Craig County Police Records

Craig County police records cover arrest reports, incident files, and criminal case data held by the Sheriff's Office and the Circuit Court Clerk in New Castle. Craig County is a small rural county in western Virginia. The Sheriff's Office is the main police agency. This page shows you how to search for Craig County police records, where to send a FOIA request, and what each agency keeps on file.

Craig County Sheriff's Office Records

The Craig County Sheriff's Office handles all police records for the county. The office covers patrol, criminal investigations, court security, and civil process. Because Craig County has fewer than 5,000 residents, the Sheriff's Office is small. Most records requests can be handled by phone or in person at the courthouse.

The county's main FOIA email is FOIA@Craigcountyva.gov. Use that address to send a written request. The county FOIA officer routes the request to the Sheriff's Office, the courts, or another county office, depending on what you ask for. Send a clear, specific request to get the fastest reply.

Put your full name, mailing address, phone, and email at the top. List the records you want with as much detail as you can give. A case number, an incident date, or a road name all help Craig County staff find the file fast. Keep a copy of your request. If the cost runs over $200, the Craig County FOIA officer must give you a written estimate first. Most small requests are free or charged a small per-page fee.

You can pay by check or money order. The Craig County Sheriff's Office may also take payment at the window when you pick up paper copies. Card payment is not standard for record fees in this small county.

Craig County Police Records Under FOIA

Police records in Craig County fall under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Under Virginia Code Section 2.2-3706.1, criminal incident information for felony cases must be released. That covers a general description of the crime, the date, the location, the name of the investigating officer, and any injuries or property damage. The Sheriff's Office must reply within five working days.

Some records stay closed. Files tied to open cases, juvenile records, the names of confidential informants, and personal data are exempt. If a request is denied, the office must tell you which exemption applies. You can appeal the denial to the Craig County Circuit Court or to the Virginia FOIA Council.

Note: Send written requests to the FOIA email, since there is no online portal for Craig County records.

Craig County Court Records

The Craig County Circuit Court handles felony cases, civil cases over $25,000, and family law. The Circuit Court Clerk holds case files, sentencing orders, and final dispositions. The General District Court covers misdemeanors and traffic cases. Both courts are based in New Castle. The Circuit Court is part of the 25th Judicial Circuit.

Search Craig County court records online for free. The Circuit Court Case Information System covers felony cases. The General District Court Online Case Information System covers misdemeanors and traffic cases. Both are run by the Virginia Judicial System and require no account.

Virginia State Police Records for Craig County

The Virginia State Police is the only agency that holds statewide criminal history files. For a check that covers Craig County and the rest of the state, send Form SP-167 to the Central Criminal Records Exchange. The fee is $15 per request. For records that include sex offender data, the fee is $20. The form must be filled out and notarized. Mail it to Virginia State Police, CARE, P.O. Box 85076, Richmond, VA 23285.

For state police incident reports and crash reports that involve Craig County roads, use the Virginia State Police FOIA portal. State troopers handle highway patrol and major case work in rural areas like Craig County. The VSP FOIA Officer can be reached at (804) 674-2642 or FOIA@vsp.virginia.gov.

Craig County Police Records Online Tools

The Virginia Sex Offender Registry covers Craig County registrants. Search by name, ZIP code, or city. The registry is free, updated daily, and open to anyone. The Virginia Courts website is the fastest way to look up case records from both circuit and district courts. Both tools work well for a quick check.

Note: For older records or paper-only files, you may need to contact the Clerk's Office in person.

Craig County Jail and Holding

Craig County does not run a full jail. People booked in Craig County are held short term and then moved to a regional facility. Most adults arrested by the Craig County Sheriff are sent to the Western Virginia Regional Jail in Salem. The regional jail keeps the booking log, the inmate roster, and the bond data. Call the jail to confirm if a person is in custody.

State prisoners later move on to a Virginia Department of Corrections facility. The VADOC offender locator tracks them by name or DOC number. Use it to find a current location, a release date, or a parole status. The locator does not show out-of-state holds.

CCRE and Statewide Criminal Data

Every Craig County arrest gets reported to the Central Criminal Records Exchange. The CCRE is the state's master criminal history file, set up under Va. Code § 9.1-101. The exchange tracks arrests, charges, court dispositions, and sentences for all of Virginia. Local clerks send updates within 30 days of a final order.

The state is now moving to OCIS 2.0, a new court data platform. It will replace the older CJIS Web search tools and add better filters and case alerts. Craig County Circuit Court and General District Court records will keep flowing to the same public portal during the change.

Note: A name-based CCRE check costs $15 and takes 12 to 15 business days to come back by mail.

Juvenile Records and Expungement

Juvenile police records in Craig County are not public. Under Va. Code § 16.1-301, the Sheriff keeps juvenile files apart from adult files. Only the youth, the parent, the court, and a few set agencies can see them. Most juvenile cases are destroyed when the youth turns 19 or 21, depending on the type of charge.

Adults can ask the court to expunge a record. Expungement petitions go to the Craig County Circuit Court under § 19.2-392.2. Only dismissed charges, nolle prosequi cases, and acquittals qualify. The Commonwealth's Attorney is served and may object. A hearing date is set if there is a dispute.

The image below shows the Craig County website where the public can find the FOIA contact and request police records.

The county FOIA email is the main route for record requests in Craig County.

Nearby Counties

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