Racine County Court
Racine County Arrest Records

Racine County, Wisconsin Arrest Records

Generally, arrest records are summary documents detailing arrests by law enforcement agencies. Typically, these are data entries that contain the personal identifying information of arrested persons, their alleged offenses at the time of arrest, and booking details. In Racine County, arrest records are created and maintained by local law enforcement agencies, including the Racine Police Department, Racine County Sheriff’s Office, Mount Pleasant Police Department, and the Caledonia Police Department.

Sections 19.31 to 19.39 of the Wisconsin Statutes (Public Records Law) classify arrest records and other government documents as public, unless there are statutory or lawful exemptions. Consequently, individuals can access Racine County’s arrest records for transparency and accountability, safety awareness, and judicial and administrative use. In addition to the Public Records Law, Sections 165.83 to 165.84 of the Wisconsin Statutes govern public access to criminal offender information.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Racine, Wisconsin?

Yes, arrest records are public in Racine County. The Wisconsin Public Records Law guarantees public access to Racine County’s arrest records. According to this legislation, “the denial of public access is generally contrary to the public interest, and only in exceptional cases should access be denied “. Access to Racine County’s arrest records is open to every interested person, regardless of nationality or residency, and does not require an ID (unless in limited cases where sensitive information is involved).

While arrest records are public in Racine County, individuals must reasonably describe the records they seek. These include the names of the arrested persons, dates or approximate dates of the arrests, and incident or case numbers.

Record seekers should also note that a separate system applies to criminal offender information. Wisconsin regulates access to these documents through its Criminal History Record Information framework, administered by its Department of Justice (Section 165.83 to 165.84 of the Wisconsin Statutes).

What Do Public County Arrest Records Contain?

The Wisconsin Public Records Law mandates custodians of government records (including Racine County’s arrest records) to make them accessible to interested persons upon request. However, public access is not limitless; there are exemptions. A typical Racine County arrest record contains common public-facing details, such as:

Full name of the arrested person
Age or date of birth
Physical descriptions, including height, weight, gender, and ethnicity
Date, time, and location of the arrest
The arresting agency
Booking number
Charges against the individual at the time of arrest
Mugshot.

Under Wisconsin law, there is additional restriction on public access to Racine County’s juvenile, sealed, and expunged arrest records. Furthermore, individuals cannot access information protected by privacy laws.

Racine County, Wisconsin Arrest Search

There are several state and federal routes for accessing Racine County arrest records. The Wisconsin Online Records Check System is an official criminal history database where interested parties can search for arrest entries from law enforcement agencies in Racine County and across Wisconsin. Individuals can register and log in to access arrest reports, filed charges, and case outcomes. Record seekers can also search for Racine County arrest records that are part of criminal case files through the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access portal (CCAP). Racine County's arrest records may also be accessible through the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) Public Offender Locator if Racine County inmates are transferred to state prisons.

At the federal level, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Inmate Locator provides the location of federal inmates. This includes individuals arrested in Racine County, but serving sentences at federal prison facilities. For personal arrest information, individuals can access arrest reports as part of a comprehensive federal-level criminal history through the FBI Identity History Summary Check.

Racine County Inmate Locator

Local search tools provide the most direct access to Racine County’s arrest records. In Racine County, the Sheriff’s Office Inmate Search provides the arrest details of inmates at the Racine County Jail. Interested parties can use this search tool to access the county’s arrest records through its inmate roster.

To find arrest records through the Racine inmate locator:

Visit the Racine County Sheriff’s Office website.
Scroll down and click the “Inmate Search” under the “Quick Link” header to access the search tool.
Accept the disclaimer.
Enter the subject’s name into the search tool and provide the other details necessary for the query.
Click “Search“ to submit.

Records seekers can also contact the Racine County Sheriff’s/Jail at:

717 Wisconsin Avenue,

Racine,

WI 53403

Phone (262) 636-3822 (Sheriff’s Office), (262) 636-3929.

Active Warrant Search in Racine County

Racine County arrest warrants are legal orders issued to law enforcement by judges of Racine County’s Circuit and Magistrate Courts authorizing law enforcement to arrest specific individuals. The courts issue arrest warrants when:

Law enforcement submits an affidavit showing probable cause.
An individual disobeys court orders.
A suspect is charged but not yet in custody.

Typically, arrest warrants contain:

The name of the wanted person and any known alias
The alleged offense
Date of issuance
Name of the issuing court
Signature of the issuing judge/magistrate
Instructions authorizing law enforcement to take the defendant into custody.

While Racine County courts issue arrest warrants, the county’s Sheriff’s Office executes these orders and maintain warrantlist. To find active warrants in Racine County, log in to the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access portal, enter the person's name into the search tool, and submit. If there is an active warrant, the results will display it. Alternatively, visit the Racine City Police Department Active Warrants webpage and use the search tool to look for warrant information.

