Alamance County, North Carolina Arrest Records

Alamance County arrest records present essential information about arrests executed by local law enforcement agencies, such as the Alamance County Sheriff's Office and Burlington Police Department. Typically specifying the apprehended person's identity, the initial allegations, the incident date, and the arresting agency, these records enable public monitoring of law enforcement activity and ensure individuals are not unconstitutionally deprived of their liberty. 

Arrest records are generated and maintained by the primary agency involved in the arrest. Although the term "arrest records" is not explicitly defined under North Carolina law, the legislature outlines, in G.S. § 132-1.4, what specific arrest information may be disclosed to the public.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Alamance, North Carolina?

Yes. North Carolina's Public Records Law fosters the widespread inspection of government records, including arrest information maintained by law enforcement departments within the state.

Requesters need not be citizens or residents of Alamance County, nor are they typically required to produce a valid form of identification (except when requesting confidential, sealed, or private information).

Anyone interested in an Alamance County arrest record can make a direct inquiry to the arresting agency or utilize online forms/resources available through the relevant criminal justice departments.

What Do Public Alamance County Arrest Records Contain?

G.S. § 132-1.4 spotlights the following details as among those commonly featured in public-facing Alamance arrest records:

• The alleged violation of law
• The arrested individual's name, address, sex, and employment
• The arrest circumstances, including 
  • The time and place of arrest
  • Whether the suspect offered resistance
  • Notes on any possession or use of weapons
  • Whether a pursuit was necessary to execute the arrest
  • A description of any items/property seized in connection with the incident

Certain exceptions apply to data deemed nonpublic by statute or judicial directive. Confidentiality may be imposed for reasons such as

• To ensure the integrity of investigative processes
• To safeguard witnesses or victims
• To secure the State's right to prosecute
• To secure a defendant's right to impartial adjudication
• To safeguard a confidential informant's identity

Fingerprints, Social Security numbers, medical information, active surveillance data, personal contact numbers of sexual assault victims, and sealed/expunged records, for example, are strictly shielded from open access in Alamance County.

Alamance County, North Carolina Arrest Search

As criminal justice agencies regularly transmit or exchange data to investigate or prosecute offenses, arrest information recorded in Alamance County, North Carolina, rarely remains isolated with the arresting agency. Consequently, local arrest records may be found with state and federal repositories, and the public can submit requests to these sources to obtain arrest information. 

North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI)

The NCSBI maintains the state's central database for Criminal History Record Information (CHRI). CHRI consists of data gathered from various criminal justice systems, including courts, law enforcement, and corrections agencies.

The NCSBI offers strictly fingerprint-based criminal history checks. Any arrest data transmitted by an Alamance County-based police department to the NCSBI will appear in such background reports unless the information has been sealed/expunged. 

NCSBI checks are limited to the subject of the record and entities authorized under state or federal law (certain employers and licensing entities). The NCSBI Background Checks page outlines the process, fees, and standardized forms for initiating personal background reviews or other kinds of criminal history checks.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The FBI charges an $18 processing fee to provide an Identity History Summary Check. Similar to state-level reviews, these nationwide fingerprint-based checks are provided solely to the subject of the record. They return arrest and related criminal justice data, so long as a local incident was reported to the FBI and the files have not been sealed/expunged.

North Carolina Judiciary

Arrest information frequently appears in criminal court records maintained by the state judiciary, as these details are routinely filed or presented during the court proceedings. 

The North Carolina eCourts database is the primary public portal for accessing digitized court records online. Active and historical Alamance County criminal cases can be reviewed through this online system. Alternatively, direct requests can be submitted to the Alamance County Superior Court Clerk's Office in person or via mail for physical/paper records (see Contact Directory).

Alamance County Inmate Locator

The Alamance County inmate locator is an online, searchable database maintained by the local Sheriff's Office. Formally referred to as the "Inmate Inquiry" system, the database lists all persons currently in custody at the Alamance County Detention Center. Users can navigate the locator as follows:

1. Access the Sheriff's Website: Go to the Alamance County Sheriff's Office website on an internet-connected device.
2. Find the Inmate Locator Link: Within the "Sheriff's Office Links" menu (located at the top or left-hand side of the page, depending on screen size), click Resources and then Inmate List to launch the locator.
3. Browse the Default Roster: The system displays a complete inmate roster by default, showing 10 entries per page. Users who prefer manual searches can adjust the view settings to display 5, 10, 20, 50, or all entries at once.
4. Search with Specific Parameters: Instead of browsing through the roster, select Filter Inmate List at the bottom of the page to expand the system's search panel. From there: 
   1. Choose and input the preferred search parameter (such as a Last Name, Primary Charge, or Arrest Date).
   2. Leave the query logic set to Equal to the search input or modify as needed (e.g., Not Equal To, Begins With, Contains).
   3. Click Find to retrieve matching records. 

Beyond an online inmate search, individuals can submit a public records request online or via mail to the Sheriff's Office to obtain related arrest information for persons in the county jail. For others arrested but released without detention, contacting the arresting department or checking the corresponding court records is recommended.

Alamance County Sheriff’s Office

109 South Maple Street

Graham, NC 27253

Main Phone: (336) 570-6300

Detention Center Phone: (336) 570-6317

Detention Center Email: DetentionAdmin@alamancecountync.gov

Active Warrant Search in Alamance County

G.S. § 15A-304 defines an arrest warrant, or a warrant for arrest, as a judicial order directing law enforcement to arrest an accused individual and bring them before a judge or magistrate to answer the charges brought against them. This statute comprehensively covers the definition, issuance, execution, and return of arrest warrants across North Carolina.

