FORT SMITH PUBLIC RECORDS

What are Fort Smith Public Records?

The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act defines Fort Smith public records as documents received, maintained, and updated by government agencies or other bodies in a public-private partnership with a government agency. In addition, public documents may exist as digital or physical formats, such as books, charters, maps, photographs, memoranda, notes, audio files, videos, emails, and SMS. However, Arkansas state law restricts public access to certain documents due to confidentiality and invasion of privacy. Under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Law, the following documents are exempt from public disclosure:

• State income tax records;
• Location of sites maintained by the Arkansas Archaeological Historical Preservation Program under the Department of Arkansas Heritage and the Arkansas Archeological survey;
• Educational, child adoption, and medical records;
• Minutes of a grand jury meeting;
• Law enforcement records and data on an ongoing criminal investigation;
• Identity of undercover police officers or other law enforcement personnel;
• Information on the number of undercover law enforcement officers;
• Documents protected by court order;
• Business strategies, site planning, product development, and marketing files under the purview of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission;
• Personnel records that may reveal a personnel's details;
• Non-elected government or public agency's home addresses and personal phone numbers;
• Examination or test materials or grading strategies a public agency uses for testing applications during a licensing application.

Public city records may also be accessible from third-party websites. Record seekers may either opt to use these non-governmental platforms to search for a specific record or multiple city records. However, users will need to provide enough information to assist with the search such as:

• The address of the requestor
• A case number or file number (if known)
• The location of the document or person involved
• The name of the subject involved in the record (not juvenile)
• The last known or current address of the registrant

Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.

Fort Smith Crime Statistics

The Arkansas Crime Information Center, via the Statistical Analysis Center, receives and publishes annual crime statistics from the Fort Smith Police Department and other law enforcement agencies within the state. According to the Statistical Analysis Center, Fort Smith City recorded 3,150 crimes against persons in 2019. Some of the offenses listed in the report are nine murder-related crimes, 157 sex-related crimes, 825 aggravated assaults, and 984 simple assaults. In comparison with 2017 crime statistics for Fort Smith, crime against persons increased by 21 percent.

Are Fort Smith Criminal Records Public?

Fort Smith criminal records are public records unless exempted by state laws. For example, the Arkansas Freedom of Information Law prevents the disclosure of juvenile criminal records. In addition, it restricts information on crime victims, complainants, and witnesses listed in a criminal record. Requesters who wish to obtain Fort Smith criminal records must contact the designed public agency holding the document.

The Sebastian County District Court, Fort Smith Division, is the custodian of criminal records at the city level. It provides access to public documents via an online records search portal. Note that the online database features criminal records from 1993 to the present. Requesters must sign in on the online database to access criminal records. On the sign-in page of the online platform, public users must input "public" and "password" as username and password, respectively.

However, Fort Smith criminal records before 1993 are accessible to public members via an online search portal under the supervision of the National Archive Center in Fort Smith City.

Likewise, the Arkansas Judiciary, via the CourtConnect online platform, enables requesters to get online copies of Fort Smith criminal records. Public members can find cases on the platform by using one of these search options:

• Search by a person or business name;
• Search for court cases by date;
• Search for docket filings by date;
• Search for court judgments against an individual or business.

How to Obtain Fort Smith Police Reports and Arrest Records

City residents and non-residents can request and obtain copies of Fort Smith incident reports, accident reports, and offense reports from the Fort Smith Police Department. Thus, interested persons may visit the Police Department in person at the address below:

100 South 10th Street
Fort Smith, AR 72901
Phone: (479) 709-5000
Email: info@fortsmithpd.org.

The Fort Smith Police Department also maintains an online search database for all offense, accident, and incident reports generated in the city. That said, record seekers can obtain online copies of Fort Smith incident reports by inputting the incident number and report date into the search boxes and selecting "retrieve records" to get search results.

Likewise, record seekers must input the offense number, offender's last name, and report date to access online offense reports.

How to Find Fort Smith Sex Offender Information

The Arkansas Department of Safety makes sex offender information accessible to all public members through an online sex offender registry. Per the Arkansas Code Annotated §12-12-913 (j)(1)(A), the Arkansas Sex Offender Registry ranks sex offenders according to the severity of the sex offenses: low-risk offenders (level 1), moderate offenders (level 2), high-risk sex offenders (level 3), and sex predators (level 4). In addition, it lists sex offenders' information such as the name, location, sex, age, birth date, offense, and body markings. Interested parties may view sex offender data via a map-based search option or a non-mappable search option.

