Mercer County has a population of about 59,000 and is located in the southernmost part of West Virginia, bordering southwestern Virginia and North Carolina. It serves as a regional center for surrounding rural communities, with Bluefield and Princeton as its main cities.
The county reports violent and property crime rates of 88.5 and 80.3 per 100,000 residents. These rates are about 16.7% and 50.9% lower than the national averages.
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency, but it does not operate a county jail. Instead, the office handles the temporary processing of inmates before they are transferred to the Southern Regional Jail.
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office prepares initial arrest reports and maintains warrant records. However, official jail bookings and inmate release information are handled by the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation at the Southern Regional Jail. Municipal police departments, state police, and federal agencies may also make arrests and keep their own incident reports.
Mercer County is served by several law enforcement agencies, including federal authorities, the county sheriff, municipal police departments, and campus police.
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office handles countywide arrests and is the point of contact for active warrants and initial arrest records. The county sheriff's office also handles policing in unincorporated or rural areas of the county.
Local police departments, such as those in Bluefield, Princeton, and Bramwell, handle arrests within city and town limits and keep their own incident reports. After an arrest, individuals are initially booked into the Sheriff's temporary holding facility.
The West Virginia State Police serves as the state police agency with jurisdiction over highways and statewide cases. Arrests made in Mercer County may lead to booking at the Sheriff's temporary holding facility.
In Mercer County, federal agencies such as the DEA, FBI, and ATF handle federal-level investigations. If an arrest occurs, the Sheriff's Office may have arrest information when the individual is temporarily housed in the county's holding facility.
Campus police have the authority to handle on-campus incidents and make arrests on university or college grounds. In Mercer County, the Concord University Office of Public Safety assumes these roles as a sworn, state-certified department.
Besides the major law enforcement agencies, other agencies that operate within Mercer County include the West Virginia State Fire Marshal's Office and the West Virginia Divisions of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
When searching for arrest records in Mercer County, the following details are commonly included:
Details contained in Mercer County arrest records may differ based on the handling agency, case type, or jurisdiction. In addition, records connected to juvenile cases, privacy concerns, or active investigations may be limited or withheld.
Mercer County has a violent crime rate of 88.5 per 100,000 residents, which is 16.7% below the national rate. Its property crime rate is 80.3 per 100,000, approximately 50.9% lower than the national rate.
The table below shows a breakdown of arrest statistics in Mercer County:
Arrest Total | Yearly Average |
|---|---|
Arrest Rate per 100,000 | - |
Adult Arrests | - |
Juvenile Arrests | - |
Crime Type | |
Murder | 10 |
Rape | 10 |
Robbery | 10 |
Aggravated Assault | 60 |
Burglary | 110 |
Larceny | 170 |
Motor Vehicle Theft | 40 |
Arson | 10 |
Source:West Virginia State Police Uniform Crime Reporting
Common Warrant Types in Mercer County, WV
Several types of warrants are issued in Mercer County. These warrants can be found in arrest records, and each serves a different legal purpose. Warrants are used by judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement to enforce court orders and investigate crimes. Depending on state laws, warrants may have different names and scopes of authority. The following warrants are common in Mercer County:
An arrest warrant is issued when law enforcement or a prosecutor presents probable cause that a person has committed a crime. It is signed by a judge, and it gives law enforcement legal authority to arrest the individual.
Bench warrants are issued by judges when a person fails to appear in court or disobeys a court order. These warrants do not require new criminal charges and are often used for missed hearings or unpaid fines.
A civil capias warrant is used in civil matters, such as unpaid child support or failure to comply with a subpoena. Although it originates from a civil case, this warrant can still lead to arrest and temporary detention until the issue is resolved.
Also called an out-of-county or out-of-state warrant, a fugitive warrant is issued when someone wanted elsewhere is located in Mercer County. Local authorities detain the individual until they can be transferred back to the jurisdiction that issued the original warrant.
A governor's warrant is a formal document signed by the governor authorizing the arrest and transfer of a person wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence in another state.
A search warrant allows law enforcement to enter and search a specific location for evidence related to a suspected crime. Issued by a judge based on probable cause, it is not an arrest warrant but may lead to one if illegal items or evidence are found during the search.
Since Mercer County does not operate a long-term jail, individuals seeking information about an arrested person must rely on the statewide system. The West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation maintains a webpage where users can search for offenders held at the Southern Regional Facility. This facility provides detention services for Mercer County residents.
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office may provide limited information on individuals held in its temporary holding facility, but these details are often restricted due to privacy regulations and ongoing investigations. To access records for arrests made by the Sheriff's deputies, interested parties may visit the Records Division in person. Requesters must provide their name and contact information, the date and location of the incident, any other relevant details, and payment of a $20 copying fee.
The contact information of the Mercer County Sheriff's Office and the local police departments is as follows:
Agency Name: Mercer County Sheriff's Office
City: Princeton
Type: County law enforcement agency
Address: 1439 E. Main Street, Princeton, WV 24740
Phone Number: (304) 487-8364
Website: https://www.wvmcsd.org
Staffing: The Mercer County Sheriff's Office employs over 30 personnel
Police Department | Address | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
Princeton Police Department | City Police Department, 100 Courthouse Road, Princeton, WV | (304) 487-5000 |
Bluefield Police Department | 100 S Mercer Street, Bluefield, WV 24701 | (304) 327-6101 |
Branwell Police Department | 100 Simmons Avenue, Bramwell, WV 24715 | (304) 248-7033 |