Which state agency can help with arrest records and warrants search in Memphis, Tennessee?
Since arrests in Memphis, TN is made by the City Police Department (MPD), you’d expect them to accept inquiries about arrest records. Ditto for a warrant search. However, the local law enforcement agency deflects the responsibility of providing information to civilians, passing it on instead to the Shelby Count SO.
The biggest problem when you set out to conduct an arrest inquiry or a warrant search in Memphis is that you get very little help from the local judiciary unless you are willing to register on the Criminal Justice System Portal. Assuming that this may not be an option for everybody, here is a look at other methods that can be used to find criminal records…
Which agency should you approach for Memphis arrests records?
MPD does not have a holding facility to detain those arrested until they are granted release on bail or through the due legal process. So, intake processing is done at the Shelby County jail. This means you can use the inmate lookup tool offered by Shelby SO to get information on detentions affected in the City of Memphis.
You can access the arrest app at shelbycountytn.gov. Using just the name of a subject will be enough to get you his/her arrest report, including the arrest mugshots, bond information, date of arrest, and booking and case numbers. The only problem is that the information provided is not limited to arrests made in the City of Memphis. This means you cannot use this source to compile the arrest log for an area unless you have the time and energy to peruse the entire database.
You can also get some information on criminal incidents handled by the local police through the Facebook page of MPD.
Can you do a warrants search in Memphis through the police or the judiciary?
Once again, while MPD leaves you out in the open when it comes to data on warrants, Shelby County SO comes to the rescue. The agency offers two data sources on arrest warrants issued in Memphis and the other areas in their jurisdiction.
The most wanted list: The page at the most wanted page here has details on the crimes committed by persons who are being actively pursued by the authorities. Along with information on the charges against them and the last known address, you can also find the suspects’ photographs through this source.
The warrant list: The Shelby County SO also offers a warrant check tool at shelbywarrants.org. This app can be used to find active warrants against a person by using his/her name.
Crime stats in Memphis, TN
Since 2017, the violent crime rate of Memphis, TN, has shown a sustained decline while the property crime rate has held steady, with a slight decline of around 6% between 2018 and 2019. The average annual crime rate of the area is around 58,000.
In other urban areas, a fifth or sixth of the total criminal complaints result from violent crimes. However, in Memphis, the rate of violent crimes is exceptionally high and stands at almost a third of all criminal occurrences. Of the nearly 12,000 violent crimes, an estimated 8000 are cases of assault, and 3,000 complaints are filed against robberies.
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