Dupage County Court
Dupage County Arrest Records

DuPage County, Illinois Arrest Records

DuPage County arrest records are official documents generated by law enforcement when individuals are detained for a crime. According to the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1), it is the public policy of the state that access by all persons to public records promotes the transparency and accountability of public bodies at all levels of government.

Criminal history record information is controlled and released under a separate statutory scheme known as the Illinois Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635). According to this act, "criminal history record" refers to data or information collected that is identifiable to an individual and consists of descriptions of arrests, detentions, indictments, informations, pretrial proceedings, trials, or other formal events relating to an individual's criminal history. Conviction information maintained by the Illinois State Police is publicly available by the state.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in DuPage, Illinois?

Under the Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1.2), all records in the possession of a public body, including law enforcement agencies, are presumed to be open to public inspection and copying. Arrest records are to be made publicly available within 72 hours of the arrest. Although public, certain types of information are typically withheld from disclosure. This include records or information that:

Interfere with pending or ongoing law enforcement proceedings, including investigations, trials, etc.
Endanger the life or physical safety of any individual.
Compromise the security of any correctional facility.
Deprive a person of a fair trial or an impartial hearing.
Expose confidential information or the identity of a confidential source.
Constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, unless the disclosure is consented to in writing by the individual subjects of the information.

Juvenile arrest records are not subject to the provisions of Illinois's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). As a result, these records are typically not public in DuPage County. However, most confidential arrest records are accessible to certain eligible persons and entities, such as the subject of the record and criminal justice agencies. All expunged or sealed records are also exempt from public availability.

DuPage County Arrest Search

The Illinois State Police (ISP) offers an online portal that allows the public to carry out state-level arrest record searches through the Bureau of Identification’s Criminal History Information Response Process (CHIRP) system. However, only Illinois law enforcement agencies or those with a user's agreement with the ISP can access the CHIRP portal, and a digital ID and password are required to access the portal. Record seekers must complete and submit one of two forms provided by the ISP to make criminal record search requests by mail. These forms are accessible online through the ISP's Uniform Conviction Information Forms page, which includes the Non-Fingerprint Request Form and Fingerprint Request Form. There is typically a fee of approximately $10 - $20 attached.

Another way to access arrest records is to go through the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) search tool, where individuals can search by name, IDOC number, or birthdate.

For arrests carried out by federal agencies, arrest records are tracked through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system. Users are required to create an account to make use of this system and are charged a small fee based on the number of pages generated per search. Searches can also be made through the Bureau of Prisons federal inmate locator.

DuPage County Inmate Locator

The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office provides an inmate search tool that can be used to access arrest information on individuals arrested and held within the county on its official website. Individuals may search for inmates via full name or through the roster provided and maintained by the sheriff’s office, which is displayed on the inmate search page.

Active Warrant Search in DuPage County

An arrest warrant is a document or written order issued by a judge or magistrate that authorizes a law enforcement agency to carry out an arrest. The contents of an arrest warrant typically include:

The name, sex, and birthdate of the individual to be arrested.
The nature of the offense with which the accused is charged.
The time and place of the offense.
The date when issued.
The municipality where it was issued.
The signature of the judge with the title of the judge's office.
Specific conditions for pretrial release, if any.

The DuPage County Sheriff's Office handles arrest warrants by filing them through an internal system known as the electronic criminal complaints and arrest warrants system. This system is managed by the DuPage County 18th Judicial Circuit Court. Interested persons can find information about arrest warrants in DuPage County by querying local police departments. These police departments may be able to provide information about arrest warrants they are responsible for executing in the county as long as they are still active.

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in DuPage County

One of the most direct ways to search arrest records for free is through the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office FOIA request. This request can be made:

In-person request at the sheriff’s office:

DuPage County Sheriff's Office

FOIA Officer

501 N. County Farm Road

Wheaton, IL 60187

By sending a mail to the County Sheriff’s:

DuPage County Sheriff's Office

FOIA Officer

501 N. County Farm Road

Wheaton, IL 60432

Email: FOIA@DuPageSheriff.org

Arrest records can also be accessed through the 18th Judicial Circuit Court Clerk, which provides court records that include arrest information. The Clerk of the Circuit Court has computerized information terminals for public viewing of circuit court records. These terminals can be located at:

Office of the DuPage County Circuit Court Clerk

505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois.

While these methods are free, there may be certain limitations that may apply, such as turnout delays, which can take up to five business days, and charges that may arise if the requested information exceeds a 50-page limit.

DuPage County Arrest Report

While an arrest record is a broad, cumulative document summarizing an individual’s entire arrest history and convictions, an arrest report is a more specific document created when a person is taken into custody by law enforcement. This report is a narrative document prepared by the arresting officer that details the circumstances, evidence and actions surrounding the arrest and provides crucial information for the booking process and subsequent legal proceedings.

Key differences include:

Arrest Records	Arrest Report
A high-level summary entry of an individual's arrest history.	A detailed narrative report of a specific arrest case.
They are generated by custodial/case systems such as the DuPage County Jail and the 18th Judicial Circuit Court Clerk.	They are generated by the arresting officer.
Include content such as the name, age, mugshot, time/date of arrest, and specific charges of the individual arrested.	Include content such as the officer’s statement, more detailed personal information on the person arrested, witness statements, evidence collected, and specific events leading up to and during the arrest.
These records are highly public.	These reports are only conditionally made public.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in DuPage County

Expungement results in the physical destruction of records and removal from public databases, effectively erasing the arrest from official records. In DuPage County, individuals with arrest records may pursue legal remedies to limit public access to these records through expungement. These procedures are governed by the Illinois Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630/0.01 et seq.) and administered through the 18th Judicial Circuit Court.

Listed below are the steps for having arrest records expunged in DuPage County:

Obtain a complete criminal history transcript from the arresting agency or the Illinois State Police.
Secure certified dispositions for all cases from the DuPage County Circuit Court Clerk.
Complete the appropriate petition forms.
File the petition with the Circuit Clerk's Office and pay the filing fee (currently $180 for expungement petitions).
Attend the scheduled court hearing.
If the court approves the expungement petition, it will send a copy of the expungement order to the petitioner and relevant law enforcement agencies with custodianship over the expunged arrest record. Subsequently, the agency will expunge the arrest record within 60 days.

How Do You Remove DuPage County Arrest Records From the Internet?

Arrest records in DuPage County can be removed from the internet only after the record has been formally sealed. Once legally cleared, individuals can request removal of arrest records from the internet by sending a copy of the expungement order to law enforcement agencies still displaying them online. Individuals may also report any private websites that display arrest records to law enforcement.

What Do Public DuPage County Arrest Records Contain?

Under Illinois law, the DuPage County arrest records typically contain public-facing elements such as:

The arrestee's personally identifiable information, which includes full name, age, address, and photograph.
Details about any charges related to the arrest.
The arrest time and location.
The investigating or arresting law enforcement agency's name.
The arrestee's booking information, including the date and time they were booked, released, or transferred from the arresting agency's custody.