Pickens County Arrest Records

Pickens County arrest records refer to law enforcement documents that detail personal information, time, and circumstances surrounding the arrest of individuals by law enforcement agencies within the county. An arrest becomes necessary if an individual commits a crime or law enforcement has probable cause to believe that a crime is imminent.

The Pickens County Sheriff's Office, Pickens City Police Department, South Carolina Highway Patrol, and other local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies create arrest records to provide information on persons within their custody.

In Pickens County, SC, law enforcement agencies detain arrestees, long-term convicts, and Individuals serving short-term sentences at the Pickens County Detention Center. Pickens County arrest records are preparatory documents for criminal prosecutions within the county’s Circuit, Magistrate, and Municipal Courts. Hence, they are part of Pickens County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Pickens County?

Under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Pickens County court records are public documents and, therefore, accessible to interested persons irrespective of residency and nationality. Nevertheless, while the South Carolina FOIA grants general access to public records, it restricts access to Pickens County arrest records relating to

• Juveniles
• Active law enforcement investigations
• Sealed and Expunged cases
• Victim and Witness information.

Also, information that may infringe an individual's right to personal privacy is not open to public disclosure. To access Pickens arrest records protected by federal or state laws, a requester must possess a judicial order.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

An arrest record contains personal information about an arrestee and the circumstances of an arrest. A typical arrest record’s information includes but is not limited to

• Personal Information: name, date of birth, gender, race, physical description, and address of the arrestee
• Arrest Details: location and date of arrest, names of the arresting agency and officers, badge number of the arresting officers, and reasons for arrest
• Booking Details: case number, fingerprints, mugshots, charges against the detainee
• Bail or Bond Information.

Pickens County Crime Rate

Data from the FBI Crime Data Explorer shows a general decrease in Pickens County’s crime rate between 2020 and 2022. In 2020, the Pickens County Sheriff's Office reported 249 violent and 1,423 property-related crime incidents. These figures decreased to 188 and 1,180 in 2021 and 172 and 918 in 2022. During this period, larceny theft was the most consistent crime in Pickens County, SC.

Property-related crimes account for over 84% of the annual crimes in Pickens County, and larceny-theft make up more than 62% of property-related crimes. The data below outlines the Pickens County Sheriff's data on major crime incidents between 2020 and 2022.

Data Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer.

Pickens County Arrest Statistics

Per the SLED South Carolina Crime Statistics, there was a varying trend in the number of arrests by law enforcement agencies within Pickens County between 2020 and 2022. In 2022, the Pickens County Sheriff's Office, Pickens City Police Department, and Pickens Highway Patrol reported 1,706 arrests for various incidents within the county. This figure is higher than the 1,698 and 1,684 arrests for 2021 and 2020. The table below shows the number of arrests by the Sheriff's Office, Pickens City Police Department, and the Pickens Highway Patrol between 2020 and 2022.

Data Source: South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

Find Pickens County Arrest Records

There are several options for Obtaining information on Pickens County arrest. To find Pickens County arrest records online:

• Log in to the Pickens County Sheriff's Office Inmate Search Search Portal and access arrest information through inmate records.
• Visit the South Carolina Department of Public Safety Family Court Public Index Portal and use the online search tools to look for arrest records relating to family cases.
• Search for Pickens County arrest records on third-party online databases that have information on Pickens County law enforcement.
• Log in to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Citizens Access to Criminal Histories search page and perform a background check for Pickens County arrest records.

Alternatively, make a FOIA request to access Pickens County arrest records through the county's Sheriff's Office, Detention Center, or Clerk of Court Office using the following contacts:

Pickens County Sheriff's Office

216 C David Stone Road,
Pickens,
SC 29671

Pickens County Detention Center

216 L.E.C. Road,
Pickens,
SC 29671

Pickens County Clerk of Court

214 East Main Street,
Pickens,
SC 29671.

Free Arrest Record Search in Pickens County

For free access to Pickens County arrest records:

• Log in to the Pickens County Sheriff's Office Inmate Search Portal and perform a name-based search for arrest records through inmate records
• Visit the South Carolina Department of Social Services Family Court Public Access Portal, select Pickens from the Location/County menu, and search for family Pickens County arrest records relating to family-related cases.
• Search for Pickens County arrest records online through third-party online databases that may offer free access to Pickens County law enforcement records.

Get Pickens County Criminal Records

Criminal records refer to official documents that detail individuals' interactions with the criminal justice system. Several agencies maintain criminal records in Pickens County; these include the Pickens County Sheriff's Office, Clerk of Court, and Detention Center. Also, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the South Carolina Judicial Department maintain statewide criminal records databases (including those of Pickens County).

To access Pickens County criminal records:

• Call the Pickens County Sheriff's Office at (864) 898-5500 or visit their office and request access to the county's criminal records.
• Visit the SLED Citizens Access to Criminal Histories Page, register, log in to the CATCH Portal, and use a name and date of birth to search for Pickens County criminal records.
• Visit the Pickens County Clerk of Court Office or the Pickens County Detention Center and request access to criminal records.

