If you want to know when someone close to you has been arrested, you’re not paranoid, you’re responsible. If one of my friends had been arrested for a DUI, I’d certainly want to know before I lend them my car. As such, it’s incredibly important to have access to resources that allow you to research whether or not someone has been arrested, and why they’ve been arrested.

How can I find out if someone has been arrested?

There are a couple of ways to do this. No matter what, you’ll be utilizing government documents known as “arrest records”. These arrest records are legally accessible to anyone in the US as of the Freedom of Information Act of 1966.

AN arrest record will contain information pertaining to the arrest. What charges were made, identifying information of the suspect, as well as a date and time for the arrest.

Now, there are several ways to access these arrest records, with varying degrees of efficiency and ease. Starting with…

• Online Public Records Databases

Listen, if you’re here to find an easy way to research this, you won’t find anything easier. If you’re looking for something accurate, you may have to discriminate a bit, but services like SpyFly are nearly identical to the documents published by the government. As such, using SpyFly is the best way to uncover any arrest records. All you need to use it is a name, and a state, and you can immediately begin searching for any arrest records.

Importantly, SpyFly doesn’t record any of your data while you’re searching, and they do not notify the person you’re investigating of the inquiry. This means that you can research any arrest records on them without fear that they’ll uncover your search, preventing embarrassing situations.

Importantly, SpyFly can be used on mobile, allowing you to research someone immediately after you’ve met them. This is especially useful if you’re on a date with someone you’re concerned is rather shady.

• Visit a local police station

Arrest records are made by law enforcement whenever an arrest is made. As such, police stations are likely to be able to access arrest records easily. All you need to do is visit the station, and speak with an officer who’s been assigned clerical duty. They’ll be able to assist you in your search and provide you with the relevant information the department possesses. However, if the department lacks access to digitized information, you will likely need to visit other offices until you uncover what you’re looking for. 

• Visit a county courthouse

Arrest records are often recorded by county court systems. Simply visit a courthouse, and speak with the county clerk about your inquiry. However be conscious of the fact that most county clerks possess a significant queue of requests, and likely won’t be able to process your inquiry for several days or even weeks. Even so, if they’re not digitized, you may need to wait even longer before they mail you the results of your search.

• Visit an attorney’s office

If you have access to a large amount of spending money, then a lawyer might be a good option for you. However keep in mind that even though they possess access to a comprehensive legal database, they’ll likely charge you a significantly pricey consultation fee, and require that you work on their time, rather than your own.

SpyFly provides consumers affordable, immediate access to public record information. Federal laws prohibit businesses from using SpyFly’s service to make decisions about employment, insurance, consumer credit, tenant screening, or for any other purpose subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq.