Approximately 4,500 of the 235,000 arrests that occur in North Carolina each year are made in Durham County. The North Carolina Public Records Act allows the public to access records created and maintained by government agencies, including arrest records. Copies of Durham County arrest records range in price from $0.25 to $30, depending on the agency.
However, laws or court orders prevent the public from accessing some arrest records. Confidential records in Durham County include juvenile arrest records, sealed records, records of active investigations, and medical records. These records may only be accessed by authorized individuals, such as law enforcement officers, the Durham County Attorney's Office, judicial officers, those named on the records, and their legal representatives.
Durham County arrest records are accessible through various agencies, such as local police departments, the courts, the state's law enforcement agencies, and the county sheriff's office.
The Durham County Sheriff's Office creates, maintains, and makes available arrest records to the public upon request. Requests for arrest records in Durham County can be sent to the Durham County Sheriff's Office during business hours at:
Durham County Sheriff's Office 510 South Dillard Street
Durham, NC 27701 Phone: (919) 560-0899
Fax: (919) 560-0995
Record seekers can also use the Inmate Population Search Portal to access details of persons arrested and incarcerated in the county jail.
The Durham Police Department (DPD) is the only police department in Durham County. Anyone can contact the DPD to obtain arrest records. For an effective record search, they must supply the arrestee's name and the date of the arrest. In addition, the Durham Police Department provides an online arrest and incident log for the public through its Police-to-Citizen Website. Record seekers can search by location, case number, name, or booking date.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) is the central repository for criminal records in the state. It collates, analyzes, and maintains criminal records from law enforcement agencies from all counties in North Carolina, including Durham County. The NCSBI's Background Checks platform allows anyone to request their criminal records and authorized parties like licensing bodies and employers request criminal records. Interested entities can contact the NCSBI at:
North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation 3320 Garner Road Raleigh, NC 27626-0500
Phone: (919) 582-8660
Fax: (919) 661-5977
Durham County's criminal court records include arrest records of arrests that led to prosecution. The Durham County Superior and County Courts hear the county's criminal cases and the Durham County Clerk of the Superior Court's Office maintains criminal court records for the county. Interested persons can use the public terminals on the grounds or request copies at a fee. They can also visit or mail the completed Criminal Records Search form (Form AOC-CR-314) with a $25 search fee to the Clerk's Office during business hours at:
Clerk of the Superior Court
Durham County Courthouse
510 South Dillard Street
Durham, NC 27701
Phone: (919) 808-3000
Additionally, reliable third-party websites like InfoTracer offer quicker and more convenient access to Durham County.
Durham County has an arrest rate of 13.3 per 100,000 population. Some arrest figures for adults and juveniles recorded in Durham County are shown below:
| Arrest Type | Number of Arrests |
|---|---|
| Murder and Non-negligent Manslaughter | 26 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 1 |
| Robbery | 95 |
| Rape | 3 |
| Aggravated Assault | 271 |
| Simple Assault | 740 |
| Burglary | 156 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 0 |
| Larceny | 648 |
| Arson | 7 |
| Total Number of Arrests | 4,512 |
Source: North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation
| Name | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Durham County Youth Home | 2432 Broad Street | 919-560-0840 |