The criminal history files including information on Oregon active warrants and arrests which is maintained by the State Police (OSP) go back to the 1920’s. These records are maintained perpetually unless an expungement is ordered by the court. The Oregon State Police not only disseminate crime history data in response to inquiries from justice, non criminal and private agencies but also they are in charge of maintaining a central database of criminal occurrences.
The data held by the OSP
The Identification Services Section (ISS) of the OSP receives almost 400 fingerprints taken at the time of arrests every day. The agency also handles nearly 300 crime history inquiries initiated on the basis of fingerprint cards. Criminal cards linked to arrests are held on record after the positive identification of a print linking it to an existing file or a new one is created which will eventually include information on case disposition from the appropriate OR tribunal.
Criminal records are treated as confidential unless they can be categorized as open information or personal crime history data. The information collected is eventually held by the Computerized Crime History Unit. The data held by this division includes information on arrests, the issue of Oregon active warrants, court and custody details. All law enforcement agencies are under a legal obligation to furnish information pertaining to felonies as well as sex and drug related misdemeanor cases to the agency.
Accessing information on Oregon arrest warrants through the OSP
OR laws allow for the dissemination of limited crime history information to non justice agencies as well as civilian applicants through different processes. A name and date of birth based inquiry can be initiated to find limited information on the criminal involvement of a subject. The word “limited” means that details will only be offered on criminal matters that have not culminated in a dismissal or an acquittal.
The Identification Services Section of the OSP is located at Salem and information on criminal history can be procured through this agency by visiting them in person, faxing in your warrant search request or by mailing in the inquiry form. In response to the search, you will be offered details on all arrests that occurred within one year of the inquiry date. However, details on active warrants from Oregon will not be included in the results of the search.
Typically, applicants will be told about the date of arrest, if the detention occurred under the provisions of an OR outstanding warrant or the charges that led to arrests, the agency that took the accused into custody, court disposition including verdict, sentencing, probation details and parole release information. Before the crime history reports are dispatched to the applicant, the subject of the inquiry is notified of the search request received in his/her name and the entity that has initiated the inquiry.
In fact, pursuant to state laws, if an employer is seeking crime history records, the agency is legally bound to notify the subject of their intentions to conduct the search. When filing the request form for the inquiry, applicants will have to inform the OSP about the means used to communicate this information to the subject. It usually takes about 14 days to receive crime history reports from the ISS.
What do you need to initiate an inquiry into warrants and arrests in Oregon?
The applicant will have to send information about the subject such as:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Social security number
- Last or current address
Apart from this, you will also have to inform the agency about the name and contact details of the person who is making the request and include a $10 check or money order with the request form. All of this will have to be sent to:
The Oregon State Police, Unit 11
PO Box 4395,
Portland, Oregon 97208