing new problems in the law; in contrast, felony arrests have more stringent requirements and more extended waiting periods.

Expunge Salt Lake County Arrest Records

According to Utah Code section 77-40a-101 (15), "expungement" refers to sealing or otherwise restricting access to an individual's record held by an agency when the record includes a criminal investigation, detention, arrest, or conviction.

In Salt Lake County, records can be expunged upon filing a petition once a person satisfies the legal conditions. Expungement can also be automatic, requiring no petition, or based on a court order due to specific legal necessity or public interest.

According to Utah Code section 77-40a-201, an arrest record is automatically expunged if it is related to a case dismissed with prejudice, ended with all charges dropped, or qualifies for a clean slate. In such cases, the Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) and the prosecuting agency receive a court order mandating expungement. Determining eligibility for expungement takes thirty-five days.

If a case fits under any of the following conviction categories, it may be automatically expunged:

• Misdemeanor charge for possession of a controlled substance (Utah Code Subsection 58-37-8(2)(a)(i)): provided that the offense occurred at least seven years after the date of the adjudication.
• Class B misdemeanor violation: Date of adjudication was at least six years ago.
• Class C misdemeanor offense or an infraction: Date of adjudication must have elapsed for at least five years.

To request that arrest records be expunged, an individual must:

• Submit an application to the Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) and pay the application fee.
• If eligible, pay the fee for a certificate of eligibility or special certificate as stipulated in Utah Code Section 77-40a-304.
• Submit an expungement petition in line with Utah Code Section 77-40a-305.

These standards apply exclusively to adult criminal records. For juvenile records, specific rules regarding expungement can be found in Utah Code section 80-6-10 or on the self-help page of the Utah Courts website.

Salt Lake County Arrest Warrants

Like in other jurisdictions, Salt Lake County issues arrest warrants, which are official court orders granting law enforcement the right to detain a certain person. In accordance with Utah Code Section 77-7-5 and the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, these warrants are only obtained when there is reasonable suspicion that the subject has committed a crime.

Usually, once law enforcement provides an affidavit outlining proof of the suspect's involvement in a crime, an arrest warrant is issued. The judge must deem this evidence sufficient to support the arrest. An arrest warrant may be required when someone fails to appear in court, faces significant charges, or is subject to ongoing investigations that necessitate incarceration.

The warrant is signed by the judge and includes:

• The suspect's name
• The crime that is allegedly committed
• The date it was issued

It ensures that arrests are made legitimately and with sufficient evidence, balancing individual rights and public safety.

Salt Lake County Arrest Warrant Search

Individuals looking to check for active warrants in Salt Lake County can utilize this Utah Department of Public Safety resource. The agency provides a Utah Statewide Warrant (SWW) search tool on its website, allowing users to search for active warrants across the state for free. To use this tool, users must enter their first, last, and middle names as search parameters.

Additionally, the SWW search tool can be accessed through the official websites of other government organizations, such as the Criminal Justice Services Division (CJIS) of the Department of Human Services.

Do Salt Lake County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants in Salt Lake County typically do not expire and are still in effect until the person is taken into custody or the court revokes the warrant. The duration of an arrest warrant can be influenced by several factors, including changes in the legal status of the case, such as dismissal or resolution, and administrative adjustments within the court system. While arrest warrants do not have a set expiration date, their priority for enforcement may vary based on the seriousness of the crime. Warrants for more serious offenses are usually given higher priority by law enforcement agencies. In some cases, warrants may be recalled or quashed if new evidence emerges, the case is resolved, or the person named in the warrant appears voluntarily before the court.