Arrest Procedures in Beaufort County, SC
In Beaufort County, SC, an officer may arrest someone with or without a warrant. However, for misdemeanors, the officer must see the crime take place to make an arrest without a warrant. To obtain a warrant, the officer goes before a magistrate, swears a complaint, and presents the facts of the crime. If the magistrate finds probable cause, a warrant is issued for the defendant’s arrest. To check arrest records and outstanding warrants in Beaufort County, start searching at the Magistrate’s Court.
Beaufort County Arrest Records and Warrants
Because multiple Magistrate Courts have jurisdiction in Beaufort County, locating the correct court to perform a warrant search may be challenging unless you know the judge who signed the warrant. You can narrow this search by using the Public Index system for Beaufort County, which provides information about civil and criminal cases filed in the county. Once you identify the court that issued the warrant, it becomes easier to obtain detailed information from that specific court.
If an arrest warrant has been transferred from the Magistrate Court to the Circuit Court, contact the General Sessions Division of the Clerk of Court for Beaufort County for copies or detailed information about the case.
Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Resources
For information on current inmates, search by name or prisoner identification number using the online inmate inquiry. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office also provides a list of the most wanted fugitives on its website, including photos and charges. For details about outstanding warrants, contact the Warrants Section of the Sheriff’s Office.
Getting Information on Beaufort County Arrests and Warrants Over the Phone (2024)
- Clerk of Court’s Office: For felony case information, contact the General Sessions Division at (843) 255-5057.
- Magistrate’s Court: For arrest warrant information, contact the Magistrate’s Court that handles preliminary hearings at (843) 255-5700.
- North Division of the Central Court: For case-related information on misdemeanor offenses, contact the North Division at (843) 255-5700.
- South Division of the Central Court: For misdemeanor case information, contact the South Division at (843) 255-5610.
- Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office: The Sheriff’s Office may not provide warrant information over the phone but has a list of outstanding warrants on their website. Contact the Main (North) Office at 843-255-3200 or the Hilton Head Office (South) at 843-255-3300.
- Detention Center: Inmate information is available on the County Jail website. You can also contact Jail Administration at (843) 255-5200 for details on recent arrests.
All phone numbers and links are current as of 2024.
Crime Statistics for Beaufort County, SC
In 2019, almost 4,000 criminal cases were filed with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. Both property and violent crimes showed a drop across most categories:
- Homicides: 10 cases reported (unchanged from the previous year)
- Aggravated Assault: Decreased from 643 to 531 incidents
- Sexual Battery: Decreased from 77 to 64 incidents
- Robbery: Increased from 79 to 122 incidents
Between 2002 and 2008, crime rates in Beaufort County increased by over 80%. The sharpest increase occurred between 2003 and 2004 when crime rates more than tripled. Approximately 35,160 crimes were reported during this period, with over 15% classified as violent crimes.