Flagstaff Felony Records

Flagstaff felony records come from two main sources. The Flagstaff Police Department keeps arrest reports and incident files from cases inside city limits. All felony court cases go through the Coconino County Superior Court, which is also in Flagstaff since the city serves as county seat. Police files and court files are stored in different places with different agencies. If you need an arrest report from a Flagstaff case, you contact the police records unit. If you need court documents from a felony trial or plea, you work with the county clerk. This guide covers both sources and shows you how to get the records you need.

Flagstaff Police Department Records

The Flagstaff Police Department stores arrest reports and incident files from crimes that happen within city limits. When officers make a felony arrest in Flagstaff, they write up a report. That report stays with the police department. It is separate from the court file that gets created when the county prosecutor files charges. You can request police records through the FPD Records Division at 911 E. Sawmill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. Call them at (928) 214-2530 if you have questions about what records are on file or how to make a request.

Police reports become public once an investigation closes. Active cases may have limits on what can be released. If a felony case went to court and ended, you should be able to get the full arrest report without issue. The records staff can tell you if any parts of a report are still restricted due to ongoing matters or privacy rules.

This is the main contact point for police records in Flagstaff.

To request records, you fill out a form and pay the fee. The department accepts requests in person, by mail, or by fax. Each method works. In person is fastest if you need something quick. Mail takes longer but works fine for routine requests. Some people find it easier to call first and ask exactly what they need to include before sending payment. The staff is used to helping people through the process and can answer basic questions about records on file.

Flagstaff Police Records Fees

Flagstaff Police charges fees for copies of reports and other records. The base fee for police reports is $8. That covers up to 20 pages. Pages beyond 20 cost $0.10 each. Most arrest reports fit within 20 pages, so the $8 fee is what most people pay. Longer reports with many pages or attachments cost more. The per page rate after 20 pages is low compared to some agencies.

Fingerprint cards cost $6 each. These are the FBI FD-258 cards that some employers or agencies require. The police take your prints and give you the card. You then submit it wherever it needs to go. Some people need prints for job applications or state license checks. The Flagstaff Police Records Division handles this service during regular business hours.

Personal background checks run $7. This tells you what the Flagstaff Police have on file about a person. It only covers Flagstaff arrests. It does not include arrests in other cities or counties. For a full Arizona criminal history, you need to go through the state Department of Public Safety. The DPS Central State Repository has data from all law enforcement agencies in Arizona, not just Flagstaff.

Body worn camera footage has its own fee structure. The city charges $46 per hour for staff time to review the video before release. This review time is required because certain things must be blacked out or removed from video before it goes to the public. There is also a $30 storage fee on top of the hourly rate. Video requests cost much more than paper reports due to the time involved. If you need body camera footage from a Flagstaff felony arrest, expect to pay for review time plus storage.

Coconino County Superior Court Felony Cases

All felony cases in Flagstaff go through the Coconino County Superior Court. This is true for every felony in the county, not just Flagstaff cases. Police make the arrest. The county prosecutor decides whether to file charges. The Superior Court handles the trial or plea process. So if you need court documents from a Flagstaff felony case, you work with the Coconino County Clerk of Court, not the police department. These are two different agencies with different records.

The courthouse sits at 200 N. San Francisco Street in downtown Flagstaff. The Clerk of Court keeps all felony case files. You can get copies of charging documents, motions, court orders, trial records, and the final judgment. Plain copies cost $0.50 per page. This rate is set by state law and applies to all Arizona courts. Certified copies with the official court seal cost $30 to $35 per document plus the page fee. Mail requests add around $7 to $8 for postage and handling.

Call the clerk at (928) 679-7600 for help with records requests. A toll free option exists at (877) 679-7120 for those calling from outside the local area. Staff can tell you if a case is on file and what documents are in it. They can also explain the fees for what you need. Most requests get filled within a few days. In person visits may be faster if the file is easy to locate. Older cases stored off site can take longer to pull.

Court records are separate from police records. Get arrest reports from the police and case files from the court.

Search Flagstaff Felony Cases Online

Arizona has statewide tools for searching court records from home. The Arizona Public Access Case Lookup covers courts across the state, including Coconino County. You can search by name or case number. The site shows basic case info like charges, hearing dates, and case status. This is free to use. No account or login is needed. It works for Flagstaff felony cases that went through the Superior Court.

For actual court documents, Arizona has the eAccess portal. This system lets you view and download court filings. The first page of any document is free to preview. Full documents cost $10 each. Monthly plans range from $80 to $10,000 based on how much you use the system. Most people just pay per document when they need something. Lawyers and researchers who need lots of records often get subscriptions.

The online case lookup is good for quick checks. You can see if a case is open or closed. You can find past and future court dates. The docket shows what happened at each hearing and what motions were filed. For the actual filings with all the details, you need eAccess or an in person visit to the clerk. Both options work for Flagstaff area felony records stored in Coconino County files.

