Lakewood Arrest Records
Are Arrest Records Public in Lakewood, Ohio?
Arrest records in Lakewood, Ohio are public documents accessible to all citizens pursuant to the Ohio Public Records Act (Ohio Revised Code § 149.43). This statute establishes that government records, including those pertaining to arrests, shall be made available for public inspection unless specifically exempted by state or federal law. The Ohio Public Records Act operates under the presumption of openness, requiring that public offices promptly prepare and make available all public records responsive to the request.
Members of the public should be aware that certain arrest records may be subject to redaction or restriction under specific circumstances. These circumstances include:
- Records sealed by court order pursuant to Ohio Revised Code § 2953.32
- Records pertaining to juvenile offenders (under 18 years of age)
- Records containing information that would endanger an ongoing investigation
- Records containing confidential informant information
- Records that contain protected health information under HIPAA
The Lakewood Police Department maintains these records and processes requests in accordance with statutory requirements. Requestors are not required to identify themselves or state the purpose of their request, though providing specific information about the desired records may expedite the fulfillment process.
How to Look Up Lakewood Arrest Records in 2025
The City of Lakewood provides multiple methods for accessing arrest records. Individuals seeking such information may utilize any of the following official channels:
- In-Person Requests: Citizens may visit the Lakewood Police Department Records Division during regular business hours to submit a request for arrest records. Staff will assist with completing the necessary forms and identifying the specific records needed.
Lakewood Police Department
12650 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, OH 44107
(216) 529-6750
Lakewood Police Department
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Online Requests: The Lakewood Police Department maintains an online portal where citizens can request certain records electronically. This system allows for efficient processing of straightforward requests.
Mail Requests: Written requests may be submitted via postal mail to the Records Division. Requests should include the name of the arrested individual, approximate date of arrest, and any case numbers if available.
Court Records: For cases that have proceeded to court, records may also be accessed through the Lakewood Municipal Court system.
Lakewood Municipal Court
12650 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, OH 44107
(216) 529-6700
Lakewood Municipal Court
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code § 149.43(B)(1), public offices must promptly prepare records and make them available for inspection at all reasonable times during regular business hours. The statutory response time for records requests is "prompt" and "reasonable," though complex requests may require additional processing time.
Contents of a Lakewood Arrest Record
Standard arrest records maintained by the Lakewood Police Department contain comprehensive information about the arrest incident and the individual taken into custody. These records typically include the following elements as mandated by Ohio Administrative Code 4501:2-10-06:
- Full legal name of the arrested individual
- Date of birth and demographic information
- Physical description (height, weight, identifying marks)
- Date, time, and location of the arrest
- Statutory charges filed at the time of arrest
- Name and badge number of the arresting officer(s)
- Booking photograph ("mugshot")
- Fingerprint information
- Case/incident number
- Custody status information
- Bail or bond information, if applicable
- Property inventory of items in possession at time of arrest
The comprehensiveness of arrest records serves multiple governmental functions, including ensuring proper identification, facilitating court proceedings, and maintaining accurate criminal justice statistics. These records are created in accordance with the Ohio Records Retention Schedule for law enforcement agencies (DAS-LGRP-RC-2).
Requestors should note that certain sensitive information may be redacted from publicly available versions of arrest records, including Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and medical information protected under state and federal privacy laws.
Expungement of Arrest Records in Lakewood
The State of Ohio provides legal mechanisms for the expungement or sealing of arrest records under specific circumstances as outlined in Ohio Revised Code § 2953.31 through § 2953.36. Expungement is a legal process that removes arrests from the public record, effectively treating the arrest as if it never occurred for most purposes.
Eligibility criteria for expungement in Lakewood include:
- Cases resulting in acquittal or dismissal of charges
- Cases where no bill was returned by the grand jury
- Cases where the prosecutor declined to pursue charges
- First-time offenders for certain qualifying offenses
- Cases meeting the requirements of Ohio's "Clean Slate" law
The expungement process requires filing an application with the court that handled the original case. For Lakewood residents, this is typically the Lakewood Municipal Court or the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, depending on the severity of the original charge.
Lakewood Municipal Court
12650 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, OH 44107
(216) 529-6700
Lakewood Municipal Court
Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas
1200 Ontario Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 443-8560
Applicants must complete Form 2953.32 and submit it with the required filing fee. The court will schedule a hearing date, and the prosecutor's office will have an opportunity to object to the expungement. If granted, the court will issue an order to all relevant agencies to seal the records.
Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code § 2953.32(C)(2), the court shall weigh the applicant's interest in having the records sealed against the government's need to maintain those records. The court must find that the applicant's interest in privacy outweighs the government's interest in maintaining the records.
Once expunged, these records are no longer accessible to the general public, though they remain available to law enforcement agencies and certain employers as specified in Ohio Revised Code § 2953.32(D).
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