Bolivar County Arrest Records

Under the Mississippi Rules of Criminal Procedure (MCP), law enforcement officers are authorized to arrest individuals suspected of having committed a crime in Bolivar County, Mississippi. Following the arrest, the arresting agency takes the suspect to the nearest detention facility pending a court appearance or a release on bail. In this process, the arrestee is booked, and information relating to the arrest is collated to create a Bolivar County arrest record.

Subsequently, the arrest record is integrated with Bolivar County court records, criminal history files, and other legal documentation. Under Georgia law, officers are expected to obtain an arrest warrant before a suspect may be detained. Arrest warrants are only issued when probable cause has been established.

Are Arrest Records Public in Bolivar County?

Yes, The Mississippi Public Records Act stipulates that government records must be made available to any member of the public upon request. However, such records are only available because they are not involved in an active investigation or contain sensitive information. Information exempted from public disclosure includes the following:

• Confidential financial and commercial information
• Private information concerning law enforcement and judicial officers
• Juvenile arrest records
• Expunged or sealed records under a court order
• Arrest records and information about ongoing investigations
• Records disclosing medical or mental conditions of individuals
• Records of child abuse, negligence, and sexual assaults
• Personal identifying information, and other private information, such as a Social Security Number.

Bolivar County Sheriff's Office
2792 MS-8, Cleveland,
MS 38732.
(662) 843-5378

Bolivar County Arrest Statistics

According to reports from the Bolivar County Sheriff's office, the Bolivar County Correctional Facility has a capacity of 294 inmates. As of January 2023, the facility had an inmate population of approximately 285. This represents about 1.33% of Mississippi's total state and county jail population. Daily inmate population reports show the facility consistently housing around 286 to 290 inmates, close to full capacity.

Find Bolivar County Arrest Records

In Bolivar County, the Sheriff's office and Police Department maintain arrest records. Interested parties seeking records about suspects kept in custody within the county's correctional facilities may contact the Bolivar County sheriff's office either in person, by mail, or by email. In addition, through VINElink, requesters may get information about offenders in Bolivar County. Alternatively, the Mississippi Department of Corrections provides information about inmates in the county.

Requesters may contact the county sheriff's office at:

Bolivar County Sheriff's Department
2792 MS-8,
Cleveland, MS 38732
Phone: (662) 843-5378

Moreover, requesters may obtain Bolivar County's arrest records from the Criminal Information Center (CIC) of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. At the state level, the CIC is the custodian of criminal and arrest records. To obtain copies of arrest records, requesters may visit the office in person or request them by email.

Bolivar County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest records and criminal records are created by law enforcement when they interact with a crime suspect. The major difference between these two is how extensively they cover an individual's criminal information. A criminal record offers more details and gives deep insights into an individual's criminal history. On the other hand, an arrest record shows the events surrounding the suspect's arrest. An arrest record may not be enough to provide proof of guilt, as it only records the fact of the arrest.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

When an arrest record is created, it stays on the individual's criminal history records perpetually and appears whenever a background check is conducted on the individual. This is important for knowing the background information of individuals for the purpose of business relationships, employment, tenancy, and other dealings. However, state laws have provisions that allow arrest records to be sealed or expunged.

Bolivar County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a legal order or writ issued by a judge, authorizing law enforcement agents to take the named individual into custody. Concerning such orders, law enforcement agents have no choice or discretion but to obey the injunction.

The following information is typically contained in an arrest warrant:

• The subject's complete name or alias
• The subject's location, if known
• The alleged offense levelled against them
• A command that the subject be arrested and made to appear before the issuing judge or a judge within the jurisdiction in place of the issuing judge
• Bail conditions, if applicable

Do Bolivar County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Once a judge issues an arrest warrant, it remains active until it is implemented and the individual named on the warrant is arrested. Arrest warrants do not go away, even with time. The best action for the arrestee is to turn themselves in once they learn that there is a warrant for their arrest. Should the individual fail to appear for their day in court before a plea has been entered, the court will issue an Alias warrant. With this, failure to appear implies that the charges against the individual continue to increase. Sometimes, the issuing judge may recall or quash the warrant. This requires the subject of the warrant or their legal representative to file a petition.

Expunge Bolivar County Arrest Records

Under Mississippi Code Section 99-19-71, individuals in Bolivar County may petition the court to have certain arrest records expunged or sealed. This process makes the records unavailable to the public.

Individuals may qualify for sealing or expungement if:

• The charges against them were dropped, or the judge dismissed the case against them
• They were not found guilty at trial
• There was no case disposition

Individuals eligible for expungement or sealing may file a petition through the court where the case was handled. This service attracts a fee of $150. Upon filing the petition, the court evaluates it and selects a hearing date. If granted, the court subsequently issues an order mandating the custodian to seal or expunge the records. The subject of the record may legally fail to answer when questioned about such records.