One limit: the online tools cover court records, not police records. You cannot find Flagstaff Police arrest reports through the state court portal. Those stay with the police department and must be requested directly from FPD. The court records start after charges are filed. Everything before that is with the police.

Arizona Criminal History Records

The Arizona Department of Public Safety runs a statewide criminal history database called the Central State Repository. Under A.R.S. Section 41-1750, all law enforcement agencies in Arizona must report arrests and case outcomes to DPS. If someone was arrested in Flagstaff, that data should be in the state database. This includes felony arrests made by Flagstaff Police and any other agency in the county.

You can review your own Arizona record for free. DPS has a Record Review Packet you fill out and submit with your fingerprints on an FBI FD-258 card. They mail you a copy of what is in your file within 15 days. This is useful if you want to check your record before a job search or background check. The DPS Records Request page has forms and instructions for this process.

There is an important limit to know. Arizona law does not let DPS run background checks for private employers or out of state requests. Private citizens cannot use the state database to check on another person. You have to use court records or a third party service for that. The Coconino County Clerk of Court is your source for felony case files if you are looking up someone else. The DPS option only works for checking your own record.

Sealing Flagstaff Felony Records

Arizona allows some felony records to be sealed. This became available on December 31, 2022. A.R.S. Section 13-911 sets the rules. You can petition the court to seal your case records if you finished your entire sentence, paid all fines and restitution, and completed any required programs. Then you must wait a certain period of time based on the felony class before you can file the petition.

The waiting periods after completing your sentence are:

• Class 2 or 3 felony: 10 years
• Class 4, 5, or 6 felony: 5 years

Some crimes cannot be sealed at all. Dangerous offenses, crimes against children, serious violent felonies, and sex trafficking convictions are not eligible. You file the sealing petition with the Coconino County Superior Court that handled your original case. A judge reviews the petition and decides whether to grant it. Sealed records are not destroyed. They still exist but become hidden from most public searches and background checks.

If you have a Flagstaff felony on your record and want to explore sealing, the court self service center can help you find the right forms. They cannot give legal advice but can point you to resources. An attorney can tell you if your case qualifies and help with the petition if needed. Legal aid groups sometimes help with sealing petitions for those who cannot afford a private lawyer.

Coconino County Sheriff Records

The Coconino County Sheriff handles law enforcement for areas outside Flagstaff city limits. If an arrest happened in an unincorporated part of the county or in a smaller town without its own police force, the sheriff made the arrest. In those cases, you request records from the Sheriff's Office, not Flagstaff Police. The sheriff and city police share an address at 911 E. Sawmill Road in Flagstaff. The records phone is the same: (928) 214-2530.

Sheriff background checks cost $7. This matches the Flagstaff Police fee. Reports also cost similar amounts. The sheriff can tell you about arrests made by their deputies in Coconino County. They cannot tell you about Flagstaff Police arrests inside city limits. If you are not sure which agency handled an arrest, check the court records first. The case file will show which law enforcement agency was involved. Then you know where to request the arrest report.

The Coconino County Sheriff Records Request page has forms and instructions for making a request to the sheriff. Use this if your case involves a sheriff arrest rather than a Flagstaff Police arrest. Either way, the court records for the felony go through the same county clerk office since both agencies feed into the Coconino County court system.

Flagstaff Legal Help Resources

Finding felony records is often part of a bigger legal matter. If you need help with a criminal case or records issue in Flagstaff, several options exist. The Coconino County Public Defender handles defense for people who qualify financially. If you face charges and cannot afford a lawyer, the court appoints one for you. Contact the court for information on how this works.

Northern Arizona Legal Aid serves residents of Coconino County and surrounding areas. They help with civil matters and can sometimes point you to criminal defense resources. The State Bar of Arizona runs a lawyer referral service. Call (602) 340-7423 to get matched with an attorney who handles felony cases in the Flagstaff area. This is useful if you can pay for legal help but need to find the right lawyer.

For self help with court forms and procedures, the Coconino County Superior Court has a self service center at the courthouse. Staff there can help you find forms for record sealing petitions and other common needs. They are not allowed to give legal advice, but they can explain what forms exist and how to fill them out. The law library at the courthouse is open to the public for legal research.

Nearby Arizona Cities

Flagstaff is the largest city in northern Arizona and serves as the Coconino County seat. Most other major Arizona cities are in the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas to the south. If someone has felony cases in multiple Arizona cities, you need to check each court separately. Cases filed in Coconino County stay in Coconino County records even if the person later moved.

Major Arizona cities with felony records pages include Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, and Gilbert. Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Gilbert are in Maricopa County. Tucson is in Pima County. The statewide court search at apps.azcourts.gov can help you find cases across multiple Arizona counties from one search. But for certified copies or complete case files, you still contact each county clerk directly.

Coconino County is the main county for Flagstaff area felony records. Neighboring counties include Navajo County to the east, Yavapai County to the south, and Mohave County to the west. Records from these counties are kept by their own clerks and must be requested from those offices.