Arrest records are public documents in Dadeville, Alabama, accessible to all citizens under the Alabama Public Records Law (Code of Alabama § 36-12-40). This statute establishes that records maintained by government agencies, including those documenting arrests, shall be available for public inspection. The law specifically states that "every citizen has a right to inspect and take a copy of any public writing of this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by statute." Law enforcement agencies in Dadeville are required to maintain these records and make them available upon proper request, supporting the state's commitment to governmental transparency and public accountability.
Exceptions to public access may apply in certain circumstances, such as when records pertain to ongoing investigations or contain sensitive information protected by privacy laws. However, the presumption under Alabama law favors disclosure rather than confidentiality when it comes to arrest documentation.
The retrieval of arrest records in Dadeville, Alabama offers multiple pathways for public access, with procedures designed to balance information accessibility with administrative efficiency. Citizens seeking these records may utilize the following methods:
Visit the Dadeville Police Department at 216 N. West Street, Dadeville, AL 36853. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Call (256) 825-6212 for information before visiting.
Contact the Tallapoosa County Sheriff's Office located at 142 N. Broadnax Street, Dadeville, AL 36853. The records division operates Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Telephone inquiries can be directed to (256) 825-4264.
Submit requests to the Dadeville Municipal Court at 216 N. West Street, Dadeville, AL 36853. Court clerk hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The court can be reached at (256) 825-9242.
Access the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Criminal Records Division online portal, which maintains a centralized database of arrest records statewide. The ALEA headquarters is located at 301 S. Ripley Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, with telephone service at (334) 517-2800.
Utilize the Tallapoosa County Circuit Court's public access terminals at 125 N. Broadnax Street, Dadeville, AL 36853. These terminals are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. For assistance, contact the clerk's office at (256) 825-4038.
Requestors should be prepared to provide specific information about the subject of the search, including full name, date of birth, and approximate date of arrest. Pursuant to Alabama Administrative Code 765-X-1-.04, agencies may charge reasonable fees for record reproduction and processing.
Dadeville arrest records contain standardized information as mandated by Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center regulations (Code of Alabama § 41-9-620 et seq.). These official documents typically include:
Biographical data of the arrested individual, including full legal name, known aliases, date of birth, gender, race, and physical descriptors such as height, weight, and identifying marks.
Arrest details specifying the date, time, and precise location where the apprehension occurred.
Arresting agency information, including the name of the department and identification numbers of officers involved in the arrest.
Criminal charges filed, with references to the specific Alabama Code sections allegedly violated.
Booking documentation, including fingerprint records digitized in accordance with FBI Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) standards.
Photographic evidence, commonly referred to as mugshots, taken during the booking process from front and profile perspectives.
Custody status information, detailing whether the individual was released on bail, bond amount if applicable, or remanded to detention pending further proceedings.
Case disposition tracking, which may be updated as the individual moves through the judicial process.
Prior arrest history within the jurisdiction, if applicable and relevant to the current case.
The Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center Commission oversees the standardization of these records across all law enforcement agencies in the state, ensuring consistency in record format and content pursuant to Code of Alabama § 41-9-621.
The expungement process in Dadeville follows Alabama's statewide procedures established under the Alabama Record Expungement Act (Code of Alabama § 15-27-1 through § 15-27-16). This legal mechanism allows for the removal of arrest records from public access under specific qualifying circumstances:
Non-conviction expungements are available when charges were dismissed, no-billed by a grand jury, found not guilty at trial, or when the case was nolle prossed by the prosecution.
Misdemeanor conviction expungements may be granted five years after completion of sentence, provided all fines, restitution, and court costs have been paid and no new charges have been filed.
Certain non-violent felony convictions may qualify for expungement under the expanded provisions of Alabama Act 2021-286, which amended the original expungement statute to include specific felony offenses after a waiting period of five years from sentence completion.
The procedural requirements include:
Filing a petition with the Tallapoosa County Circuit Court at 125 N. Broadnax Street, Dadeville, AL 36853.
Payment of a $300 administrative filing fee as prescribed by § 15-27-4.
Submission to a fingerprint-based background check conducted by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Notification to the district attorney's office, which has 45 days to file objections to the petition.
Judicial review, which may include a hearing if objections are raised.
If granted, the expungement order directs all relevant agencies to seal the records, including the Dadeville Police Department, Tallapoosa County Sheriff's Office, Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center, and court repositories. Pursuant to § 15-27-6, expunged records are not destroyed but are sealed from public view and may only be accessed through court order or for law enforcement purposes under limited circumstances.
Individuals seeking expungement are advised that the process requires strict adherence to statutory requirements and may benefit from legal counsel familiar with Alabama expungement law.