Charleston County, tucked away on South Carolina’s coast, shines with its busy seaport and booming tourism. Searching for arrest records is easy thanks to an online case summary available to all. Just like other counties in South Carolina, Magistrates issue arrest warrants that law enforcement officers take care of.
These active warrants serve as the legal document giving officers the authority to apprehend and detain a suspect until he is brought before a judge. While there are some exceptions in South Carolina for arresting a person without a warrant, it is preferred that law enforcement officers obtain a warrant before the arrest, if possible.
Performing a Charleston County warrant search online
To search for outstanding warrants in Charleston County, access the Ninth Circuit Public Index website. You can search by name, case number, or date filed in addition to limiting your search to a specific type of case. By choosing the “Action Type” option, you can also choose to search just for warrants. The information provided is limited, and you may not obtain copies of documents online. To request copies of court documents, you should contact the Charleston County Clerk of Court located at 100 Broad Street, Suite 106, Charleston, SC 29401. The Clerk’s website may also have information about court dockets and pending criminal cases.
The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office Warrant’s Division can assist with a criminal history and warrant search. The Sheriff’s Office maintains a list of the county’s most wanted, including a list of individuals who have been arrested or their warrant has been cleared.
How do you seek information on Charleston County warrants and arrest records over the phone (2024)?
Unlike other law enforcement agencies across the state, you will not find a warrant search tool on the website of the Charleston County Sheriff’s Department. So, you only have two ways to access criminal records. Visiting the law enforcement office or the local judicial center is, of course, the best bet. But, you can get a certain amount of information over the phone. Take a look at who to call for some of the information you need:
- The Records Division: You can reach them at (843)554-2450 to find the status of your criminal background check request or expungement request status, to learn more about filing a request for a criminal history report, and to obtain the copy of a police report.
- The Investigation Division: Call on (843)554-2475 or (843)554-2473 if you are a victim or a witness in a criminal case and want to talk to a detective about the investigation.
- The Warrants Division: For details pertaining to active warrants and if you have information on any individual on the most wanted list (of any law enforcement agency), call on (843)529-7391.
- The Detention Center: You will have to use the online inmate search facility if you want to know about recent arrests or need details on the bail bond of a detainee, or want to learn about visitation rules. However, if you are an attorney, you can call on (843) 529-7358 for video and live visitations.
- The Civil Processes Division: This agency handles civil processes, including bench warrants issued by the Family Court. So if you need details on civil judicial orders, get in touch with them at (843)958-2111. They will also tell you about the civil papers issued against you.
- The Traffic Services Division: To know more about the investigation of a fatal accident, you can call on (843)529-5331.
- The Clerk of Court: This judicial office can get you information on criminal and civil matters. You can get in touch with them on (843) 958-5000 (For information pertaining to matters handled by the Common Pleas and General Sessions Court).
- The Solicitor’s Office for the Ninth Circuit (Charleston County): Witnesses and victims can connect with the Solicitor’s Office for information on a criminal matter that involves them. For this, call on (843)958-1900.
Charleston County crime statistics
An analysis of the crime figures of 2018 and 2019 shows that Charleston Police need to get a better grip on the area’s law and order situation. While there was a small reduction in robbery and murder cases, the incident rates soared for all other crime categories.
The most significant increase was seen in the number of aggravated assaults, with incident rates going from 1300 to over 1400. In terms of property crimes, motor vehicle thefts presented a cause for concern, going from approximately 1500 cases to almost 2000 cases.
There were approximately 140,000 crimes committed in Charleston County between the years of 1999 and 2008. Charleston County reduced its overall crime rate by 10% during this time, with violent crimes dropping by 3%. The majority of crimes within the county could be attributed to theft or burglary, with only about 22% of the crimes being violent.