Cumberland County Court
Cumberland County Arrest Records

Cumberland County, North Carolina Arrest Records

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office and the Fayetteville Police Department (FPD), two of the largest public safety agencies in Cumberland, customarily execute arrests upon establishing probable cause. An arrest may occur when a peace officer witnesses a criminal incident or when the officer is in physical possession of, or has knowledge of, an outstanding arrest warrant.

In Cumberland County, the duty to preserve arrest records after an arrest is assigned to law enforcement under the state's open records law, section 132-1.4. This stipulation for accurate documentation enables vital transparency into police actions, assisting citizens or residents in locating individuals taken into formal custody and ascertaining the facts or circumstances of an arrest.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Cumberland, North Carolina?

Yes. North Carolina's Public Records Law classifies Cumberland County arrest records as public records. State law ensures that basic arrest data is readily accessible to members of the public, and requesters do not need to state the intended use of a record, prove residency or citizenship, or verify their legal identity before a request can be fulfilled. Put simply, anyone can approach a law enforcement agency to review arrest information kept on file.

Strict confidentiality holds for records sealed/expunged by a judge or declared confidential by statute. Regarding restricted documents or files, any requester must be legally qualified to view the files or possess a valid judicial order granting access.

What Do Public Cumberland County Arrest Records Contain?

Public Cumberland County arrest records, as defined in G.S. § 132-1.4, include

The arrest location, date, and time
The arrestee's booking photograph (mugshot)
The arrestee's legal name, age, sex, address, and employment
The booking time and date
The alleged violation, including its corresponding statute and offense level (e.g., misdemeanor or felony)
The circumstances surrounding the arrest, such as any use of force, pursuit, or weapons
The complaining witness's age, name, sex, and address, except where disclosure would compromise their personal safety or the integrity of an investigation

The following is excluded from public release:

Information regarding an active investigation
An arrestee's Social Security number, financial account numbers, and driver's license number
An arrestee's medical and mental health records
The identity and contact information of a victim of sexual assault or certain domestic crimes
Identifying information of a minor detained for a delinquent act
Any information or records sealed or expunged by the court

Cumberland County, North Carolina Arrest Search

Below are the main ways to access Cumberland County arrest information through state or federal repositories:

The North Carolina Court System

Where a Cumberland County arrest results in criminal charges, individuals can examine criminal court records kept by the judicial branch. Court records contain related arrest, charge, and disposition data.

Free criminal case searches can be conducted in person on public terminals located at the Cumberland County courthouse (or at any NC courthouse, as the state operates a unified judicial system). Another free search option is to access the online North Carolina Judicial Branch Search Portal (eCourts).

North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI)

Through the NCSBI, individuals can conduct statewide criminal history checks to review their own arrest histories, including incidents originating within Cumberland County. The NCSBI provides fingerprint-based checks to any person requesting a personal history review. This official request, known as a "Right to Review," costs $14 per check.

Fingerprint background checks are also available to authorized employers and state licensing entities for official vetting purposes.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The FBI maintains the nationwide criminal history database that compiles arrest data reported by law enforcement, including those in Cumberland County. These background profiles, known as "Identity History Summary Checks," require the submission of legible fingerprints (through the standardized fingerprint card (FD-258)) and are generally only available to the subject of the record. The standard processing fee is $18 per check.

Cumberland County Inmate Locator

The Cumberland County inmate locator—formally known as the Cumberland Detention Center Active Inmate Lookup—is a free online resource provided by the local Sheriff's Office. This database is searchable by a person's last name (first name is optional) and is designed to help the public find persons currently confined in the Cumberland County Detention Center (Jail) following an arrest.

Public arrest and booking information available through the Active Inmate Lookup tool includes

The date arrested
The arrestee's full legal name and age
The arrestee's booking photograph
The initial charge(s)
The set bond amount.

Note that the Active Inmate Lookup system represents only a real-time snapshot of the data stored within the jail's data system, maintained by the Sheriff's Office. As such, if looking for comprehensive or historical records, a direct request to the Sheriff's Office Records Management Office will be necessary.

Below is the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office contact information.

Cumberland County Sheriff's Office

131 Dick Street

Fayetteville, NC 28301

Sheriff's Office Main Phone Number: (910) 323-1500

Detention Center Information Desk: (910) 672-5630

Records Management Division: (910) 677-5414

Active Warrant Search in Cumberland County

As detailed in G.S. § 15A-304(a), an arrest warrant is a judicial document released by a judge, magistrate, or clerk upon a determination of probable cause. This document commands a law enforcement officer to take a particular individual into custody and bring them, without undue delay, before a judicial official to answer the alleged charges.