Pickens County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Criminal and arrest records are two crucial tools for law enforcement and security. Although arrest records interlace with criminal records, there are distinctions between both documents. The differences between Pickens County arrest and criminal records are evident in their sources, scopes, and contents. The table below outlines some distinctions between Pickens County arrests and criminal records.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Per South Carolina laws, an arrest may stay on a record indefinitely unless the owner takes legal steps to seal or expunge it. To remove/seal an arrest record, the owner of the record must petition the court for sealing or expungement if they meet the requirements under South Carolina laws.

Expunge Pickens County Arrest Records

The following sections of the South Carolina Code provide the legal framework for the expungement of criminal records (including Pickens County arrest records):

• SC Code § 17-22-910 et seq. (Pre-trial Intervention)
• SC Code § 22-5-910 (First Offense Misdemeanor)
• SC Code § 22-5-920 (Fraudulent Check First Offense)
• SC Code § 34-11-90(e) (Fraudulent Check Pre-trial Intervention)
• SC Code § 17-1-40 (Non-conviction)
• SC Code § 17-22-330 (Youthful Offender).

The general criteria for expunging arrest from records in South Carolina are as follows:

• Non-conviction of the arrestee due to acquittal or dismissal of the charges or inability of the prosecutors to file charges within the allowable period after arrest
• Completion of pre-trial Intervention program
• The arrest is for a first-time misdemeanor offense, and there are no subsequent convictions of the offender
• The individual is a Youthful Offender (the arrestee was below 25 years old at the time of the arrest). Notwithstanding, not all arrests are eligible for expungement under the South Carolina Youthful Offender Act.
• Completion of sentence for first-time drug-related offense
• If the arrest results in a nolle prosequi case.

Eligible individuals seeking to expunge arrest records in Pickens County should

• Obtain copies of their arrest records from the Pickens County Clerk of Court Office or the arresting law enforcement agency.
• Download an Expungement Application Form from the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor's Office or the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) website. This form may also be available through the Pickens County Clerk of Court's Office.
• Complete the Expungement Application Form with the necessary information.
• Enclose a certified check or money order to cover the petition fees. To file for sealing or expungement of Pickens County arrest records, there is a $250.00 administrative fee payable to the Solicitor's Office if the petitioner pled guilty to the charges that resulted from the arrest. In addition to the administrative fee, there is a $35.00 fee payment to the Pickens County Clerk of Court Office. Also, depending on the crime, there may be an additional $25.00 non-refundable SLED verification fee.
• Submit the completed application form and the supporting documents to the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor's Office - Pickens County Division at
  214 East Main Street, Pickens,
  SC 29671
• The Pickens County Solicitor's Office will forward the petition to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for background checks to ascertain eligibility for arrest record expungement. Also, the Solicitor's Office will review the petition to determine if the petitioner is eligible to file the petition.
• After reviewing the petition, the Solicitor's Office will submit it to the judge for final approval (this may require a court hearing to determine the merits of sealing or removing the record)
• If the petition is successful, the court will instruct the relevant agencies to update their databases.

Note that it costs $0.00 to expunge a Pickens County arrest information if there is a dismissal or non-conviction without a plea bargain.

Pickens County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are legal documents authorizing law enforcement agencies to take individuals into custody. A Pickens County judge or magistrate may issue an arrest warrant if law enforcement can provide reasons the court should authorize it to arrest an individual. These may include an affidavit detailing evidence of a crime or proof that an individual may commit a crime or is reluctant to divulge crucial information relating to ongoing law enforcement criminal investigation.

An arrest warrant typically contains information such as

• The name and physical description of the suspect
• Charges against the defendant
• The name and signature of the judge/magistrate and the issuing court
• Time and location of the arrest.

Pickens County Arrest Warrant Search

There are several ways to search for information on Pickens County active arrest warrants, and any of the following methods may yield positive results.

• Visit the Pickens County Sheriff's Office online News List Page and look for information on active arrest warrants.
• Call, mail, fax, or visit the Pickens County Clerk of Court Office and request information on court-issued active arrest warrants using the information below.
  Pickens County Office of the Clerk of Court,
  214 E Main Street,
  P.O. Box 215, Pickens,
  SC, 29671
  Phone: (864) 898-5598
  Fax: (864) 898-5863
• Contact the Pickens County Sheriff's Office and request information on active arrest warrants at
  216 C David Stone Rd, Pickens,
  SC 29671
  Phone: (864) 898-5500
• Search for Pickens County arrest warrants online through third-party websites and local media.
• Contact local police departments for information on active arrest warrants.

Do Pickens County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Pickens County arrest warrants do not have an expiration date. In South Carolina and the rest of the United States, an arrest warrant will remain active until law enforcement apprehends the suspect. However, arrest warrants may become inactive through judicial recalls or at the demise of the wanted person.