Bentonville, Arkansas Criminal Records Search

Bentonville criminal records are available through the Bentonville Police Department, Benton County Sheriff's Office, and several state and county court systems. As the county seat of Benton County, Bentonville is where all Benton County circuit court filings are processed. Criminal cases filed in Bentonville, arrest records maintained by the Bentonville Police Department Records Unit, active warrants from the Benton County Sheriff, and statewide background checks are each handled by separate agencies. This page explains what each source provides and how to request records.

Bentonville Police Department Records Unit

The Bentonville Police Department Records Unit handles requests for police reports, accident reports, and criminal records generated by Bentonville PD officers. The Records Unit processes FOIA requests, submits monthly statistical reports to state and federal agencies, and maintains the local database of traffic and criminal offenses. It also conducts background checks using local records, separate from the statewide system managed by the Arkansas State Police.

The Records Unit page is at bentonvillear.com/398/Records. To get a copy of an incident report or other police record, you can contact the Records Unit directly or submit a FOIA request through the city's online portal. The portal is at bentonvillear.justfoia.com. It accepts new requests, tracks status, and allows you to communicate with staff during the process.

To use the FOIA portal, describe the type of record you need, the date range it covers, and the department involved. You'll need to provide your name, phone number, email, and mailing address. Arkansas citizenship is required. Requests are processed under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101 et seq. The agency has 24 hours to determine eligibility and three business days to produce records. Copy fees may apply for reproduction costs.

Bentonville Police arrest records include the name of the person arrested, the charges, date of arrest, and arresting officer. These records are public once the arrest is complete. Reports that are part of an open investigation may be partially withheld until the case is closed.

The City of Bentonville official website is the starting point for accessing police records, FOIA requests, and public safety information for Bentonville and surrounding areas of Benton County.

Benton County Sheriff and Warrant Search

The Benton County Sheriff's Office at 1300 SW 14th Street, Bentonville, AR 72712 handles warrants, bookings, and inmate records for all of Benton County. Phone: (479) 271-1008. The official county government site is bentoncountyar.gov. Bentonville arrests are processed at the Benton County Detention Center, operated by the sheriff.

The warrant search tool is on the county site under the Sheriff section. Use the "How Do I" dropdown and select "Warrants." You can search by name or age, or browse the active warrant list alphabetically. Each result shows the person's name, age, listed offense, issue date, and warrant number. Only active warrants appear. Cleared, recalled, or served warrants are not shown online.

Booking records for Bentonville arrests show the person's name, date of birth, booking date, charges, bond amount and type, and the arresting agency. For arrests made by Bentonville Police, the arresting agency field will list Bentonville Police Department. These records are public under Arkansas FOIA law. The sheriff's office can be reached directly at (479) 271-1008 to confirm warrant status or get details not visible in the online search.

The Bentonville Police Records Unit handles incident reports, criminal offense records, and FOIA requests for records generated by Bentonville city police officers.

Benton County Circuit Court Records

As the county seat of Benton County, Bentonville is where all Benton County circuit court filings are kept. All felony cases originating in Bentonville and across Benton County are filed with the Benton County Circuit Clerk. The official court records portal is bentoncountycourt.org, which provides access to civil and criminal case filings, dockets, judgments, and court orders.

CourtConnect at caseinfo.arcourts.gov also covers Benton County cases. Search by name, case number, description, or date range. Results show party names, case status, docket entries, attorney of record, and hearing dates. The system is free. Technical support is available at 501-410-1900 or 866-823-5778.

Bentonville Municipal Court handles minor city ordinance violations and low-level traffic matters originating in Bentonville. Benton County District Court handles misdemeanors and traffic offenses for the broader county. Cases from both courts can be located through CourtConnect once they have been assigned a case number and filed with the clerk's system.

Certified copies of court records cost $5 per document plus $0.25 per page for copying. Uncertified copies are $0.25 per page. For older records not available online, visit the circuit clerk's office in Bentonville to access paper files. Staff can locate records by name, case number, or approximate filing date.

Restricted records include juvenile court files under A.C.A. § 9-27-309, sealed and expunged records under A.C.A. § 16-90-901, and records sealed by court order. These are not accessible through CourtConnect or the county court portal.

FOIA Requests for Bentonville Criminal Records

Bentonville uses a dedicated online FOIA portal at bentonvillear.justfoia.com to process public records requests. The portal allows you to submit new requests, track status, and communicate with city staff. Provide a description of the records, the date range, the involved department, and your contact information. Arkansas residency is required.

Under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101 et seq., the city has 24 hours to determine eligibility and three business days to produce records. Standard copy fees are $0.25 per page. The city cannot charge for staff time spent searching. If a request covers a large volume of records, you may be asked to narrow the scope before processing continues.

Certain records are exempt from disclosure. These include active investigation files, juvenile records under A.C.A. § 9-27-309, expunged and sealed records under A.C.A. § 16-90-901, and materials restricted by court order. If your FOIA request is denied, the Arkansas Attorney General's Office at 800-482-8982 can review whether the denial was proper. The portal creates a written record of the request and response, which helps if you need to file an appeal.

Arkansas State Police Background Checks

A statewide background check for a Bentonville resident can be requested through the Arkansas State Police Online Criminal Background Check System. Online checks cost $22. Mail-in requests using form ASP-122 cost $25, sent to the Identification Bureau at 1 State Police Plaza Drive, Little Rock, AR 72209. Phone: 501-618-8500. Volunteer organizations qualify for a discounted rate of $11 per check.

The state background check draws from the criminal history database under A.C.A. § 12-12-1501 and covers all 75 Arkansas counties including Benton County. Under A.C.A. § 12-12-1506(d), the public can access conviction records and felony arrest records without the subject's written consent. Reports can include felony and misdemeanor convictions, felony arrests, pending felony charges from the last five years, and sex offender status. Expunged and sealed records do not appear.

The Arkansas Crime Information Center (ACIC) manages the statewide criminal history database and sex offender registry under A.C.A. § 12-12-203(a). Phone: 501-682-7441. Bentonville residents who believe their ACIC record is inaccurate can request a review. ACIC must respond within 30 days.

The free ADC Inmate Search covers current and former Arkansas Department of Corrections inmates, including Bentonville residents sentenced to state prison following felony convictions in Benton County.

Expungement and Sealed Records in Bentonville

Bentonville residents can petition to seal certain criminal records under the Arkansas Uniform Expungement Act at A.C.A. § 16-90-901. When the Benton County Circuit Court enters an expungement order, those records are sealed and removed from public access. Only the person, their attorney, or authorized criminal justice agencies can view them. ACIC has 30 days to process the Order to Seal after receiving it. Sealed records will not appear on background checks run through the Arkansas State Police.

Class A Misdemeanor Negligent Homicide, Battery in the 3rd Degree, Indecent Exposure, Public Sexual Indecency, Sexual Assault in the 4th Degree, Domestic Battering in the 3rd Degree, and misdemeanor DWI all have a five-year waiting period before they can be sealed. Some convictions are never eligible. For help with eligibility questions, Legal Aid of Arkansas handles Northwest Arkansas cases at 870-972-9224. The Center for Arkansas Legal Services also provides assistance at 501-376-3423.

Juvenile records are generally sealed under A.C.A. § 9-27-309 and are not part of any public search system unless the juvenile was tried as an adult by court order.

Nearby Qualifying Cities

These cities in Benton County and the surrounding area have criminal records pages. Cases from these cities are also processed through Benton County courts in Bentonville.

Benton County Criminal Records

Bentonville is the county seat of Benton County. The county page has full details on circuit court access, the sheriff's office, warrant searches, and county FOIA procedures.