Lunenburg County Police Records
Lunenburg County police records are kept by the Sheriff's Office and the County Administrator. Sheriff Arthur Townsend Jr. has run the agency since 2006. The County Administrator handles FOIA requests for general county records. Both follow Virginia's FOIA law for arrest logs, incident reports, and other law enforcement files. This page covers the contacts and steps you need.
County Seat: Lunenburg
FOIA Response Time: 5 working days (12 with extension)
State Background Check: $15 via VSP Form SP-167
Circuit Court: 10th Judicial Circuit
Sheriff's Office Contact
| Office | Lunenburg County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Sheriff | Arthur Townsend Jr. (since 2006) |
| Address | 160 Courthouse Square, Lunenburg, VA 23952 |
| Phone | (434) 696-4452 |
| County FOIA | Tracy Gee, (434) 696-2142, tgee@lunenburgva.gov |
| County Address | 11413 Courthouse Road, Lunenburg, VA 23952 |
How to Request Lunenburg County Police Records
The Lunenburg County Sheriff's Office handles patrol, criminal investigations, and court security. Send requests for arrest logs, incident reports, and criminal investigation files to 160 Courthouse Square, Lunenburg, VA 23952. Phone: (434) 696-4452. Be specific about what you need. Names, dates, and case numbers help.
For records held by other county departments, contact Tracy Gee at the County Administration office. Address: 11413 Courthouse Road, Lunenburg, VA 23952. Phone: (434) 696-2142. Email: tgee@lunenburgva.gov. Tracy serves as the County FOIA contact and can route requests to the right office.
Under Va. Code § 2.2-3700 et seq., the agency has five working days to respond. They can extend by seven days. Criminal investigative files allow up to 65 working days under § 2.2-3706.
Lunenburg County Criminal Records Access
Felony incident information must be released. You get the basic facts: what happened, when and where, who responded, and what was lost or damaged. Adult mugshots are public. Closed unattended death files are public on request.
What stays sealed? Active investigative files, witness statements, and informant identities tied to open cases can be withheld. Juveniles are protected under separate state law. The sheriff has the right to hold a record back if release would put anyone at risk or harm an open case.
Lunenburg County Court Records
The Lunenburg County Circuit Court hears felony cases, civil disputes over $25,000, and family law matters. The court is part of the 10th Judicial Circuit. Court files often link to police investigations through charging documents and trial records.
Search Virginia court files free online. The Circuit Court Case Information System covers civil and criminal cases statewide. The General District Court system handles misdemeanors, traffic cases, and felony preliminary hearings. Both pull live data from clerks across Virginia.
Clerk's office copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies add $2.00 each.
Virginia State Police Criminal History
The Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange runs the statewide criminal history database. Submit Form SP-167 with a $15 fee and notarized signature. The report covers all Virginia arrests, pending charges, dismissals, and convictions. Processing takes 12 to 15 business days.
A combined criminal and sex offender check costs $20. The Sex Offender Registry is free to search online. National checks for paid jobs use Form SP-325 at $27. Volunteer checks are $20. VSP fingerprinting is $10 per card.
Note: Sheriff Arthur Townsend Jr. has led the Lunenburg County Sheriff's Office since 2006.
Police Records Privacy and Expungement
Criminal history sharing is set by Va. Code § 19.2-389. Over 50 types of agencies and groups can get records, from courts to schools and hospitals. People can always get their own records too.
Expungement petitions go to the Lunenburg Circuit Court under § 19.2-392.2. You must show that keeping the record would cause manifest injustice. Only dismissed cases or acquittals qualify. The Commonwealth's Attorney is served and can object.
Other Lunenburg County Police Record Sources
Crash reports come from the Virginia DMV at $8 per copy through Form CRD 93. The Department of Corrections Offender Locator shows current state inmates. The Virginia FOIA Council helps when a request is denied. Reach them at 1-866-448-4100.
Lunenburg County Town Police
Two small town police departments work inside Lunenburg County. The Victoria Police Department covers the town of Victoria. Call (434) 696-2347 for records held by that office. The Kenbridge Police Department covers Kenbridge at (434) 676-2378. Each town keeps its own incident files and arrest logs. Send a FOIA request to the right town first. The county Sheriff's Office cannot release another agency's records.
Town police follow the same FOIA rules as the county. Five working days to respond. Same fees rules. The town clerk often acts as the town FOIA officer. Ask by phone first to learn who to send your request to.
Lunenburg County Jail and Booking
The Lunenburg County Sheriff's Office runs a small holding area at the courthouse. Most inmates move on to a regional jail within a day. Daily arrest logs list each name, charge, time of arrest, and booking deputy. Mugshots for adults are public. Ask the records clerk for a copy. Fees follow the same rate as other police records.
Once an inmate is sent to state prison, look up the case on the VADOC Offender Locator. The free site lists current location, offense, sentence, and projected release date. Federal holds appear on the Federal Bureau of Prisons site.
Note: Juvenile arrest data stays sealed under Va. Code § 16.1-301 and is not part of the public log.
Lunenburg County FOIA Request Steps
You can file a FOIA request by mail, email, phone, or in person. The law does not force you to use a special form. Tracy Gee at the County Administrator's office handles most non-sheriff requests. Email tgee@lunenburgva.gov or call (434) 696-2142. State your name, callback number, and a clear list of records.
Under Va. Code § 2.2-3704, the office must answer in one of four ways. Hand over the records, deny with a written reason, deny in part and release the rest, or say more time is needed. The seven-day extension is only for cases where staff cannot pull the file in time. Big requests may carry a cost estimate up front.
Only Virginia residents and the news media may file under state FOIA. Out-of-state people often work with a Virginia attorney. The Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE), set by §§ 19.2-387 through 19.2-392, is the master state file for all arrests. Records get fed there from each Lunenburg County booking. The state Public Records Act, § 42.1-76, sets how long old files must be kept.
Lunenburg County Sex Offender Registry
The Virginia State Police runs the public sex offender registry for the whole state. Search by name, ZIP, or county on the SOR site. The Lunenburg County list shows photos, current address, and offense type. State law at § 9.1-902 sets which offenses call for registry. The Sheriff's Office must check on each offender at set times each year. Failure to register is a new felony charge.
Free email alerts go out when a new offender moves into your ZIP. Sign up on the registry site. The Lunenburg County Sheriff's Office can also confirm an address by phone.
Lunenburg County government provides public records access under Virginia FOIA.
Contact Tracy Gee in County Administration for non-sheriff records.