Fairfax County Arrest Records

Law enforcement departments in Fairfax County create a few distinct records after a person is taken into custody to answer for a criminal offense, among which are "arrest records".

Arrest records document the incident of an arrest. These records are vital for exposing specific law enforcement operations to the public. They are managed per the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and Virginia Code Title 19.2, Chapter 23 (laws regulating criminal offender record information release, or CHRI).

For residents and citizens, arrest records serve as valuable resources for learning about community-level incidents or locating individuals apprehended on suspicion of a crime. Beyond this, the records provide crucial context to a person's criminal history, benefitting both law enforcement (in tracking offender activity) and interested members of the public (in conducting background screenings). The records are also essential when pursuing legal remedies, such as expunging or sealing criminal justice records.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Virginia?

Yes. Virginia's Freedom of Information Act (VFOIA), indexed in Va. Code Ann. §§ 2.2-3700 et seq., guarantees the general public's right to access arrest records and other open files maintained by law enforcement departments, regardless of format. Disclosure restrictions are imposed, however, on specific materials (recordings, documents, etc.) that could compromise government processes or are deemed inappropriate for public release by statute or court order.

Below are some categories of records prohibited from public dissemination in Virginia.

• Personal financial information
• Records about juveniles
• Information that may jeopardize an active or ongoing investigation
• Information that may lead to the identification of a confidential source
• Information concerning an arrested person's character or reputation
• Records revealing the identity, address, credibility, or anticipated testimony of prospective witnesses
• Information about grand jury proceedings or subpoenas
• The exact amount of money stolen in a robbery offense
• The identity of a person charged with a crime who has not yet been arrested, except where public assistance is being sought to locate them or warn the public of potential danger
• Records about an accused's performance or results from examinations or tests
• Records sealed or expunged by law

Fairfax County Arrest Search

Virginia's FOIA allows individuals to request public records from arresting agencies in Fairfax County, including the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD), Town of Herndon Police Department, and Town of Vienna Police Department.

A VFOIA request must typically be submitted to the respective agency's records unit to obtain an arrest record in Fairfax. The exact submission process varies by agency, and agencies may charge reasonable fees for record searches and copies.

For instance, the Fairfax County Police Department's Central Records Division can be contacted in person at 12099 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035, during business hours, or by phone at (703) 246-2272. Written requests can also be mailed to the same address, including details sufficient to locate the sought-after record (names, dates, report/case numbers, etc.).

The Fairfax County Police Department also offers record checks for adult criminal charges in Fairfax County, where their officers responded or charged an individual. These checks cost $10 per request and are available to record subjects. Detailed ordering guidelines are outlined in the Central Records Division's webpage under "Criminal Record Checks". (For state-level criminal history checks, one can contact the Virginia State Police.)

Another avenue for looking up arrest information in Fairfax County is through court records. Such investigations can reveal charge, hearing, and disposition data connected to an arrest.

The Circuit, General District, and the Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court hear criminal cases in Fairfax. The Fairfax County Circuit Court offers case search systems that can be used to find criminal cases online. The General District Court provides remote access via the Virginia Judicial System's Case Status and Information website. However, JDRDC proceedings are ordinarily confidential and only disseminated to authorized parties. Criminal court records can also be accessed at the presiding courthouse during regular business hours.

Fairfax County Inmate Locator

In multiple U.S. jurisdictions, the sheriff's office or a designated corrections department provides an online county inmate locator, which members of the public can utilize to search for and view information about pre-trial detainees and persons incarcerated for a short term. Fairfax County has no such tool. Instead, parties who wish to find someone taken to the county jail (Adult Detention Center) after an arrest are instructed to dial (703) 246-2100, press "4" for confinement, and then "1" for inmate information or "2" for bonds, release dates, or court dates.

Note: The Adult Detention Center, operated by the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office, houses only adult offenders. Juvenile suspects are processed within the Fairfax County Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court system and may be held at the Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) or another appropriate facility.

Active Warrant Search in Fairfax County

Members of the public can locate active arrest warrants in Fairfax County through local law enforcement departments. These warrants are issued by the courts under Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-71 to bring suspected offenders to the justice system. The following details typically appear in a Fairfax arrest warrant:

• The accused's name or a description by which they can be identified (if no name is known)
• The offense charged in the complaint to the court
• A command for the accused to be captured and taken to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
• The issuing officer's signature

A physical inquiry is frequently needed to request warrant-related records in Fairfax, which is to say, inquirers often need to approach their nearest precincts for a wanted check. Visits to a law enforcement agency carry the risk of arrest if an outstanding warrant is found. Alternatively, a person can call the Fairfax County Warrant Desk at (703) 246-4231 or search criminal court records (which can reveal whether a warrant is attached to a case).

