Find Arrest Records in DeKalb County

DeKalb County arrest records are managed by the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff runs a jail and keeps an online inmate roster. The county sits in northeast Alabama. It's part of the 9th Judicial Circuit. Fort Payne is the county seat. That's where you'll find the main courthouse and sheriff's office. The sheriff's website lets anyone look up current inmates for free. All arrests in the county go through the DeKalb County Jail. This is true whether sheriff's deputies, Fort Payne Police, or other local cops made the arrest.

DeKalb County Sheriff's Office

The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for areas outside city limits. The office also runs the county jail. All local arrests get booked and processed there. Sheriff's deputies patrol rural areas. They respond to calls all over DeKalb County. The department works with other agencies too. These include the Fort Payne Police, Rainsville Police, and Alabama State Troopers. Together they help keep the area safe.

DeKalb County Jail

The DeKalb County Jail sits at the same spot as the sheriff's office. It holds inmates waiting for trial and those doing short sentences. The jail handles booking and release 24/7. When someone gets arrested in DeKalb County, they're brought here for processing. Booking means fingerprints, photos, and logging the charges. A judge sets the bond amount. Sometimes they use a standard bond schedule instead.

How to Search DeKalb County Arrest Records

Online Inmate Roster

The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office keeps an inmate roster on their website. This roster shows who's currently in the DeKalb County Jail. You can browse the full list or search by name. The roster usually shows the inmate's full name, booking date, charges, and bond amount. Mugshots are included too. It's free to use. You don't need to sign up or log in.

The inmate roster updates as people come in and go out. But there can be a lag. Sometimes a few hours pass before a new arrest shows up. If you're looking for someone just arrested, you might need to wait. Or just call the jail. Once someone gets released, they come off the roster. So you won't find old booking info here.

Alacourt Case Search

After charges get filed in court, case records show up on the Alacourt Public Access portal. This statewide system covers all 67 Alabama counties. DeKalb is included. To search, go to the site and pick DeKalb County. Choose the case type (Criminal, Traffic, etc.). Then type in the person's name or case number. Alacourt shows case filings, hearing dates, case status, and final outcome. It won't show arrest records or booking info. Think of it as the court side. The sheriff's roster is the jail side.

Alabama VINE Notification System

The Alabama VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) system tracks custody status. It sends you alerts when an inmate gets released, moved, or escapes. The service is meant for crime victims. But anyone can use it. Sign up by calling 1-877-846-3425 or through the VINELink website. You can get alerts by phone, email, text, or TTY. It's free and runs 24/7.

In-Person Records Requests

Some records aren't online. You have to ask in person or by mail. Visit the sheriff's office during business hours for arrest records. Bring a photo ID. Be ready to say what you need. For court records, go to the Circuit Court Clerk's office. It's at the DeKalb County Courthouse. The clerk can give you copies of case papers. Certified copies cost a few bucks per page.

DeKalb County Court Records

Criminal cases in DeKalb County go to the 9th Judicial Circuit Court. The circuit court handles felonies and appeals. District court takes care of misdemeanors and traffic cases. It also does preliminary hearings for felonies. Both courts are at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Fort Payne. Once a case gets filed, it's public record. You can look it up on Alacourt or at the clerk's office.

Circuit Court Clerk

The Circuit Court Clerk's office keeps all court records for DeKalb County. This means criminal cases, civil cases, and appeals. The clerk handles new case filings. They keep the dockets up to date. They also give out copies of court papers to the public. Need a certified copy? This is where you go.

District Court

DeKalb County District Court handles most criminal matters that aren't felonies. This means misdemeanors, DUI cases, and traffic tickets. The court also runs preliminary hearings. That's where a judge decides if there's enough proof to send a felony to the grand jury. District court records are searchable on Alacourt too.

Additional Arrest Record Resources

Fort Payne Police Department

Fort Payne is the biggest city in DeKalb County. It has its own police force. Arrests made by Fort Payne Police still get processed at the DeKalb County Jail. For records about Fort Payne Police investigations, call their records division. They don't keep a separate inmate roster. All bookings go through the county jail.

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA)

ALEA provides official criminal history reports for all of Alabama. These background checks cover arrests and convictions from every county. To get a report, fill out an application. You'll need to give fingerprints and pay a fee. The results are more complete than free online searches. Call ALEA's Criminal Records Unit to learn how to submit a request.

Federal Court Records

DeKalb County falls under the Northern District of Alabama for federal cases. Federal crimes are handled separately from state crimes. Those records aren't in Alacourt. You can search federal court records on the PACER system. To find federal inmates, use the Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator.

Other Local Police Departments

Several other towns in DeKalb County have their own police. Rainsville, Sylvania, Crossville, Collinsville, and Henagar all have local cops. Arrests from these departments also go through the DeKalb County Jail. For records about a specific investigation, call the police department that handled it.

Fees for DeKalb County Arrest Records

Online searches on the sheriff's inmate roster and Alacourt are free. You don't pay to look up current inmates or court cases. Fees come up when you need official copies. Certified copies from the Circuit Clerk cost a few bucks per page. ALEA background checks run $25 flat. If you just want to know if someone's in jail or has a pending case, the free options work fine for most folks.

Legal Framework for Public Records Access

Alabama law gives the public the right to access government records. This includes arrest records. Under Alabama Code Section 36-12-40, every citizen can inspect and copy public writings. There are some exceptions spelled out in law. But in general, arrest records, booking logs, and court papers are open to the public. Agencies can charge fair fees for copies.

What Information Is Available

When someone gets arrested in DeKalb County, some info becomes public right away. This includes the person's name, arrest date and time, charges, bond amount, and mugshot. Once the case goes to court, more records open up. You can see the charging document, hearing dates, motions, plea, verdict, and sentence. These records stay public. The only exceptions are if a court seals them or the person gets an expungement.

Records That May Be Restricted

Not all records are open to the public. Juvenile records are private under Alabama law. You can't find them through public searches. Sealed and expunged records are off limits too. Some personal info gets blacked out from public documents. This includes Social Security numbers, home addresses, and bank account numbers. Ongoing investigations may also have restricted info until charges get filed.

Expungement in Alabama

Alabama lets some arrest records be expunged. This works if charges were dropped, the person was found not guilty, or they finished a diversion program. Some misdemeanors and non-violent felonies may qualify too. There's a waiting period for those. The process starts by filing a petition with the circuit court. You pay a filing fee. A hearing may be set. Once a record is expunged, it's sealed from public view. It won't show up on standard background checks.

Search DeKalb County Records

Use the search tool below to find arrest records and other public records in DeKalb County and across Alabama.

Cities in DeKalb County

DeKalb County has several towns and cities. Fort Payne is the county seat and the biggest one. City police make arrests, but booking happens at the DeKalb County Jail.

Cities here include Fort Payne, Rainsville, Sylvania, Crossville, Collinsville, Henagar, Mentone, Hammondville, Ider, Geraldine, Fyffe, and Valley Head. Most are small towns. Fort Payne is the biggest. None have populations over 100,000. That's why they don't have their own pages on this site. But you can find all arrest records for the county through the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office resources listed above.

Nearby Counties

Looking for arrest records in northeast Alabama? You might want to check these nearby counties too.