Find Tarrant County Recent Arrests
Recent arrests in Tarrant County are tracked by the Sheriff's Office and multiple police departments across the Fort Worth metropolitan area. Tarrant County is the third most populous county in Texas with about 2.1 million residents. The sheriff runs five jail facilities with a combined capacity near 5,000 inmates. You can search recent arrests online through the county's inmate search portal, by calling the records division, or in person at the courthouse in Fort Worth.
Tarrant County Overview
Tarrant County Arrest Records
The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office Detention Bureau manages the jail system and all booking records. Five separate facilities hold inmates across the county. The average daily population sits around 3,800 people. Roughly 65% of those inmates are pre-trial detainees who have not yet been convicted. The other 35% are either serving sentences or being held on transfers. Male inmates make up about 85% of the jail population, with females at 15%.
Fort Worth is the county seat and the largest city in Tarrant County. But the county also includes Arlington, Mansfield, and parts of Grand Prairie. Each city has its own police force that makes arrests. The Fort Worth Police Department alone publishes a recent arrests list with booking info, charges, and bond amounts. When someone is arrested by Fort Worth PD, they first go through the FWPD Detention Facility at 350 W. Belknap Street. Class A and B misdemeanors and felony charges then get transferred to the Tarrant County Jail.
| Office | Tarrant County Sheriff's Office - Detention Bureau |
|---|---|
| Address | 100 N. Lamar Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102 |
| Phone | (817) 884-3116 / (817) 884-3117 |
| Records Email | TCSO_Records@tarrantcountytx.gov |
| Records Division | 200 Taylor Street, 6th Floor, Fort Worth, TX 76196 |
Common offenses in Tarrant County include drug possession and distribution, theft, assault, warrant holds, and DWI. The primary age range for inmates is 20 to 40. An inmate may show "in custody" on the search portal with no active Tarrant County bookings. This happens when they are being held on an Other Agency hold or a TDCJ parole violation.
Search Recent Arrests Online
Tarrant County runs its own inmate search portal where you can look up current and recent bookings. The system lets you search by last name, first name, or CID (County Identification Number). Using a CID avoids problems with common names or spelling variations. Search results show the person's CID, name, race, sex, and custody status. Click on a name to see booking details and hold information.
The Tarrant County inmate search portal is maintained by the Sheriff's Detention Bureau. Below is what the search page looks like.
That portal also shows magistration docket information with scheduled appearance times. Filters let you narrow results by race, sex, or the number of records displayed. The data updates regularly throughout the day as new bookings come in and people bond out or get released.
A second resource is the TarrantRecords.org site, which publishes daily booking reports showing recent arrests. You can find a criminal docket search there as well. Public access terminals are also available at the Tarrant County Justice Center at 401 W. Belknap Street in Fort Worth. The screenshot below shows this alternative search tool.
Written requests for records can be sent to the Sheriff's Office Records Division at 200 Taylor Street, 6th floor, Fort Worth, TX 76196. You can also call (817) 884-1213. The county must respond within 10 business days per Texas Government Code.
Tarrant County Public Records Law
The Texas Public Information Act governs access to arrest records in Tarrant County. Government Code Chapter 552 says that basic arrest data is public. Section 552.108(c) lists exactly what must be shared: the name, age, address, race, sex, and occupation of the arrested person. Charges, bond information, the arresting agency, and the date and location of the arrest are all public too.
Privacy protections still apply to certain categories of information. Social Security numbers are redacted from any records shared with the public. Medical records from the jail are not released. Juvenile records stay sealed. But for any adult arrest in Tarrant County, the core booking data is open to anyone. You do not need a reason to ask for it, and you do not need to be a party to the case.
Texas Arrest Search Tools
Several state-level databases cover Tarrant County arrest and criminal records. The DPS Criminal History Search lets you search conviction records statewide for $3.00 per name. Under Government Code Section 411.135, DPS manages the Computerized Criminal History system that tracks all conviction data across Texas. You need an account to use this tool.
The TDCJ Inmate Search is free and covers anyone serving time in a state prison. People sentenced out of Tarrant County courts who end up in TDCJ will appear in this system. The Texas Courts Case Search handles appellate records. The DPS Crime Records Division compiles crime data from agencies across the state, including all Tarrant County law enforcement bodies.
Tarrant County Booking Process
When someone is arrested in Tarrant County, they go through a booking process at the jail. Staff record personal details, take a mugshot, and collect fingerprints. A medical and mental health screening happens during intake. The arresting officer's report gets filed with the booking record. DNA collection may apply for certain charges. The person gets a free phone call and their personal property is stored until release.
Booking can take anywhere from one hour to 48 hours depending on the circumstances. After booking, a magistrate sets bail. Cash bonds, surety bonds, and personal recognizance bonds are all options. Bail payment methods include cash, credit cards, and money orders. Licensed bail bond agents operate throughout Tarrant County. People who cannot afford bail stay in custody until their case moves through the court system or a bond reduction hearing takes place.
Cities in Tarrant County
Tarrant County includes several large cities, each with its own police department that makes arrests. All bookings for serious charges end up in the Tarrant County jail system.
Other communities in Tarrant County include Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Grapevine, Colleyville, Keller, Southlake, North Richland Hills, and Haltom City. Arrests in those cities also go through the county jail for Class A misdemeanors and above.