Graham County Arrest Records

Graham County arrest records are documented accounts of the arrest and detention of individuals for crimes. Local law enforcement agencies in the county create these records following arrests, including information such as the arrestee's details, charges, alleged offense, mugshot, arresting agency, and any other relevant information.

The Graham County Sheriff's Office is the primary custodian of these records for Graham County. However, local police departments, such as Safford and Thatcher PDs, create and manage arrest records for arrest incidents within their jurisdictional limits.

The public can obtain Graham County arrest records from the local law enforcement agencies in the county. Additionally, they can access these records, including information on whether an arrested person was found guilty of the charges or acquitted in court from Graham County court records and/or criminal records from the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AzDPS).

Are Arrest Records Public in Graham County?

Yes. Graham County arrest records are public under the Arizona Public Records Law (Sec. 39-121). Under this law, anyone can request to view or obtain copies of these records through the Graham County Sheriff's Office or a local police department. However, under sections 39-123.01, 39-121.04, and 39-123 of the Arizona Public Record Law, some arrest records are restricted or exempt from public disclosure. These include:

• Juvenile arrest records
• Arrest records related to ongoing investigations
• Information about arresting officers
• Arresting officer information
• Records or information that identify confidential informants or victims
• Sealed or expunged arrest records

Note: Per the law, access to exempt or restricted arrest records is granted only when requesters present written consent from the record subject or a court order authorizing access.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

A public arrest record in Graham County contains:

• The personal information of the arrested individual (i.e., name, date of birth, phone number, and address)
• Physical description of the arrestee (i.e., height, weight, race, and tattoos)
• The date and time of the arrest
• The location of the arrest
• Charges Filed against the arrestee
• Arresting officer and/or arresting agency
• Bail or bond amount (if applicable)
• The fingerprint of the arrestee
• Mugshot of the arrestee.

Graham County Arrest Statistics

According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data, there were 800 arrests in Graham County in 2023. The Graham County Sheriff's Office recorded 694 arrests, and Thatcher Police Department reported 106 arrests. Simple assault, larceny, disorderly conduct, liquor law violations, and other unspecified crimes made up the majority of these arrests.

Find Graham County Arrest Records

Interested individuals can obtain Graham County arrest records by submitting a completed public records request form to the Graham County Sheriff's Office. The form may be submitted in person, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by mail. Requests are subject to copy fees as itemized in the copy/service fees schedule file.

Graham County Sheriff's Office
600 West Graham Canal Road
Safford, AZ 85546
Phone: (928) 428-3141
Fax: (928) 792-5251

Additionally, interested individuals can obtain arrest records from local police departments within the county as these agencies create and maintain arrest records for arrests within their city/municipal limits. For example, a completed Thatcher PD public records request can be submitted to the Thatcher Police Department in person or by email to the admin officer at klemon@thatcher.az.gov. Copy fees are $5.00 for the first 10 pages and $.10 for each additional page.

Free Arrest Record Search in Graham County

Interested persons can submit requests to law enforcement agencies in Graham County to conduct searches for or obtain copies of arrest records. However, Arizona law allows law enforcement agencies to charge and determine fees for providing access to arrest records and other reports. To this effect, requesters may be charged for searching or copying Graham County arrest records.

Alternatively, interested individuals can search for Graham County arrest records through third-party sites. These websites aggregate public arrest records from law enforcement agencies across multiple jurisdictions, including Graham County, and offer free searchable databases individuals can use to look up these records by name. However, these sites are not affiliated with any official agency and, as such, may not contain accurate or up-to-date arrest records.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. Arrest records stay on file indefinitely in Graham County. However, under Arizona Expungement Law, individuals with arrest records can expunge or seal them. When this happens, the arrest is removed or sequestered from public disclosure.

Expunge Graham County Arrest Records

Under Arizona law, individuals can petition to expunge or seal their arrest records in Graham County under ARS§ 13-911 and ARS§ 36-2862. When a record is expunged or sealed, it is removed from public access and erased from a person’s file.

Individuals may qualify if:

• The arrest was for possession or consumption of marijuana (ARS § 36-2862)
• The arrest led to a conviction, and all terms of the sentence were completed
• The charges were dismissed or resulted in a not-guilty verdict
• No charges were filed after the arrest
• They have no other convictions other than a misdemeanor traffic violation
• A specific amount of time has passed since completing probation or sentence: 10 years for class 2 or 3 felonies, 5 years for class 4, 5, or 6 felonies, 3 years for class 1 misdemeanors, and 2 years for class 2 or 3 misdemeanors.

Eligible individuals must petition the court where their charges were filed or heard to seal or expunge their arrest records. They can do this by submitting a completed petition form to the court. Instructions and guidelines on completing a petition form are outlined in "Instructions to Complete Petition to Seal Criminal Case Records".

The court will review the petition and decide whether a hearing is needed. Individuals can request a hearing, but the court may dismiss the petition without one if it doesn’t meet legal requirements or lacks enough information.

If approved under ARS § 13-911, the court orders the records sealed, and the clerk sends the sealing order to the arresting agency and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Graham County Arrest Warrants

Graham County arrest warrants are legal orders that authorize law enforcement officers to arrest an individual. They are issued for various reasons, including criminal offenses, failure to appear in court, contempt of court, violation of probation or parole conditions, failure to pay fines, and child support (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 25-681(D)).

In Graham County, the issuance and execution of arrest warrants is governed by Section 13-4405.01 of the Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS). Under the law, arrest warrants are issued when law enforcement presents sufficient evidence to a judge or magistrate showing probable cause that a person has committed a crime. Upon review and finding the evidence sufficient to establish probable cause for an arrest warrant, the judge or magistrate grants the warrant, authorizing law enforcement officers to locate and arrest the person named in the warrant.

Graham County arrest warrants typically contain the individual's name or description, the alleged offense, the date of issue, the issuing court, the issuing authority's name and signature, and any conditions or limitations for the arrest.

Do Graham County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Graham County arrest warrants do not expire. They stay valid until the individual named on the warrant is arrested or the court actively recalls the warrant. However, circumstances such as death or conclusive proof of innocence can invalidate a Graham County arrest warrant. Otherwise, these warrants remain active and enforceable anywhere within Graham County and the state of Arizona.