Arlington County Police Records

Arlington County police records are managed by both the Arlington County Police Department and the Sheriff's Office. The county sits just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. and handles a high volume of law enforcement activity. Police records here include arrest reports, criminal incident files, booking data, and court case documents. The Police Department's Office of Records handles most criminal history requests, while the Sheriff's Office manages the detention facility and inmate records. This page explains how to search for and get copies of police records in Arlington County.

Arlington County Police Department Records

The Arlington County Police Department Office of Records is the main place to get police records. The office is located at 1425 North Courthouse Road, Suite 2100, Arlington, Virginia 22201. Phone: (703) 228-4292. Fax: (703) 228-4298. Email: ACPDRecords@arlingtonva.us.

Criminal history records from the Arlington County Police Department are a compilation of arrest histories for incidents in Arlington County. You can order your own criminal history or request records on someone else. To get your own record, bring a valid government-issued photo ID to the office. To request someone else's criminal background, you must submit valid ID for yourself, the other person's ID, and a notarized authorization letter. Power of attorney documents must be presented in person.

Each request costs $10 plus a $9 processing fee. Submit requests by mail or in person to the address above. The Police Department does not currently offer an online submission method for criminal history requests.

Arlington County Sheriff's Office

The Arlington County Sheriff's Office is at 1425 North Courthouse Road, Suite 9100, Arlington, VA 22201. Phone: (703) 228-4468. FOIA Email: acsofoia@arlingtonva.us. The Sheriff's Office manages the county's detention facility, transports inmates to and from courts and medical appointments, and assists the police department with traffic enforcement.

The Sheriff's Office has an online inmate query system. You can search by subject number, inmate booking number, or name. The system shows the inmate's photograph, the court in which they are charged, next court date, charge description, offense date, bond type and amount, and booking date. This is one of the more detailed inmate lookup tools in Virginia.

Arlington County does not maintain a public-facing database of mugshots. The county does not publish booking photographs on its website or social media. If you need a booking photo, you must request it through FOIA. The Sheriff's Office has been known to charge significant fees for records. One FOIA request for just the first five chapters of their policy manual was billed at $421.25.

How to Get Arlington County Police Records

Arlington County has a county FOIA Officer located at 2100 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 302, Arlington, VA 22201. Phone: (703) 228-3130. For police-specific records, direct your request to the Police Department's Office of Records or the Sheriff's Office, depending on what you need. Each office has its own FOIA contact.

Under Virginia Code Section 2.2-3704, agencies must respond within five working days. Arlington County follows this rule across all departments. The response will either provide records, deny with a cited exemption, or request additional time. For complex requests involving criminal investigative files, the county can take up to 60 additional working days under Section 2.2-3706.1.

Arlington County Court Records and Police Cases

The Arlington County Circuit Court is at 1425 N. Courthouse Road, Suite 6700, Arlington, VA 22201. Phone: (703) 228-7010. The General District Court is in Suite 2400 at the same address. Phone: (703) 228-7900. The Circuit Court handles felony cases, civil cases over $25,000, and family law matters.

Search Arlington County court records online through the Circuit Court Case Information System for felony cases. Use the General District Court Online Case Information System for misdemeanor and traffic cases. Both are free. The Courthouse Law Library also provides public access terminals for searching court records.

Expungement petitions are filed at the Arlington County Circuit Court. If a criminal charge was dismissed or you were acquitted, you may be eligible to have the record sealed. The Arlington County courts page has more information on the process.

Statewide Police Records Through Virginia State Police

For a criminal history check covering all of Virginia, submit Form SP-167 to the Virginia State Police. The fee is $15 and the form must be notarized. Mail it to Virginia State Police, CARE, 7700 Midlothian Turnpike, North Chesterfield, VA 23235. Processing takes about 15 business days. The results will include any Arlington County arrests along with records from other jurisdictions across the state.

The Virginia State Police FOIA portal accepts electronic requests for state police records. The VSP criminal background check page has forms and instructions for the SP-167 process.

Note: The SP-167 is a name-based search; a fingerprint-based check provides more accurate results but is limited to specific purposes.

Arlington County Arrest Records

Arrest records from Arlington County are public under Virginia FOIA. Criminal incident information must be disclosed for felony offenses under Virginia Code Section 2.2-3706.1. This includes the general description of the crime, date and location, investigating officer, and description of any injuries or property damage.

Exempt records include juvenile records, ongoing investigation files, and records that would compromise law enforcement operations. If your request is denied, the agency must cite the specific exemption. Appeals go through the Arlington County Circuit Court or the Virginia FOIA Council.

The screenshot below shows the Virginia Courts Case Information portal, which you can use to search for Arlington County criminal and civil court records.

This free database covers all Virginia circuit courts and is updated with new filings regularly.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Arlington County. Each has its own Sheriff's Office and Circuit Court for police records.