Alamance County Police Blotter
Alamance County keeps a public police blotter that tracks arrests, bookings, and incident reports across the county. The Sheriff's Office in Graham handles most of these records. You can search the Alamance County police blotter to find recent arrests and jail bookings. The Clerk of Superior Court also holds court case records tied to criminal charges. Residents and the public can look up police blotter entries in Alamance County through online tools or by visiting local offices. Records go back many years and cover all towns in the county.
Alamance County Quick Facts
Alamance County Police Blotter Records
The Alamance County Sheriff's Office keeps a detailed police blotter of all arrests and incidents. Deputies file reports for every call they respond to across the county. These records are public under North Carolina law. The Records Division at the Sheriff's Office handles all requests for incident reports, arrest records, and accident reports. You can reach them at the detention center located at 109 S Maple Street in Graham.
The Alamance County police blotter includes data from every town and rural area in the county. Burlington, Mebane, and Elon all fall under county jurisdiction for sheriff patrols. The blotter shows who was arrested, what charges were filed, and when the booking took place. Each entry has a case number you can use to track the record through the court system. The Alamance County Sheriff's Office also posts a Crime of the Week page with news about recent felony arrests and investigations.
The NC eCourts system provides access to public record searches for Alamance County court cases.
This site serves as a starting point for finding arrest logs and booking data in Alamance County.
How to Search Alamance County Arrest Records
You can search for police blotter entries in Alamance County in several ways. Online searches let you find basic case details from home. In-person visits give you access to the full file and certified copies. Both methods cover records going back many years in Alamance County.
To search police blotter records at the Alamance County Clerk of Superior Court, visit the office at 212 W Elm Street in Graham. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. You can reach them by phone at (336) 570-5200. To do an in-person search, you need to complete a records request form at the public counter and provide the full name and date of birth of the person. A valid photo ID is required. Certified copies cost $25 each, and most requests take 3 to 5 business days to process. The North Carolina eCourts portal also lets you search court case records for free online.
Note: Complex searches that require staff to pull older files may take longer than the standard processing time in Alamance County.
Alamance County Blotter and Public Records Law
Arrest records in Alamance County are public under N.C.G.S. Chapter 132, the North Carolina Public Records Act. This law defines public records as all documents made or received in the course of public business. Police blotter entries, booking logs, and incident reports all fall under this definition. Anyone can request to view these records without being a party to the case.
Some limits do apply. Under N.C.G.S. 132-1.4, certain criminal investigation records may be withheld from the Alamance County police blotter. This happens when release would interfere with an active investigation. It also applies when disclosure could deprive someone of a fair trial. Records that reveal confidential informants or investigation techniques may also be held back. Once a case closes, most of these records become available to the public in Alamance County.
Felony arrest records in Alamance County stay on file permanently. Misdemeanor arrests are kept for 5 years after the case is resolved. Non-criminal arrest records stay for 3 years after their disposition date.
Alamance County Detention Center
The Alamance County Detention Center is where all bookings in the county are processed. The facility sits at 109 S Maple Street in Graham. You can call (336) 570-6300 for questions about current inmates or recent bookings. The detention center runs around the clock, every day of the year.
When someone is arrested in Alamance County, they are brought to this facility for booking. Staff record their name, charges, and personal details. A booking photo is taken and fingerprints are collected. This data becomes part of the Alamance County police blotter. The records division at the detention center handles all requests for copies of these reports. Standard copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies run $10.00 each. Most requests are filled within 3 to 5 business days.
Court Records in Alamance County
After an arrest appears on the Alamance County police blotter, the case moves to the court system. The Clerk of Superior Court at 212 W Elm Street in Graham maintains all court files. You can search these records by name or case number. The clerk can pull up both old and recent cases tied to Alamance County arrests.
The North Carolina Courts website offers guidance on how to run a criminal background check through the court system. You can also use the North Carolina Sex Offender Registry to search for registered offenders in Alamance County and across the state. These tools give you more detail than the basic police blotter alone.
To find police blotter records that have moved to court, you need:
- Full name of the person arrested
- Date of birth or approximate age
- Case number if you have it
- Year the arrest or charge was filed
- Valid government ID for in-person requests
Searching the Police Blotter Effectively
Getting good results from the Alamance County police blotter takes some planning. Start with the full legal name of the person you want to find. Nicknames and shortened names may not return results. If you know the date of the arrest, that narrows the search fast. A case number makes the process even quicker at the Alamance County courthouse.
Online tools give you basic details like charges and court dates. For the full arrest report or incident file, you need to contact the Alamance County Sheriff's Office directly. The Records Division staff can help walk you through the request process. They handle dozens of police blotter requests each week and know how to find what you need in Alamance County records.
Note: Always confirm fees with the office before submitting a request, as costs can change in Alamance County.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Alamance County. If you are not sure where an arrest took place, check the address. You must search in the right county to find the correct police blotter entry.