Union County Arrest Records

Union County arrest records are official documents that provide information about the instances in which a person was apprehended and taken into custody by law enforcement in Union County. Individuals are arrested for different reasons, including criminal activity, and arrest records are formal accounts or reports of the arrest incidents. These records typically contain the arrestee’s details and physical description, the alleged crime, the arrest date, etc.

The Union County Sheriff's Office and local police departments, such as those in La Grande City, are responsible for arresting offenders in Union County and generating arrest records for those arrests. These agencies compile and maintain these records as part of their duties.

A person’s Union County arrest record usually becomes part of their criminal history, even if the charges were later dropped or the person was found not guilty of the alleged crime. Information on the outcome of an individual's arrest can also be found in Union County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Union County?

Yes, Arrest records are public in Union County under the Oregon Public Records Law (codified in ORS 192.001 to 192.513). Per this law, government records, including arrest records, are deemed public records and available upon request to any member of the public.

However, not all arrest records are public, as some are exempt from public disclosure under ORS 192.338, 192.345, and 192.355. Those exempt from public access include:

• Juvenile arrest records (ORS 419A.255, ORS 419A.260)
• Medical records of arrestees, including their mental health evaluations
• Sealed or expunged records (or records set aside by the court)
• Arrest information that will reveal the identity of a confidential informant
• Any records whose release will interfere with an ongoing law enforcement investigation
• Any sensitive or private information whose release will constitute an invasion of privacy (e.g., SSN)
• Police investigative materials
• Victim information in sexual assault or domestic violence cases.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public Union County arrest records contain the following:

• Personal information of the arrested individual (full name, age, date of birth, known aliases)
• Physical description of the arrestee (e.g., height, weight, eye color)
• The arrest details (e.g., the date and time of the arrest, location of the arrest, and the circumstances of the arrest)
• The arresting agency
• Charges filed at the time of arrest (e.g., theft, assault, DUI)
• The booking information (e.g., booking number, mugshot, fingerprints)
• Bail or bond amount, if applicable
• Custody status (e.g., released or still being detained)
• Court information if charges were filed (e.g., case number, court dates, etc.)

Union County Arrest Statistics

Based on data from the arrest dashboard of Oregon State Police's UCR, the Union County Sheriff's Office recorded 206 arrests in 2024. Of these, 141 arrestees were male and 65 were female. Reported arrests by offense were as follows: Simple assault (20), intimidation (6), aggravated assault (4), larceny/theft (47), motor vehicle theft (7), vandalism (6), stolen property (2), burglary (2), counterfeiting/forgery (1), all other offenses (60), drug/narcotic offenses (24), DUI (13), liquor law violations (5), disorderly conduct (5), and weapons law violations (4).

Find Union County Arrest Records

To find Union County arrest records, interested persons may make a public records request to the records division of the Union County Sheriff's Office by filling out the "Records Request Form" and submitting it by email to UCSORecords@union-county.org, in person, or by mail to:

Union County Sheriff’s Office
1109 K Avenue
La Grande, OR 97850.
Phone: (541) 963-1017

Individuals can also utilize the Union County Sheriff's "daily jail roster" to find information on arrested and detained individuals in the county.

The fees associated with public records requests to the sheriff's office are as follows:

• Case report: $10 for the first 5 pages and $.25 for each page thereafter
• Photographs printed: $5 each
• Photograph CD: $25 each
• Jail records: $10 up to 10 pages, $15 for 11 or more pages
• Research and productions: $35 per hour. Up to 15 minutes, no charge. After 15 minutes, the $35 fee applies.

Alternatively, interested individuals can submit public record requests to local police departments in the county for arrest records or information. For example, a completed "Public Records Request" form can be forwarded in person, by fax, or by mail to the La Grande City Police Department for arrest information.

