All arrests in Butler County, PA, have to be legally preceded by arrest warrants. For arrest warrants to become valid in this County, a sitting judge must sign them. Once a county judge signs them, they become active warrants. At that point, the citizens against whom these arrest warrants are issued are under police search. Once found, they are liable for arrest and can be taken into custody by an officer on duty.
While there is some variation in how strict or lenient a judge chooses to be, the law requires that an exact and probable cause precedes all arrest warrants. It is the requesting officer’s responsibility to provide this evidence, and once they do, a judge cannot deny them the arrest warrant.
Butler County has similar laws and regulations when it comes to outstanding warrants as well. These are warrants of arrest that, since becoming active, law enforcement officials could not serve the persons in question. Generally, this occurs because, for one reason or another, the persons have not been found.
Anyone seeking information on Butler County, PA arrest records, should note that this information is made publicly available on the website run by the Butler Sheriff Department found here http://www.sheriffofbutlercounty.com/benchwarrants.html. You can also personally visit the location at 1 FL, County Courthouse, 300 South Main Street, and ask for information on active and outstanding warrants.
Will state agencies provide an arrest report or details about warrants from Butler County over the phone? (Updated-2021)
- To find out about recent arrests, contact the Butler County Prison at 724-284-5256.
- To learn about outstanding warrants, contact the Sheriff’s Office at 724-284-5245.
- To be informed of the investigation of criminal case that you have filed, contact Butler City PD at (724) 287-7743 if the crime was reported in their jurisdiction.
- To learn more about obtaining access criminal court records, contact the Clerk’s Office at 724-284-5233.
- To inquire about help available for victims and witnesses of crime, call Butler county DA’s Office at 724-284-5232.
Crime Statistics for Butler County, Pennsylvania
In 2018, nearly 3,300 criminal reports were filed by the Sheriff’s Department of Butler County. Of the crimes reported, 2,400 were property related offenses, while 925 were cases involving crimes against persons.
It is interesting to note that between 1999 and 2008, the residents of Butler County, PA have been confronted with more than 14,000 total crimes. Around 12 percent of these were violent, and nearly 50 percent occurred less than one mile from the victim’s home. Among these crimes, the county has witnessed more than 400 vehicle thefts, more than 100 rapes, yet fewer than ten murders. According to surveys and local crime databases, a citizen of Butler County falls victim to a crime every five hours.