For inquiries about Child Support warrants, call a Racine County Warrants Deputy at (262) 636-3356 or the Racine County Child Support Agency at (262) 636-3268.

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Racine County

According to the Wisconsin Public Records Law, individuals can access basic details of arrests, and there are several options for free access to these documents. Online search tools such as the Racine County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Search and the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access permit users to search for Racine County arrest records without charges or formal identification. Interested parties can access Racine County arrest records through the county’s jail roster or criminal case records.

Individuals can also access Racine County arrest records at no cost through local police departments' arrest logs or blotters, or press releases. Record seekers can also use the Public Access Terminals at the Racine County Courthouse to access arrest information for free through criminal case files, or visit the Racine County Sheriff’s Office or other local law enforcement agencies and request free viewing of their booking records.

While individuals can access Racine County arrest records for free, note that the information available through these sources may be limited. For instance, older records may not be accessible through online search tools. Additionally, individuals cannot access redacted materials through free-tier sources.

Racine County Arrest Report

Racine County arrest records and arrest reports detail arrest events within the county. However, the documents serve distinct purposes, provide different information, and have varying accessibility levels.

Generally, arrest records are summary-level documents detailing the apprehension and booking of individuals by law enforcement agencies. These documents are entry data into custodial and judicial systems. Arrest records provide identifying information about persons arrested by law enforcement, the reasons for their arrests, and booking details.

By comparison, a Racine County arrest report is a narrative document created by the arresting officer in the aftermath of the arrest. Arrest reports provide more comprehensive accounts of arrests than arrest records. Information on a Racine County arrest report includes:

The arrestee's identifying details
Date, time, and location of the incident and arrest
The arresting agency and officers involved
Narrative descriptions of the events leading to the arrest
Probable cause statement outlining the reasons for the arrest
Charges or suspected offenses
Witness statements
Victim information
Evidence observed or collected
Officer observation
Use of force or incident details
Booking and processing information.

Under Wisconsin law, arrest records and arrest reports are considered public. However, while Racine County arrest records are generally accessible online, access to the county’s arrest reports requires a formal request. Additionally, the arresting agency can redact certain information or may restrict access to arrest reports.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Racine County

In Racine County, expungement of arrest records must comply with Section 973.015 of the Wisconsin Statutes, while Section 164.84(1) governs the removal of arrest information from state databases.

Under Wisconsin law, a Racine County arrest record is eligible for expunction if charges were never filed, or the court dismisses the charges or acquits the suspect. Otherwise, individuals under 25 years at the time of their arrests and whose punishment does not exceed 6 years imprisonment, can petition for expungement of their records after completing their sentences if the court orders the possibility of expungement at the time of sentencing. Additionally, to qualify to petition for expungement of arrest records, the convicts must complete the sentences for their crimes and have no felony convictions.

The Wisconsin Circuit Court Access portal implements automatic removal for non-conviction arrest records or if the court orders automatic expunction after the individual completes the sentence for offense. Nevertheless, individuals seeking to expunge their Racine County arrest records can apply the following steps:

Verify if the specific arrest record qualifies for expungement.
Obtain a certified copy of the “Order of Dismissal” or “Judgment of Acquittal” from the Clerk’s Office of the Racine County Circuit Court.
Download and complete a Form DJ-LE-250B, and fill out the Wisconsin Fingerprint Record Removal Request.
Include a set of physical fingerprints (usually the index finger) on the form to confirm identity (this may be taken at the Racine County Sheriff’s Office or local police department).
Mail the form and the court documents to:

Crime Information Bureau

Attn: Criminal History Unit

P.O. Box 2718,

Madison,

WI 53701-2718.

How Do You Remove Racine County Arrest Records From the Internet?

Expunging a Racine County arrest record mandates that government agencies remove the information from their databases. However, it does not force private platforms to delete the record from their databases. Hence, removing a Racine County arrest record from the internet is a multi-step process.

To make a Racine County arrest record inaccessible online:

Expunge the arrest record under the Wisconsin expungement law.
Use an expungement clearing house to submit removal requests to private online platforms.
Use the Google Legal Help Tool to request to remove the specific URLs of the pages publishing the information. If the record still shows up on search engines after its deletion, use the Refresh Outdated Content Tool to force its removal from search results.
Identify “mugshots” and “people search” websites and email copies of the “Order of Dismissal or Expungement” to their “Compliance” or “Privacy” departments.
Opt out of data brokers’ websites. The “Opt-out”, Do Not Sell My Info”, or “Privacy “ links may be available at the bottom of the homepage.