Lake County Arrest Records

Lake County Arrest Records are official documents detailing arrests made by local law enforcement in Lake County, Montana. An arrest generally occurs when an individual is suspected of a crime or deemed a threat to public safety. Once arrested, individuals are typically held at a local detention facility or county jail while awaiting trial or bail.

In Lake County, the County Sheriff's Office is primarily responsible for creating, maintaining, and providing public access to these records. An arrest record typically contains an overview of the incident, including details such as the alleged crime, place of arrest, charges, and any related legal actions. Lake County arrest records often intersect with other public records, such as Lake County Court Records, which provide information on judicial proceedings, judgments, and outcomes.

Are Arrest Records Public in Lake County?

Yes. According to Chapter 6 of the Montana State Legislature, members of the public are legally authorized to access information created by government agencies, including arrest records. This law helps to maintain transparency as all records, whether electronic, written, printed, or other formats, are open to public access except when specifically exempted from public disclosure by law (2-6-101 et seq).

Arrest records related to misdemeanor and felony charges are generally accessible to the public; however, the state legislature imposes certain limitations. While most records are available, records of cases that have been dismissed or deferred are not.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The information typically contained in a Lake County Arrest Record includes the following:

• Personal details, including the arrested person's full name, age, date of birth, place of birth
• Physical attributes including race, gender, weight, height, eye color, hair color, scars or marks and tattoos
• Arrest details include the alleged crime, place of arrest, time of arrest, arresting agency, mugshots, and fingerprints of the arrested person.

Lake County Arrest Statistics

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) 's 2018 Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data, Lake County recorded 76 violent crimes, including one murder, three robberies, 17 rapes and 55 aggravated assaults. It also recorded 229 property crimes, including 122 larceny thefts, 40 motor vehicle thefts, 67 burglaries, and six arsons.

According to the UCR's 2019 report, Lake County recorded 81 violent crimes, including three murders, one robbery, ten rapes and 67 aggravated assaults. On the other hand, the county recorded 260 property crimes, including 52 burglaries, 163 larceny thefts, 45 motor vehicle thefts, and three arsons.

Comparing 2018 and 2019:

• Violent crime rose by 6.6% (from 76 to 81).
• Property crime rose by 13.5% (from 229 to 260).
• Significant changes were seen in specific categories, such as a rise in murder cases (from 1 to 3) and larceny thefts (from 122 to 163).
• Arson cases, however, declined from 6 to 3.

Find Lake County Arrest Records

In Montana, arrest records are typically managed by the law enforcement agency that made the arrest—usually the county sheriff's office or local police department.

Interested parties should be prepared to provide details such as the arrested person's full name, booking number (if known), and date of birth to process a record request. The requester may also need to provide valid identification and contact information, such as a phone number and mailing address.

Alternatively, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation offers access to arrest records through its CHOPRS system. CHOPRS compiles data from various law enforcement agencies, state facilities, and courts, allowing users to search for available records. Access typically requires sufficient identifying information and a $20 service charge.

Free Arrest Record Search in Lake County

Interested individuals can obtain Lake County Arrest Records from the County Sherriff's office at no cost. However, researchers interested in receiving a certified or detailed copy are usually required to pay a fee. Additionally, certain third-party websites provide access to arrest records at no cost but typically charge a fee for more detailed records.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Lake County, there is no universal duration for retaining arrest records; however, the Montana Fair Crime Reporting Act prohibits including arrest, conviction records, indictment, and other adverse details in criminal history reports for a maximum of seven years from the date of release or parole.

This rule is intended to protect people from being discriminated against in the workplace because of their prior criminal histories, particularly if they have undergone rehabilitation and moved on with their lives.

It is, however, worth noting that this regulation does not apply to certain offenses, including:

• Homicide
• Offense involving fugitives
• Sex offenses
• Crimes against children

Expunge Lake County Arrest Records

According to the Montana Misdemeanor Expungement Clarification Act, as detailed in Title 46, Chapter 18, Part 11, expungement refers to permanently removing an individual's offense record from the state's criminal history information system.

Below is the procedure for requesting or petitioning the court for expungement. However, it is worth noting that petitions from eligible individuals will only be valid and that a person may apply for expungement only once in a lifetime.

• The eligible individual must petition the District Court requesting the expungement of qualifying misdemeanor records.
• The petitioner's lawyer notifies the prosecution office in charge of the conviction.
• This is followed by the prosecution office informing any victim of the offense.
• After considering the petition, the District Court decides whether to issue the expungement order. To be qualified, the petitioner must have been free from conviction for at least five years.
• Upon approval, the petitioner goes for fingerprinting on a ble applicant fingerprint card (FD-258)
• The petitioner gets the Expungement Form along with the fingerprint card and court order from the Montana Department of Justice website and sends it to the address below:

Criminal Records and Identification Services Section (CRISS)
P.O. Box 201403,
Helena, MT 59620.

• CRISS then confirms that the petitioner has not used the expungement law before and verifies the petitioner's identity using the fingerprint card. If all criteria are met, then all arrest and conviction data are removed from the Criminal History Record (CCH). The petitioner must, however, wait at least 30 days for the request to be processed. Additionally, certain offenses, like felony charges and sex offenses, are not eligible for expungement.

Lake County Arrest Warrants

Lake County Arrest Warrants are legal documents granting law enforcement the authority to arrest an individual suspected of committing a crime. Judges or magistrates issue these warrants based on probable cause, following an affidavit and supporting evidence. Typically, a Lake County arrest warrant includes:

• The suspect's name
• The alleged crime or offense
• Instructions for law enforcement

These warrants uphold due process by requiring adequate legal justification before an arrest.

Do Lake County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants in Lake County typically remain in effect indefinitely. They are considered active until the individual is apprehended and the court executes or dismisses the warrant. The severity of the offense may influence how law enforcement prioritizes or tracks the warrant. Still, unresolved warrants can ultimately result in legal consequences for the individual named in the warrant.