Midland County, Michigan Arrest Records
Arrest records for Midland County are generated by law enforcement and detail individuals' arrests and detention in the county. These records are typically maintained by arresting agencies and local law enforcement such as the Midland County Sheriff's Office, and municipal police departments such as the Midland Police Department and the Coleman City Police Department.
Generally, most Midland arrest records contain basic case details such as names, physical descriptions, filed charges, dates and locations of arrests, arresting agency, and booking details. Law enforcement maintains these records to promote transparency and to allow the public to track arrest activity in the county.
Under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (MCL § 15.231 et seq), arrest records are typically considered public information unless a statutory exemption applies. Separate statutes in the state's Bureau of Criminal Identification and Records Act regulate Criminal Offender Record Information. These statutes include MCL § 28.214 et seq, which authorizes the Michigan State Police to create a state repository where criminal history records are maintained, and MCL § 28.242(a), which regulates how criminal history records, including arrest information, are collected and disseminated.
Are Arrest Records Public Information in Midland, Michigan?
Arrest records maintained by local law enforcement are generally considered public information and subject to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. The Act gives the public the right to inspect and copy any public records maintained by public/government bodies provided the records are not exempt by law. The primary law enforcement restriction is found in MCL 15.243(1)(b). This section permits law enforcement agencies to withhold investigative records under certain conditions.
Requests may be made in person or by mail directed to the record custodians. Michigan does not put any residency restrictions on record requests except for incarcerated persons. There is also a general requirement for a requester to provide identification to make an arrest record request. Typically, a request must be in writing and provide sufficient information for the agency to identify the record and find it.
What Do Public Midland County Arrest Records Contain?
Midland County arrest records generally contain the facts of the arrest and booking as compiled by the local arresting agency. Public arrest records are basic information that may be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act. Although the exact contents or style may vary by agency, public arrest records typically include the following.
- The full name of the arrested person
- Physical description (age, height, weight, hair color, etc.)
- Biometrics (mugshots and fingerprints)
- Booking information (booking date, number, inmate location)
- The arresting agency/officers
- Charges filed
- Bail and bond details, if applicable
- Case details and custody status
While arrest records are generally considered public, not all information is open to the public. Law enforcement is permitted to withhold or redact information under certain conditions, including interference with law enforcement proceedings, endangering the life/safety of a person, and causing an unwarranted invasion of privacy. Information that may be restricted or exempt from public disclosure includes the following.
- Information concerning juveniles and minors
- Personal information such as Social Security and banking information
- Details from ongoing investigations
- Information that would identify confidential informants or undercover agents
- Information that would identify witnesses and victims of a crime
- Sensitive information such as medical and mental health records
- Records that have been sealed or expunged by court order
Midland County, Michigan Arrest Search
Interested parties may use the following state and federal sources to search for Midland County arrests.
The Michigan State Police offers statewide access to Criminal History Records through its Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT). This access tool provides the general public access to statewide name-based criminal history record search online. Record seekers may also submit fingerprints to request the more comprehensive fingerprint-based background check. Record requests incur search fees, and results will only be delivered after payment is received.
Arrest information for individuals serving sentences in state prison may also be available from the Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) maintained by the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC).
Federal arrest information may be available through federal criminal case files when the arrest led to a criminal court case. These court files may be available online using the search tools provided on the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) database.
Record seekers may request copies of their RAP sheet online using the FBI Identity History Summary Checks Review Portal. The request may also be made by downloading the form from the portal and mailing the complete form and a fingerprint card to:
FBI CJIS Division - Record Request
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, WV 26306
Midland County Inmate Locator
The Midland County Sheriff's Office operates the County Jail and maintains an online Inmate Roster where visitors may look up arrest and inmate information. For further questions, contact the sheriff's office directly using the following contact details.
Midland County Sheriff's Office
2727 Rodd Street
Midland, MI 48640
Phone: (989) 839-4630
Jail: (989) 832-6612
Email: sheriffrecords@co.midland.mi.us
How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Midland County
Free arrest records and inmate information may be available by contacting the Midland County Sheriff's Office and County Jail by calling (989) 839-4630 and (989) 832-6612, respectively. For an effective search, requests must provide adequate information to identify and locate the record, including names, inmate number, and date of birth.
Although identification may be required to request the record, agencies may ask for it when the request concerns confidential information or when collecting copies in person. Requesting basic information may be free, but copies will typically incur a fee. Restricted and confidential records are also unlikely to be available from free sources. Such requests usually require a visit to the custodian agency in person.
Midland County Arrest Report
Arrest reports and arrest records are two types of law enforcement documentation created in the event of an arrest. They are very similar but may differ in their contents, uses, and how the general public accesses them.
Arrest reports are narrative accounts of an arrest prepared by the officers who were involved. They are usually part of the larger police reports and serve to explain why the arrest took place and aid the prosecution when filing charges. The narrative format contains a detailed timeline of events leading to the arrest and includes witness statements, evidence lists, probable cause details, officer observations, and action reports. The information contained in such reports means they are more likely to be restricted from public access or have parts of them redacted.
Arrest records are summarized entries into a tracking system or law enforcement/jail database created during the booking procedure. It usually contains basic information accessible by the public, including the offender's name, arresting agency, physical description, charges filed, and booking details.
How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Midland County
In Michigan, expunging a record is typically referred to as "setting aside" a record. The state's clean slate reforms govern the process and remove the affected record from public access, making it inaccessible to employers, landlords, and the general public. Law enforcement agencies and courts may still be able to access these records.
To qualify to set aside a record, the applicant must first meet the eligibility requirements under the law. An arrest record may be eligible to be set aside if the case resulted in no conviction. If the case was dismissed, the applicant was not charged, or they were acquitted after a trial. These types of cases may be set aside or handled via record correction through law enforcement and the local courts. Michigan's Clean Slate Laws may also automatically expunge certain eligible arrest records without a petition or application.
When the arrest ended with a conviction, the applicant may petition for an expungement if they complete all aspects of their sentence and have no outstanding arrests or convictions after a waiting period. These waiting periods include 3 years if the conviction was for a minor misdemeanor, 5 years for minor felonies and serious misdemeanors, and 7 years for a record with multiple felonies.
The following steps may be useful when applying to set aside a record in Michigan.
- Obtain documentation from law enforcement and courts to ensure eligibility and waiting periods are satisfied.
- Obtain the application to set aside records (Form-MC227) from the clerk of courts
- File the completed form, a fingerprint card, and a state background check at the Midland County District or Circuit Court, depending on where the case was heard.
- Serve the Midland County Prosecutor, the Michigan Attorney General, and the state police with copies of the application.
- These agencies may challenge the application. If so, attend a hearing where the judge will hear both sides and review the application.
- At the hearing, the judge will grant the court order based on several criteria such as its impact on the public and the applicant's rehabilitation.
How Do You Remove Midland County Arrest Records From the Internet?
Removing Midland County arrest records from the internet involves several steps. The first and most important step is obtaining official relief by setting aside the record under Michigan's Clean Slate laws. This process automatically removes the record from government databases and public access. While government and official sources are informed about the legal process, third-party public websites and other private entities must be contacted directly to request removal.
Once the government database updates its records and stops displaying the record on public databases, private resources may be contacted. These include news websites, public record aggregator databases, and even search engines. Use the court order as proof of the records' expungement and contact these sites after confirming they repost the expunged records. Most of them have privacy or data removal policies. Contact them via these options, provide a copy of the order, and request record removal. For search engines, request a de-listing of the record to reduce its visibility in search results. News media may be reluctant to remove an article outright; instead, ask for an edit to the article showing the setting aside and the reasons for it.