Maryland Arrest Records Search

How to Look Up Arrest Records in Maryland

The MD government does not have an online portal where the general public can search for criminal records. However, state law enforcement has a form they can fill out for different types of information. Individuals can visit law enforcement offices in person to get copies of a Maryland arrest record. When sending in a request, the requestor should include as much information as they can on the form.

What Information You Can Find in a state Criminal Report?

A Maryland arrest report will be full of useful information like name, address, phone, email, gender, race, height, weight, physical description, tattoos, scars, mugshots, and fingerprints. Along with that, they include arrest details, charges, convictions, dispositions, jail time, bond and bail paid, pleas, the dates of arrest, location and time. Additionally included will be information about any vehicles that were involved along with the arresting officer’s name and agency.

Maryland State Police Reports and Mugshots

Are Police Reports Public Record in Maryland?

According to Maryland’s Public Information Act (PIA), police reports and other incident reports are public records. Not all government records are available, and Maryland defines a public record as:

“A public record is defined as the original or copy of any documentary material in any form created or received by an agency in connection with the transaction of public business. Included in this definition are written materials, books, photographs, photocopies, firms, microfilms, records, tapes, computerized records, maps, drawings, and other materials.”

However, the State Police allows individuals to review police records who are:

• Named in the record.
• The attorney of record of a requestor named in the record.
• A qualified beneficiary of individual named in the record. (Qualified beneficiaries of individual named in the record will need to provide a copy of your driver’s license with a copy of the death certificate, registered Will or a letter from the estate attorney.)

The state of Maryland allows the public to make requests via a form on their website. There is a fee involved, but it does not state how much you will have to pay.

Additionally, the Maryland State Police has a web portal where people can get copies of car crash reports easily, in person, or through the mail for $4.

Maryland Mugshots

Maryland mugshots are public records, and you can find them online; however, governing their issuance depends on the county and law enforcement agency. For example, it may be difficult to find any mugshots from one area but easy in another. The Charles County Sheriff’s Office has mug shots all over their websites for cold cases and most wanted fugitives. They also have non-official police photos of suspects they are looking to apprehend.

The practice of using mugshots began in the late 1800s after photography was invented. A French policeman named Alphonse Bertillon made it a standard part of the booking procedure, and other countries adopted the practice. Mugshots consist of a composite image made up of a front and side shot. They are used by investigators with witnesses and victims and even on the news to help locate suspects and criminals.

Maryland Arrest Booking Process

The Maryland booking process is pretty straightforward. Once arrested, the suspect will be taken into custody, most likely handcuffed and transported to the local county jail or detention center. There, they will be processed and booked. The booking process may consist of:

• They will be thoroughly searched, and all their personal belongings will be taken and held for them. They will have you sign the inventory of your items, which you can later retrieve once you are released.
• You may be allowed one phone call to family, friends, or a lawyer.
• Police will ask for basic information like name, address, and date of birth.
• You will be photographed and fingerprinted.
• You will be placed in jail until your hearing, or you make bail.

Violent Crime Rates for the last 10 years

The crime rate has increased over the past decade in Maryland, going from 15,506 crimes in 2006 to 15,759 by 2% higher than it was back in 2006. The largest percentage of violent crimes falls into the Aggravated Assault category, with Revised Rape being the least popular crime in the state.

Arrest Laws

MD police officers can arrest someone at any time of day or night with a warrant. They can also arrest someone in a variety of circumstances including suspicion of domestic abuse, child abuse, stalking, or when they know, they are in violation of parole or probation. Maryland police can also arrest someone when they have probable cause that they committed a felony or misdemeanor, or the person commit one in front of them. Without a warrant, they can also arrest someone if they have probable cause to believe that there was a felony committee and they are involved.

The Arrest Rate in Maryland

For the last year calculated (2015), MD completed 212,623 arrests. That total represents a decrease of 11% from the previous year. Of that total, 189,918 of the arrests were adults, and 22,705 were juveniles. Thirty-two thousand two hundred fifty-one were for drug offenses, and 20,457 were for DUIs. During that year, 15,720 full-time law enforcement officers were responsible for these arrests. This figure equates to 2.6 officers per 1,000 residents.

State Offender and Victim Age Group Statistics

Most of the violent crime offenders in Maryland were Unknown .

Maryland Arrest Records by Type of Crime

The popular arrests for 2017 in Maryland was for All Other Offenses (except traffic) - 57,559, the same popularity of the arrest type was seen in Alabama, Alaska, and Arizona. The least popularity had Drunkenness arrests - with only 31 crimes a year.