Newport County Arrest Records

In Newport County, law enforcement agents are authorized to arrest and take any offender accused of committing a crime into custody. Chapter 7 of Title 12 of the Rhode Island Criminal Procedure grants authorized persons the power to arrest. Arrest records in Newport County will be generated by the local arresting agency, such as the Newport Police Department.

When an offender is arrested, they are booked at the local detention center and then arraigned to stand before a judge in court. The judge will determine if the accused should be released on bail or remain in jail. The decision is based on several factors, including the case's particulars and the crime's severity.

Arrest records may be obtained through public record requests to state and local law enforcement agencies. They may also be part of Newport County Court Records and criminal court case information maintained by the local courts and judiciary.

Are Arrest Records Public in Newport County?

Arrest records are classified as public under the Rhode Island Access to Public Records Act. According to the law, records in the custody of government agencies may be accessed by the general public unless exempted by law. Documents containing information exempt from disclosure may still be accessed, but all exempted information must be deleted or redacted.

Examples of information that may be exempted from public disclosure include the following.

• Any record exempted from disclosure under state or federal laws
• Information that would reveal a confidential informant or undercover agent of law enforcement
• Information that would interfere with a current investigation or court case
• Information under a sort of privilege such as attorney-client privilege or doctor-patient privilege
• Personal information the release of which would cause an unwarranted invasion of privacy

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

A public arrest record will generally contain a combination of information detailing the offender, the crime, and details obtained during booking after the arrest. This includes the offender’s name, date of birth, physical description(hair color, eye color, height, weight), crime committed, law/statute broken, charges filed, booking date, booking number, fingerprints, and mugshots.

Some arrest records may include court case information and sentencing details, if available.

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Newport County Arrest Statistics

Crime Statistics for Newport County are collected by local law enforcement, such as the Newport Police Department. This information is forwarded to the FBI database via the Uniform Crime Reporting Program. According to the records submitted in 2023, the police department reported 889 arrests. This total included 184 arrests for disorderly conduct, 164 arrests for simple assault, 119 arrests for liquor law violations, 45 arrests for larceny, 42 arrests for drug offenses, 39 arrests for driving under the influence, 35 arrests for vandalism, 21 arrests for aggravated assault, 14 arrests for burglary, 12 arrests for weapons charges, and two arrests for rape.

Find Newport County Arrest Records

Newport County arrest records and inmate information may be obtained from the Newport Police Department. Interest parties may obtain arrest records by visiting the police department and speaking to a clerk at:

Newport Police Department

120 Broadway,
Newport, RI 02840

Inquiries about inmate bookings and arrest records may also be made by calling (401) 847-1306.

Inmate records on the state level are available from the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC). Records seekers may call the Department of Corrections for records at (401) 462-3900. Searches are also available online using the RIDOC online Inmate Search tool.

Free Arrest Record Search in Newport County

Free New Port County arrest records may be available from the Newport Police Department. Interested parties may visit the police department in person and speak to the clerk about viewing records for free. Record seekers may also want to call the department before visiting at (401) 847-1306 to inquire about viewing records for free. Inmate information may be viewed for free online using the RIDOC inmate search tool.

Third-party record websites also provide a viable option for free arrest record searches for Newport County. These websites collect records from different agencies across jurisdictions. They allow visitors to search and download results using any internet-capable device. It is advised to cross-check any information obtained on such websites as they have no official government ties.

Newport County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Newport County criminal and arrest records are generated when an individual interacts with law enforcement agencies. An arrest record is not definitive proof that a suspect is guilty of a crime. It is a record created when a person is apprehended by law enforcement on suspicion of committing a crime. On the other hand, a criminal record is generated when the suspect has gone through the criminal justice system, including judicial and correctional agencies.

Arrest records are generated by the arresting agencies and focus on details about the arrest. This includes the arrest date, location, arresting agency, booking number, and the suspect's personal information.

A criminal record is far more comprehensive and contains several records, including arrest, court, and inmate records. It may be described as a combination of records generated by different agencies, from the law enforcement agency that made the initial arrest to the judicial agency that heard the court case.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Rhode Island, arrest records remain on your record indefinitely. These records remain on a person’s record and continue to show during background checks until the subject dies. However, some arrest records may qualify to be expunged and removed from the subject’s record after some time. For example, after a waiting period, arrests that did not lead to a conviction may qualify to be removed from the record.

Expunge Newport County Arrest Records

Expungement is a legal process for removing or sealing a record, such as an arrest record, from public access. Rhode Island’s expungement process is governed by Rhode Island General Laws § 12-1.3-3.

For a record to qualify for expungement, the applicant and the record must meet the following conditions.

• The applicant must have been a first-time offender without any other convictions or probation for another felony or misdemeanor.
• The crime must not have been a violent crime such as murder, armed robbery, larceny against a person, kidnapping, manslaughter, first-degree arson, and so on.
• All court-imposed fines, fees, and other monetary responsibilities must be cleared or waived.
• There must be no current or impending criminal cases against the applicant
• The waiting period imposed on the crime must have lapsed. This is 10 years after completing a prison sentence or probation for felonies and 5 years after for misdemeanors
• An arrest that did not lead to a conviction may be expunged immediately

The expungement process may differ slightly according to the jurisdiction, but the general application guidelines are as follows.

• Visit or contact your local law enforcement agency or the Rhode Island Bureau of Criminal Identification and obtain a copy of your criminal record. Note that there are fees attached to obtaining copies of these records.
• Obtain a Motion to Expunge or Seal Record form from the local court or online from the Rhode Island Judiciary website. Fill out the form and the affidavit in support of the motion and sign it in the presence of a notary public or court clerk.
• File the motion in the court where the arrest or conviction occurred and receive a hearing date.
• Provide notice of the motion and hearing to the Office of the Attorney General and the law enforcement agency that charged the case. Be sure to give them at least 10 days' notice of the hearing.
• Attend the hearing at the court. Bear in mind that you must show that you meet all qualification criteria.
• If the motion is granted by the court, obtain certified copies of the order of expungement and ensure these reach all parties concerned, including the Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Criminal Identification and the law enforcement agency that charged the case.

Applicants should ensure that all monetary obligations or responsibilities, including fines, fees, court costs, and restitutions, are paid in full or waived to complete the expungement process. The order of expungement will not be issued until this condition is satisfied.

Newport County Arrest Warrants

A judge, justice of the peace, or any authorized judicial officer of the district court of Newport County may issue a warrant to arrest a suspect. An arrest warrant is a legal document addressed to law enforcement officers authorized by law to arrest suspects who have committed a crime. These documents may be issued after a complaint or statement is made and subscribed to before a judicial officer of the court. This complaint/statement must show sufficient probable cause to believe a crime was committed and the offender on the warrant committed it.

An arrest warrant issued in Rhode Island may contain the following information as provided in the code of criminal procedure.

• The suspect’s name or alias and a reasonable description
• The crime the suspect is charged with and the statute violated
• The court location or issuing authority, if not the district court
• The location, date, and time that the warrant was issued
• Instruction for law enforcement to apprehend the suspect and bring them before the judge
• Bail details such as the amount if the offense is bailable
• The title, name, and signature of the judge or justice of the peace who issued the warrant

Law enforcement may execute a warrant issued in Newport County anywhere in Rhode Island.

Do Newport County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants issued in Newport County or anywhere else in Rhode Island do not expire. These warrants remain active until they are executed by law enforcement or canceled by a court. Only a judge in the court that issued the warrant may cancel it. Generally, this will require the subject of the warrant or their legal representative to file a petition to cancel the warrant with the court.