La Grande Police Department
1109 K Avenue
La Grande, OR 97850
Phone: (541) 963-1017
Fax: (541) 963-3558

Free Arrest Record Search in Union County

Arrest record searches in Union County typically attract fees. However, individuals seeking free searches may contact the Union County Sheriff's Office's records division at UCSORecords@union-county.org to see if searches may be performed for free.

Alternatively, individuals can use third-party online resources to search arrest records, including those of Union County, for free. Since third-party sites aggregate arrest records from various law enforcement agencies in multiple jurisdictions, they can be used to search for and look up arrest records of persons of interest. However, these sites may charge fees for detailed access records.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. A Union County arrest remains on a person’s record indefinitely unless it is sealed or expunged under Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 137.225. However, sealing or expunction depends on whether an arrest qualifies for it. Typically, arrests ending in dismissal or acquittal can be expunged in Oregon.

Expunge Union County Arrest Records

Expunction of arrest records in Oregon is governed by ORS 137.225, and by this law, arrest records eligible for removal or expunction include:

• Arrests without filed charges within 60 days of the arrest
• Arrests with dismissed charges or that ended in acquittal
• Arrests with convictions for certain offenses, including Class B or Class C misdemeanors (the arrestee must wait 1 year from the date of conviction or release from jail, whichever occurs first), Class A misdemeanors (3 years from the date of the sentence or release from jail, whichever comes first), Class C felonies (5 years from the date of the sentence or release from jail, whichever comes first), and Class B felonies (7 years from the date of conviction or release from jail, whichever comes first).

To expunge an arrest record in Union County, the arrestee must first determine if they’re eligible. After that, they can follow these steps:

• Complete their fingerprinting using the FBI standard blue applicant fingerprint card (FD-258), available at the Union County Sheriff's Office
• Fill out the OSP "Request for Set Aside Form," available on the Oregon State Police website
• Mail the fingerprint card, completed OSP form, and payment of $33.00 to cover the criminal record check (check or money order, payable to Oregon State Police) to:

Oregon State Police, CJIS – Unit 11
ATTN: SET ASIDE
P.O. Box 4395
Portland, OR 97208-4395.

• Complete and file a Criminal Set Aside Form, along with any supporting documents (e.g., a copy of the OSP form submission receipt), to the Union County Circuit Court. Provide copies to the district attorney’s office. A filing fee may apply, though a fee waiver can be requested if one can demonstrate financial hardship
• The court will review the application, while the district attorney's office has 120 days to raise any objections to the application. Meanwhile, the Oregon State Police will verify the criminal history based on the submitted fingerprints. If no objections arise and all criteria are met, the court will issue an order to set aside the arrest or conviction record, directing the Union County Sheriff and Oregon State Police to seal the record.

Note: Juvenile arrest records can be expunged under ORS 419A.260(b). To do this, contact the Union County Juvenile Department for forms and information regarding juvenile case expunctions.

Union County Arrest Warrants

Per Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 135.280, Union County arrest warrants are legal documents that authorize law enforcement to apprehend and detain a person for criminal activity or other reasons, such as contempt of court.

Under Oregon law, a judge or magistrate can issue arrest warrants if they determine there is sufficient evidence to believe an individual has committed a criminal offense. The determination is based on an affidavit from law enforcement describing evidence, testimony from witnesses or officers, and/or physical evidence linking the suspect to the crime.

According to ORS 133.140, a Union County arrest warrant must be in writing and contain the following information:

• The full name or description of the warrant subject
• Specify the offense
• The date of issuance
• The signature of the issuing judge or magistrate
• Arrest order
• Bail conditions (if applicable).

Do Union County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Union County arrest warrants do not expire. They remain active until the individual named in the warrant is arrested or they surrender themselves to law enforcement. This means once an arrest warrant is issued for somebody’s arrest, the police can apprehend the person at any time they’re found, whether immediately or years later.

However, while Union County arrest warrants have no expiration, they can become invalid if the subject passes away, the court quashes or cancels the warrant, or if the underlying charges are dismissed or resolved.