Roanoke Recent Arrests

Roanoke Recent Arrests are tracked each day by the Roanoke Police Department in the Star City of the South. This page shows you how to search for recent arrests in the City of Roanoke, find booking info, and look up court files. People taken into custody are often booked at the Roanoke City Jail. The Circuit Court Clerk holds the case file once formal charges are filed. Most data is open to anyone who asks, and the basics are easy to find with a name and a date.

Roanoke Police Recent Arrests

The Roanoke Police Department is the lead agency for arrests inside the city. The department is at 348 Campbell Avenue SW, Roanoke, VA 24016. Officers respond to calls, make arrests, and book new suspects. The department posts crime stats and works with the public on incident reports. Most arrest reports are open once the case is filed in court.

To request a report, write a short note that lists the name, the date, and the type of case. Send it to the records unit. Under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, the city has five working days to reply. The basic right of access is in Va. Code § 2.2-3700. The five-day reply rule lives in § 2.2-3704. Police records have their own carve-outs in § 2.2-3706.

Note: The Roanoke Police may hold back the narrative of an active case but must still share the basic facts of the arrest.

Roanoke City Jail

The Roanoke City Jail is at 3735 Franklin Road SW, Roanoke, VA 24014. The jail can be reached at 540-853-2621. People arrested by city police are held here on local charges, on warrants, and on short sentences. The jail provides inmate search tools so the public can confirm if a person is being held.

State law on warrantless arrests is in Va. Code § 19.2-81. After an arrest, an officer must take the person before a magistrate without delay under § 19.2-82. The magistrate sets bond and reads the charges. From there the case moves to General District Court or Circuit Court.

Inmate location data is public. Call the jail front desk during normal hours if the online tool is hard to use.

Roanoke Court Records

The Roanoke Circuit Court Clerk keeps the case file for every felony filed in the city. The clerk holds the indictment, motions, orders, and the final result. Plain copies and certified copies are sold at the window. Most case files are open to anyone during normal court hours.

For misdemeanors and traffic cases, look at the General District Court. Both courts feed the statewide system. Use Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information to search by name. Pick the Roanoke City court from the dropdown. The system shows case number, charge, hearing date, and outcome.

Older case files may sit at the Library of Virginia in the state capital. Files that have aged out of the courthouse are sent to the state archive. Staff can help you find old cases for research.

For people serving a state sentence, the Virginia Department of Corrections runs an inmate locator. The site lists name, age, sentence, and the prison.

Statewide Search Tools

The Virginia State Police keeps the central criminal history file. Name-based checks are open to the public for a fee through the CARE program. The page is vsp.virginia.gov/CJIS_Criminal_History.shtm. Va. Code § 19.2-389 sets who may see the data.

The free Virginia Sex Offender Registry is also useful for a quick name check. Search by name, by city, or by zip code. The site lists photos and home address data for people on the list.

• Start with the Roanoke Police records unit
• Use the Roanoke City Jail inmate search
• Check OCIS for court files and the next hearing
• Use the State Police CARE system for full history

Note: A name match alone is not proof, so always confirm with a date of birth or case number before you act.

Online Case Source

The source for statewide court records is eapps.courts.state.va.us/ocis/, run by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Pick the Roanoke City Circuit Court or General District Court from the list, then enter a last name to search.

FOIA Help

The state body that helps with FOIA is the Virginia FOIA Advisory Council. They post forms, training, and rulings. The right of access comes from § 2.2-3700. The full Code of Virginia is free to read online.

City police can charge a fair fee for staff time and copies. The fee must match the real cost of the work. If a request is denied, you can ask for the reason in writing and then take the matter to court.