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Fairfax

VFOIA requests submitted to police agencies in Fairfax County are free, and inquirers may not be charged for non-copy requests. Where a copy of a record is required (or the custodian only disseminates copies for a specific request), the requester may be asked to cover the costs of reproducing, searching, or supplying sought-after records (Va. Code Ann. § 2-3704). These fees can be applied per page, document, or request.

If the suspect's case were prosecuted, one may find basic arrest data (e.g., the arrest date, bond amount), final charges, and disposition information for free by accessing Fairfax criminal case search systems. These include the Online Case Information System-Statewide Search (for criminal cases from the district courts) and the eCaseSearch public access system (for circuit court proceedings). One may also visit the respective courthouse to inspect criminal case records at no cost.

Fairfax Arrest Report

An arrest report is a factual, written narrative of an arrest, authored by the arresting officer and reviewed by a supervisor for completeness, accuracy, and adherence to departmental policy. It provides a synopsis of the circumstances leading to and surrounding an arrest, including how probable cause was established, the identities of all individuals involved, any injuries sustained, any level of resistance encountered, evidence gathered, witness accounts, use of force or weapons (if any), and officer observations. The report provides a foundational basis for prosecution.

An arrest record, by contrast, is a summary entry in official/public documentation or criminal justice databases, usually for administrative purposes. It indicates that a particular person was criminally arrested and notes the arrestee's name, the alleged offense, the arrest date and time, the arresting officer/badge number, the arrestee's custody status, and other basic information. Such entries often appear in criminal history records, police blotters/logs, and jail rosters.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Fairfax

Certain Fairfax defendants can expunge their arrest records under Virginia law. Title 19.2, Chapter 23.1 of the Virginia Code provides this relief. According to the law, an expungement is a legal action that deletes all police and court records related to a criminal case. This relief is typically available when a case concludes with

• An acquittal (finding of not guilty)
• A dismissal (except delayed imposition dismissal)
• A nolle prosequi(a prosecutor's decision not to file charges)
• An absolute pardon
• A finding of mistaken identity (where a person's name was used in error)

For cases ending in a not guilty verdict, dismissal, or nolle prosequi, petitions are submitted to the Fairfax County Circuit Court. The court's Expungements page provides procedural guidelines (including filing fees) and relevant forms, including the petition form (Form CC-1473).

To file the petition and other required documents, such as the Order of Expungement, with the circuit court, the petitioner will need to pay the necessary filing fee, currently $86. Note: No fees are charged for victims of identity theft, and for all expungements granted on or after July 1, 2016, the court refunds the petitioner's costs (i.e., filing fee) per Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-392.2(L)

After filing with the court, a copy of the petition packet will need to be delivered to the Commonwealth Attorney. Additionally, the petitioner will need to submit their fingerprints to the VA State Police through a local law enforcement agency. This step enables the State Police to perform a criminal history check and send the results to the court, which is part of the standard expungement procedure. Fingerprints are not required for expungements due to an absolute pardon.

The circuit court may set a hearing to decide on the petition's merits or issue an order without one. However, it should be noted that an expungement does not permanently destroy police or court records. Instead, the record will be removed from public access and sealed, only to be accessed by court order.

In all other cases (i.e., absolute pardon or mistaken identity), the petition should be submitted to the court that originally handled the case.

How Do You Remove Arrest Records From the Internet?

Expungement is the most effective long-term solution for removing Fairfax County arrest records published online. Once an expungement is obtained from the court, the record owner can complete opt-out processes on affected websites or submit direct takedown requests, often by providing evidence of the expungement.

An expungement also compels removal from official government databases and systems, where data aggregators frequently source their information. This substantially reduces the risk of data repopulation on newer sites or after website updates.

However, because not everyone qualifies for an expungement in Virginia, individuals may need to pursue other strategies, such as hiring reputation management services to push information further down on search engine results pages or search engine cache removal, such as Google's content removal process. (Admittedly, the latter step is relevant only after the original record has been taken down. Removing a cached page does not delete the original page if it still exists.)

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Per Section 2.2-3706 of the Virginia Code, Fairfax County public arrest records may contain the following details:

• Arrestee Information
• Adult arrestee photographs (unless public release would jeopardize a felony investigation)
• Name (if 18 years or older), gender, age, race, residence, employment (if relevant), and other pertinent biographical information. For juvenile suspects, only gender, age, and general area of residence may be released.
• Charge Information
• Specific criminal charge(s)
• Statutory citation
• Arrest Details
• Arresting agency
• Arrest date, time, and location
• Booking Information
• Booking date and time