Section 15A-304 mandates that all valid North Carolina arrest warrants (Cumberland County warrants included) comprise two primary details:

An order explicitly authorizing the arrest.
A statement of the crime for which the subject of the warrant stands accused.

Arrest warrants are released to the public under North Carolina Public Records Law, section 132-1.4(k). The law permits "returned warrants" to be inspected by anyone, so long as they are not sealed by court order.

Active, unexecuted arrest warrants are typically withheld from public view to secure investigative integrity. The primary exception is bench warrants, which are issued in open court and, as a result, are part of the public record, regardless of their execution status.

The local judicial system and law enforcement agencies are the two primary channels for verifying warrants in Cumberland County.

Agency / Resource	Purpose	Search Methods	Notes
Cumberland County Sheriff's Office	Primary law enforcement agency within Cumberland County; also manages the central warrant repository for the county.	In person	Active warrant checks made in person may result in detention where the inquirer is named on an outstanding warrant.
Cumberland County Clerk of Superior Court	Statutory custodian of Cumberland County court records.	In person, mail	In-person visitors to the Cumberland County courthouse have access to public kiosks to view electronic dockets. Mail requests for Criminal Background Checks, which show case information, can be forwarded to the clerk. Each request incurs a $25 fee.
North Carolina eCourts Portal	North Carolina Judiciary's public case search system.	Online	Chronological dockets can point to the existence of an outstanding or served warrant.

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Cumberland County

One method for finding free arrest information in Cumberland County is to search the Cumberland Detention Center Active Inmate Lookup system. Individuals can also direct public records inquiries—specifically for file inspection—to law enforcement agencies. For arrest data within criminal court records, a free search can be conducted on the North Carolina Judiciary's eCourts Portal or at public terminals situated in the Cumberland County courthouse.

One drawback with free arrest lookup systems is that the information received is never as comprehensive as what might be retrieved upon a formal records request and payment for copies. Consequently, where the goal is an official or certified copy, it is best to seek access directly through the respective records custodian.

Cumberland County Arrest Report

A Cumberland County arrest report unfolds an arrest event in a manner that anyone reading the report can aptly ascertain probable cause for the arrest (the underlying facts and circumstances that warranted officers to make the arrest), the suspect's identity, and the charged offense.

"Arrest reports" and "arrest records" are often described so similarly, leading to a common public misconception that the two documents are identical. However, a critical nuance exists.

Put simply, arrest records summarize an arrest incident into its core facts—mainly who was arrested, the specific offense charged, and when the booking occurred. Meanwhile, arrest reports go into expansive, narrative detail about an incident, earning their place as internal investigative reports within law enforcement files.

Arrest records are basic, public-facing administrative logs under North Carolina law (G.S. § 132-1.4), but arrest reports are primarily confidential, more so when tied to an active criminal investigation, to protect victim privacy, to ensure unbiased trials, or to safeguard investigative tactics.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Cumberland County

To get an arrest record expunged in Cumberland County, the subject of the record (defendant) must be eligible under G.S. § 15A-145 through 15A-153 (Article 5, Chapter 15A of the North Carolina General Statutes), also known as North Carolina's expunction laws. Legal qualification is a strict prerequisite that applies in all North Carolina counties. Barring statutory eligibility, an arrest record cannot be expunged in Cumberland County.

"Expungement" or "Expunction" under North Carolina law is defined as a legal process that clears a person's public record of any arrest, charge, or conviction. On some level, expunged records remain available to authorized government agencies and officials following G.S. §§ 15A-151 and 15A-151.5. However, the owner of the expunged record can claim to have no knowledge of it when asked.

A $175 fee is required to file for expunction in Cumberland County; no fee applies for "not guilty" verdicts or dismissed charges (except when dismissal occurred after a diversion program or deferred prosecution agreement). Expunction petitions are filed with the Cumberland County Clerk of the Superior Court's Office. The specific law under which a petition is filed varies by the outcome of the arrest or charge. For instance, G.S. § 15A-147(a1) addresses expungements for identity theft or mistaken identity. Meanwhile, § 15A-145.5 addresses expungements for nonviolent misdemeanors.

The full set of North Carolina's expunction statutes, categorized by case outcomes, alongside official forms and filing instructions, can be reviewed on the State Judicial Branch's Expunctions Topics page.

How Do You Remove Cumberland County Arrest Records From the Internet?

Obtaining an expungement is recommended if intending to remove Cumberland County arrest records from the internet. An order of expungement commands government agencies to purge their databases or files of any arrests, charges, or convictions listed in the expungement order.

The court order, however, does not automatically cover people-search sites or other data aggregator services. Parties who find their expunged records on third-party websites may request an opt-out. G.S. § 15A-152 requires websites to permanently update their platforms upon being notified of an expunged record.