Wapello County Arrest Records

Wapello County arrest records are official documentation of arrests conducted by criminal justice agencies in Wapello County. Like local law enforcement agencies in Wapello County, criminal justice agencies usually generate and maintain these records after they conduct or facilitate arrests. Per Iowa Code Chapter 804, an arrest becomes necessary when an arrest warrant is issued authorizing an individual's arrest. An arrest may also be required in certain circumstances without an arrest warrant, such as when a public offense is committed or attempted in the presence of a peace officer.

Wapello County arrest records are essential for specific criminal justice processes. As a result, information found in arrest records is usually included in numerous government records, including Wapello County Court Records and criminal history records held by the Iowa Department of Public Safety (DIC).

Are Arrest Records Public in Wapello County?

Yes. Under Iowa Open Record Law, the general public has the legal right to access records held by government entities, including law enforcement agencies. As a result, most arrest records in Wapello County are available to the general public upon request.

However, several limitations to the Iowa Open Records can restrict public access to certain information in or types of arrest records. Most notably, arrest records of juvenile offenders and information in arrest records that can jeopardize an individual's safety or an ongoing investigation are inaccessible to the general public. In such cases, the restricted arrest information or records are only accessible to eligible persons and entities, such as the subject of the record and criminal justice agencies that require them to conduct their official duties.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The following are the typical contents of public arrest records in Wapello County:

• The arrestee's mugshot
• The arrestee's full name and known alias
• The arrestee's physical description, such as race and sex
• The arrest date
• The name of the arresting agency
• Warrant information (if applicable)
• Description of the charges
• The federal or state statutes violated
• Bond information (if applicable)

Wapello County Arrest Statistics

According to data from the Iowa Department of Public Safety's Arrest Trends Report, there were 2,330 arrests reported in Wapello County in 2023. Of this total, 1,250 arrests were for group A offenses and 1,080 for group B offenses. Additionally, the top five (5) offenses in the county in 2023 include simple assaults (302), drug/narcotic violations (358), driving under the influence (233), liquor law violations (109), and all other offenses (667).

Find Wapello County Arrest Records

Record seekers can find Wapello County arrest records by contacting local law enforcement agencies. Some notable local law enforcement agencies in the county include the Wapello County Sheriff's Office and the Ottumwa Police Department. These agencies are responsible for generating and maintaining most Wapello County arrest records and making them available to the general public.

Note that local law enforcement agencies in Wapello County can only provide public arrest records they generate. These are limited to records of arrests made by the specific agency. For instance, the Ottumwa Police Department is responsible for providing law enforcement within the City of Ottumwa, and most arrest records they maintain revolve around arrests made within the city. Meanwhile, the Wapello County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement for the entire county. As a result, the arrest records held by the County Sheriff's Office are typically concerning arrests made in different municipalities in the county, especially those that do not have a dedicated local police department. These include the City of Eldon, Kirksville, Eddyville, Chillicothe, and Blakesburg.

Therefore, record seekers can contact the Ottumwa Police Department to obtain records of arrests made in Ottumwa. Meanwhile, inquirers can contact the Wapello County Sheriff's Office for records of arrests made in other municipalities in the county as well as in Ottumwa. How each agency operates in providing access to public arrest records in their custody may differ. Hence, it is advised to contact each agency to inquire about how they operate. For instance, the Wapello County Sheriff's Office provides an online resource record seekers can use to access information about arrestees who were booked in the county jail. Nonetheless, most agencies accept in-person requests for public arrest records. It is worth noting that requesters must provide information about the sought arrest record to facilitate their requests, such as the arrestee's name, arrest date, and location. Record seekers can contact the Wapello County Sheriff's Office and the Ottumwa Police Department at:

Wapello County Sheriff's Office
330 W 2nd St
Ottumwa, IA Iowa
Phone: (641) 684-4350
Phone: (641) 682-1414

Ottumwa Police Department
Joint Law Enforcement Center
330 W. Second St.
Ottumwa, Iowa 52501
Phone: (641) 683-0661
Email: opd@ci.ottumwa.ia.us

Free Arrest Record Search in Wapello County

Record seekers can access arrest records information in Wapello County for free by visiting local law enforcement agencies during regular office hours to inspect records. The Wapello County Sheriff's Office also provides an online resource that interested persons can use to find public information about individuals recently arrested and booked in the county's jail for free. Although agencies may allow interested persons to inspect arrest records for free in person at their physical office, individuals who request copies of arrest records are usually charged a fee. These fees are minimal and are used to cover the cost spent by an agency for reproducing copies of requested records.

Interested persons can also access public information about arrest records in Wapello County's local news resources. Some local news agencies host public arrest reports on their official website. A good example is the Ottumwapost.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Per the Record Retention Manual for Iowa Cities, local law enforcement agencies in Wapello County retain arrest records, arrest books, and investigation reports permanently due to their historical value. The only way to restrict public access to arrest records in Wapello County is to petition to have the arrest record expunged.

Expunge Wapello County Arrest Records

Per Iowa Code 907.1(3), expungement refers to the segregation of a criminal record in a secure area or database that protects the expunged record from public access. Under Iowa Code 901C.2, Wapello County arrest record that meets the following requirements are eligible for expungement:

• Arrests that result in a non-guilty verdict or dismissal of criminal charges provided;
  • The criminal charges were dismissed, or the arrestee was acquitted of all criminal charges.
  • The arrestee has paid all financial obligations connected to the arrest.
  • 180 days have passed since the criminal charge(s) was dismissed or acquitted.
  • The case that resulted from the arrest was not dismissed because the arrestee was found not guilty due to insanity.
  • The arrestee was not found incompetent to stand trial.
• The arrest was for a misdemeanor offense, except those outlined in Iowa Code 901C.3(2), provided the following is true;
  • 80 years have passed since the conviction date
  • The arrestee has no pending criminal charges
  • The court has not previously granted the arrestee two (2) deferred judgments.
  • The arrestee has paid all financial obligations connected to the arrest.

Depending on the category under which an arrest record qualifies for expungement, prospective petitioners can use different expungement petitions to apply for the expungement of qualified arrest records. For arrests that resulted in a non-guilty verdict or dismissal of criminal charges, petitioners can use Rule 2.86—Form 1. Meanwhile, petitioners can use Rule 2.86—Form 2 for arrests for offenses. After completing the appropriate expungement petition form, petitioners can file the form with the Wapello County District Court. Upon reviewing the expungement petition, the district court may issue an expungement order.

Note that a court can only grant a misdemeanor conviction expungement order once in a person's lifetime. However, multiple misdemeanor offenses may be expunged if they stem from the same incident.

Wapello County Arrest Warrants

Per Iowa Code Section 804, a Wapello County arrest warrant is a directive issued by a judge or magistrate commanding peace officers to arrest a specific individual. A judge or magistrate can issue an arrest warrant when a complaint containing evidence of probable cause to believe an individual has committed an offense is submitted to them. Generally, a valid arrest warrant must be addressed to a peace officer and contain the following information:

• The name of the prospective arrestee (if known) or any information that can be used in identifying them with reasonable certainty
• The warrant's issuance date
• Description of the alleged offense
• The name of the warrant's issuing city or county
• The issuing judge or magistrate's signature.
• Details of the bail (if applicable)

Do Wapello County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Wapello County arrest warrants never expire until the warrant's subject is arrested or dies. Nonetheless, the issuing court can recall an arrest warrant in certain situations.