Per the law, arrest warrants in Alamance County can only be released upon "a showing of probable cause supported by oath or affirmation." This means that the law enforcement official requesting the warrant must present concrete facts or circumstances establishing a criminal occurrence and identifying a specific person as the perpetrator. 

While G.S. § 15A-304(b)(3) allows probable cause statements to be made by private citizens, the statute mandates that the court issue a criminal summons rather than an arrest warrant by default unless specific criteria are met (e.g., a corroborating testimony from a sworn police officer or at least one disinterested witness, or where the accused is a flight risk).

Alamance County arrest warrants typically contain the following:

• A statement of the crime the accused is alleged to have committed.
• An order directing a law enforcement officer to capture the accused and, without unnecessary delay, take them before a judicial officer.
• The issuing judicial official (who can be a judge, magistrate, or clerk).
• The exact date and place of issuance.

G.S. § 132-1.4(k) maintains that arrest warrants that have been returned by police agencies are public records, and these warrants may be withheld only when sealed by court order. Unreturned warrants are typically shielded unless public assistance is required to capture the named subject.

To ascertain whether an arrest warrant was approved for a criminal case filed in Alamance County, North Carolina, one can inspect local court records through the Alamance County Superior Court Clerk's Office or the NC Administrative Office of the Courts.

Agency / Resource	Purpose	Search Methods	Notes
Alamance County Superior Court Clerk's Office	Maintains the official local court records	Phone, in person (at public courthouse terminals), email, mail	A name or case number is required for the search. Copy fees apply (see Miscellaneous Court Costs).
North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC)	Serves as the central administrative agency for the North Carolina Judicial Branch	Online criminal background check request, or self-service via the eCourts portal	A $25 fee applies per certified background check request.  The eCourts portal is accessible free of charge (the portal contains each case's chronological "Events" log, which can be reviewed to check if a warrant was issued or returned).

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Alamance County

A public records request can be forwarded to any arresting agency in Alamance County to view arrest records at no cost. Specifically, this request should be for the physical inspection of records, as requests for copies typically attract per-page duplication fees.

Additionally, local police agencies regularly post news releases, media logs, or crime blotters on their websites that highlight recent law enforcement activity.

Another free option for viewing recent arrests and bookings is to check the Alamance County inmate locator. Limited arrest information (such as the arrest date and underlying charges) is readily available on the portal.

Having at least a name, birth date, or arrest date is crucial for finding free arrest records. Note that with free arrest data sources, detailed, historical, or certified data is typically not disseminated, so a direct inquiry to the records custodian is required if official or comprehensive information is desired.

Alamance County Arrest Report

Alamance County arrest reports include the official, detailed narrative of an arrest. Prepared by the arresting or investigating police officer, these internal reports feature expansive details about who was arrested, why the arrest happened, where the arrest took place, and which officer/agency conducted the operation.

Arrest reports serve as the primary data sources from which the public-facing arrest records are generated. While public arrest records present extracted data fields—often arranged as a chronological timeline of a person's arrest history or a jurisdiction's overall arrests—the comprehensive arrest report remains the master documentation logged into law enforcement and criminal justice databases.

Unlike arrest records, which are generally public, arrest reports are much more restricted. G.S. § 132-1.4(a) classifies "criminal investigative information," which includes full, unredacted police reports and investigative notes, as strictly confidential.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Alamance County

G.S. § 15A-145 through 15A-153 (Article 5, Chapter 15A of the North Carolina General Statutes) set out North Carolina's expunction, or expungement, statutes, which apply directly to arrest and criminal records across the state, including in Alamance County. 

These statutes describe a criminal defendant's eligibility and the official procedures for seeking an expungement, for instance, when the charges were dismissed or the defendant was acquitted. The purpose of an expungement is to clear the public record of any associated arrest, charge, or criminal conviction. The effect, as provided in G.S. § 15A-153, is that a successful petitioner can claim, without risking perjury, to have no knowledge of the expunged record. 

Expunged information, nevertheless, can still be accessed by prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, and other authorized government agencies/officials, as highlighted in G.S. §§ 15A-151 and 15A-151.5.

Because North Carolina has several expungement statutes that address the removal of arrest records, a person may qualify for expungement under a specific statute or multiple provisions. Individuals who believe themselves eligible for an expunction are, therefore, advised to seek legal counsel to determine the best path forward. 

Nevertheless, a petition for expunction is filed with the clerk of the court's office in the county where the defendant was originally charged or convicted. In Alamance County, this filing occurs at the Superior Court Clerk's Office. A $175 filing fee applies, although the fee is $0 for certain expungements, such as dismissed charges (unless the dismissal followed a completed diversion program or deferred prosecution agreement) and "not guilty" verdicts.

General information and answers to frequently asked questions about expunctions in Alamance County, and North Carolina as a whole, are provided on the NC Judiciary's Expunctions page. 

How Do You Remove Alamance County Arrest Records From the Internet?

To remove Alamance County arrest records from the internet, it is recommended to seek an expunction through the local court system. An expunction order effectively directs all named or affected government agencies holding the record(s) in question to seal or destroy their files.

Moreover, in accordance with G.S. § 15A-152, private entities in the "business of compiling and disseminating criminal history record information for compensation" permanently update their platforms and remove an expunged record upon receiving notice and a copy of the expungement order from the subject of the record or their legal counsel.