In Washington County, Missouri, arrest warrants are issued by the magistrate of the local court only after the supporting affidavit is carefully studied for probable cause. This prerequisite has been included in the state’s criminal code to ensure that innocent people do not get victimized just because police suspect their participation in a criminal act.
Towards this end, the judiciary has been appointed as an impartial entity legally bound to deliberate on all case-related facts to ensure that there is enough evidence to hold a person culpable for a crime before an arrest order is issued in his name. The magistrate has to sign all Washington County active warrants signifying that the judiciary concurs with the law enforcement office in the involvement of the accused in the incident.
The sheriff’s office has to file the petition that serves as the foundation of the pre-warrant hearing. This affidavit contains information on all the proof gathered in the matter, including witness testimony and hearsay evidence. So, it would be appropriate to state that these two justice agencies are actively involved in the issue of arrest orders. Hence it is understandable why they would be put in charge of handling warrant search requests.
In contrast, the office of the county clerk merely keeps the court dockets. However, because a member of the clerk’s team is present during all court proceedings, you can find information on criminal and civil cases from this office. So, to request information on Washington county arrest records and outstanding warrants, go to;
- Law enforcement agency: 116 W High St, Potosi, Missouri 63664
- The county magistrate: 102 N Missouri St, Potosi, MO 63664
- The clerk of court: 102 North Missouri Street, Potosi, Missouri 63664
How do you inquire about active warrants and recent arrests from Washington County over the phone? (2021-current)
- To find out about recent arrests, contact the Sheriff’s Office at 573-438-5478 or Potosi PD at 573-438-5426.
- To get information on obtaining access to criminal court records, contact the Clerk’s Office at 573-438-4171.
- To get details on victim’s assistance, call the District Attorney’s Office at 573-438-3181.
Crime Statistics of Washington County
Approximately 530 criminal complaints were filed in Washington County in 2018. Around 466 were for property offenses such as: larceny-theft (252), burglary (140), and automobile thefts (74). Among the 64 complaints filed against violent crimes, there were 55 incidents of serious assault and 8 cases of rape.
Despite a significant decrease of almost 60% in the rate of violent crime, Washington County, MO police still have to tackle 30 complaints about violent crime every year. The overall annual crime rate for the area stands at just below 230 instances.
