Colorado Arrest Records

A Colorado arrest record is created when a person is placed under arrest by a law enforcement officer for violating the law or committing a criminal offense. Arrest records are generated by State Law Enforcement Agencies (such as police departments, the Sheriff's office, prison/jail staff, and courts) and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

The Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act established the need for "maintenance, access and dissemination, completeness, accuracy, and sealing of criminal justice records." Criminal justice records in this context include arrest and indictment information (CRS § 24-72-301).

Colorado arrest records provide an official account of

• The reason for the arrest or temporary detention.
• The nature of the arrest.
• The charge (if any).
• Interactions with the law enforcement officer/agency.

The information typically featured in arrest records includes:

• The subject's name;
• A physical description of the subject - their race, height, and weight;
• Name of the other suspects arrested;
• The incident date, time, and arrest location;
• A summary of events leading to the arrest;
• The intervention used by an officer;
• The arresting officer's name;
• Arresting agency's information;
• The nature of the arrest;
• Injuries sustained by any of the parties;
• Record ID.

Are Arrest Records Public in Colorado?

Yes. Arrest records are public records in Colorado. The Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) CRS § 24-72-203 states that state residents may access public records in the custody of the state and its agencies. Individuals can look up arrest records at designated and accessible public terminals in the state (for example, Police Departments) and other online resources. However, these provisions are not absolute, and state statutes restrict certain records from public viewership.

Section 24-72-204 of the Colorado Open Records Act empowers the record custodian to deny the right of inspection where such disclosure would be contrary to the public interest. Under the Act, the following information is restricted from general access:

• Records of investigations carried out by any law enforcement agency;
• Licensing, promotion, or academic examination data;
• Personally identifiable records;
• Electronic mail addresses submitted to the department for ease of communication;
• Medical records;
• Information about minors.

How Do I Look Up Arrest Records in Colorado?

Interested persons may lookup Colorado arrest records through any of the following custodians:

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI)

The CBI is a part of the Colorado Department of Public Safety. The CBI maintains the Internet Criminal History Check (ICHC) system, which provides access to the criminal history records for the state of Colorado. This database also contains comprehensive information on arrest records. However, this Check System only includes arrest records filed with the offender's fingerprints. To obtain a record, the searcher must know the search party's name and date of birth. They may also provide a Social Security Number or IDT Number (optional). This service costs $4.00 per search with access to only one record. An additional $4.00 will be charged to view each record or conduct further searches.

County/City Police Departments and Sheriff's Offices

Requests for Colorado arrest records may also be directed to local law enforcement agencies. Contact or visit a city or county police department or Sheriff's office in the neighborhood where the arrest took place. These agencies have logs of every person arrested or booked within their jurisdiction, including recent arrests, current offenders in custody, and those on parole and community service. Interested persons can also visit their official website and check their online logs and criminal history search portals. Some only contain recent arrests, while others index records over 2 to 5 years.

**Colorado Judicial Courts **

Criminal case court records contain information about arrests relevant to the case. This information includes the arrest's date, time, location, arresting officers, name, description of the person arrested, the offense, booking agency, and other details. Court records are public and can be accessed at the clerk's office or official website.

Free Arrest Record Search in Colorado

Police and Sheriff Departments in Colorado often have websites where the public can access information on arrested individuals within their city or county limits. An example is the City of Colorado Springs Police Blotter page. These websites and resources are free to use. All the searcher needs is sufficient information to identify the records they seek (e.g., the subject's name, booking number, city of arrest, and date of birth). Researchers may also contact the Sheriff's office to inquire about publicly accessible terminals in their facility. Researchers can also look up arrest records for free at the Sheriff's Office in person.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record in Colorado?

It depends. In 2022, the Colorado Legislature signed the Clean Slate law (SB22-099) that mandates sealing criminal records after a specific time frame, provided that the offender has not been arrested again.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation will automatically seal all arrest records created on or before January 2022 if no criminal charges have been filed within one year of the arrest.

Arrests made with no convictions after January 1, 2019, but before January 1, 2022, will sealed three years after the arrest for felonies, where the statute of limitation for the offense is three years and 18 months for misdemeanors, where the statute of limitation is not over 18 months. Similar rules also apply to seal arrest records with no convictions from 2018 and older.

How to Seal Arrest Record in Colorado

When a court in Colorado seals an arrest record, it is not destroyed. Instead, it becomes subject to non-disclosure per court order. It will, however, remain accessible to the court and other law enforcement agencies, police departments, and the Department of Public Safety. If the subject of the sealed record is convicted of an offense afterward, the previously sealed record will be unsealed following a court order.

To seal arrest records in Colorado, the intending petitioner must be eligible in keeping with the provisions of CRS § 24-72-704. The section states that anyone with interest in an arrest record involving a criminal offense may petition the district, county, or municipal where an arrest or criminal record related to the person is filed to seal such records if:

• No criminal charges were filed;
• The person of interest was not charged, and the statute of limitations for the offense leading to the arrest has elapsed;
• The person of interest was not charged, and although the statute of limitation has not lapsed, the person is no longer being investigated by law enforcement for the commission of the offense.

Petitions to seal arrest records may also be sent to the CBI. The CBI allows requesters to send court orders to seal to the CBI by mail, fax, or in person. Requests to process court orders cost $20 for each record, separate from the court fees. If granted, the record will be removed from public disclosure. Persons with interest are to send their orders to the address below:

Physical Location:

Attn: Seals

690 Kipling Street

Lakewood, CO 80215

Email: cdps_cbi_ident_seal@state.co.us

Fax: (303)-239-4405.

Mailing Address:

*Biometric Identification and Records Unit *

*Colorado Bureau of Investigation *

*690 Kipling St., Ste. 4000 *

Lakewood, CO 80215.