Clarendon County Arrest Records

Clarendon County, South Carolina, arrest records are law enforcement documents detailing the arrests and detention of individuals for arrestable offenses. These records may be accessible through criminal trial documents as part of Clarendon County court records. The Clarendon County Sheriff's Office, Municipal Police Departments, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and other local law enforcement agencies generate arrest records when they detain arrestees.

In Clarendon County, law officers have the constitutional right to make arrests if there is enough evidence, an individual poses an immediate danger to public peace, or the court issues arrest warrants. Clarendon County law enforcement agencies detain arrestees for short-term incarcerations or await trials at the Clarendon County Detention Center and local police holding cells. Juvenile arrestees from Clarendon County are detained at the Midlands Regional Juvenile Detention Center.

Are Arrest Records Public in Clarendon County?

Under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, arrest records are public in Clarendon County. This law establishes public rights to access or make copies of government records (including Clarendon County arrest information). Nevertheless, Clarendon County arrest records are not publicly accessible if they interfere with ongoing law enforcement investigations, invade personal privacy, or compromise the safety of individuals.

Exempted Clarendon County arrest records are accessible to the record owners and legally authorized persons with proof of eligibility. The Clarendon County Sheriff's Office is the county's principal custodian of arrest records. Interested individuals seeking access to arrest records should contact their office at:

217 Commerce Street
Manning
SC 29102
Phone: (803) 435-4414
Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Clarendon County Arrest Statistics

The FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data shows that 945 persons were arrested by various Clarendon County law enforcement agencies in 2022, more than the 911 arrest incidents in 2023. Between 2022 and 2023, 1466 males and 390 females were taken into custody for various offenses by local law enforcement agencies within Clarendon County.

Also, during this period, drug/narcotics violations, simple assaults, and larceny offenses were the most common arrest incidents: 585 individuals were arrested for drug-related crimes, 216 for simple assaults, and 164 for larceny offenses within Clarendon County.

Find Clarendon County Arrest Records

Interested persons seeking to view or copy Clarendon County public arrest records should call or visit the Clarendon County Sheriff's Office during office hours. Alternatively, submit a FOIA Request Form to the:

Clarendon County Sheriff's Office
ATTN: Office of General Counsel, 217 Commerce Street
Manning
SC 29102.

Record seekers may also log in to the South Carolina Department of Corrections Incarcerated Inmates Search Portal and use the online search tools to access information on Clarendon County arrestees serving terms in state prisons.

Inquirers may also log in to the South Carolina Judicial Branch Case Records Search Portal, select Clarendon from the county list, and use the search criteria to find Clarendon County court-related arrest records.

Clarendon County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Clarendon County arrest and criminal records serve different purposes and contain varying information; they are public documents unless exempted by law.

An arrest record documents an individual's apprehension and detention by law enforcement. They provide details of the arrestee and the circumstances leading to the arrest. These are law enforcement documents for investigative purposes. Per South Carolina law, an arrestee is innocent until a court says otherwise. In addition, the Clarendon County Circuit Court may seal or remove arrest records that do not result in convictions.

Clarendon County criminal records are comprehensive histories of criminal trials within the various Clarendon County courts. These records contain Clarendon County arrest records and other files relating to criminal prosecutions within the county. Criminal records are reviewed by employers, licensing boards, and other entities assessing an individual's background, which may negatively impact their reputation.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Clarendon County arrest stays on a record indefinitely unless the owner takes legal action to expunge or seal it. The eligibility requirements to petition for the sealing or expungement of arrest information are stipulated in § 17-22-910 to § 17-22-960 of the South Carolina Code of Laws Unannotated. Clarendon County arrest records are expungeable if the arrests result from first-time nonviolent misdemeanors and marijuana possession or first-time youthful offender convictions.

Clarendon County Arrest Warrants

Clarendon County arrest warrants are court documents authorizing law enforcement to arrest suspects of arrestable offenses. In Clarendon County, a judge/magistrate may issue an arrest warrant if law enforcement or a prosecutor presents probable cause. The court may also issue arrest warrants if a suspect tries to avoid prosecution for a crime or if an individual flouts a court order.

A valid arrest warrant contains the following information:

• Personal information of the subject
• Date of issuance
• The statute allegedly violated and charges against the subject
• Statement of probable cause
• Court name and jurisdiction
• Name/signature of the issuing judge or magistrate
• Instructions to law enforcement on the execution of the warrant.

Do Clarendon County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In Clarendon County and the rest of the United States, arrest records do not expire. Once a Clarendon County judge/magistrate issues an arrest warrant, it remains active until law enforcement takes the subject into custody or the court revokes the warrant. However, if the underlying crime has a statute of limitations and the prosecutor does not file charges against the suspect within this period, it may affect the enforcement of an arrest warrant.