How to Find Fort Smith Inmate Records

Interested persons or agencies can find Fort Smith inmate records via the Sebastian County Sheriff's online search portal. To view inmate records, record seekers must fill in the data provided below;

• Inmate's first, middle, and last name;
• Global subject number;
• Booking from and to date;
• Booking number.

How Do I Visit an Inmate in Fort Smith Jail

Intending visitors to the Fort Smith Jail must schedule a visitation via an online platform two days before the planned visit. First-time visitors must create an account on the scheduling website, whereas frequent visitors must input their email address and ID number into the checkbox on the website. All inmates in Fort Smith are incarcerated at the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center. Intending visitors can visit inmates in the facility at the location below:

801 South A Street
Fort Smith, AR 72901
Phone: (479) 783-4988

What are Fort Smith Vital Records?

Vital records in Fort Smith City are a series of government-generated documents on all life events within the city. The Fort Smith City vital records cover birth, death, marriage, and divorce events. Furthermore, local and state public agencies generate, update, and issue copies of these public documents. Nevertheless, record custodians may release confidential documents to only the record subject and other authorized persons. The Sebastian County Circuit Court is responsible for all divorce records at the city level. In contrast, the Arkansas Department of Health provides access to all vital records in Fort Smith City.

Where and How to Obtain Fort Smith Divorce Records

Copies of Fort Smith City divorce records are obtainable via the Sebastian County Circuit Court, Fort Smith Division. The Sebastian County Circuit Court maintains an online database for all documented divorce records. Requesters must sign in to get access to the documents. On the sign-in page of the online platform, public users must input "public" and "password" as username and password, respectively.

Likewise, public members can also order Fort Smith divorce records from the Arkansas Department of Health. As the state-level custodian of public records, the Arkansas Department of Health keeps records of divorce events from 1917. It also issues copies of divorce records to requesters via in-person, mail, and online requests. To access online copies of Fort Smith divorce records, requesters must follow the steps listed below:

1. First, visit the Arkansas Department of Health's Vital Records Online Service;
2. Select "divorce records" as the preferred document category.
3. At the next stage, requesters must fill out their personal details alongside the record subject's information. Also, they must select their required number of copies;
4. Fill out the requester's details;
5. In addition, select the county where the divorce event occurred;
6. Requesters must also upload the following documents on the platform:

• Credit card details;
• Proof of relationship with the record subject;
• A valid driver's license.

The Arkansas Department of Health charges $10 as a search fee for divorce documents. In addition, requesters must pay $10 for the first copy and $10 for additional copies of divorce documents.

Record seekers may order a certified copy of the divorce record by mailing in a divorce application form, a copy of a valid photo ID, and a money order or check to:

Arkansas Department of Health
Vital Records
Slot 44
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72205.

Where and How to Find Fort Smith Marriage Records

The Arkansas Department of Health is the state-level custodian of all documented marriage events in Fort Smith. Fort Smith marriage records are accessible to public members via online, mail-in, and in-person requests. Therefore, requesters must visit the Arkansas Department of Health's online database to get online copies of marriage certificates.

Note that the record custodian will only issue the requested document to persons or entities with a legitimate interest in the record. Therefore, requesters must upload a valid driver's license and proof of their relationship with the record subject on the online platform. Furthermore, requesters must follow the steps listed below:

1. Select "marriage" in the record category on the online platform;
2. Requesters must fill out their personal details alongside the record subject's information on the subsequent page. Also, they must select their required number of copies.
3. Fill out the requester's details;
4. In addition, select the county where the divorce event occurred;

It costs $10 to search for marriage records on the platform. In addition, requesters must pay $10 for the first copy and $10 for additional copies of divorce documents.

Alternatively, record seekers may get copies of Fort Smith marriage certificates via mail orders or in-person requests. For the mail option, requesters must mail in the application form, money order, or check payable to the Arkansas Department of Health, and a copy of a verified ID to:

Arkansas Department of Health
Vital Records
Slot 44
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72205.

In addition, the Arkansas Department of Health attends to in-person requests within business hours at the address provided above.

Where and How to Find Fort Smith Birth Records

Fort Smith birth records are under the purview of the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH). Therefore, requesters must direct all requests for birth records to the record custodian. Furthermore, requesters may opt to receive copies of birth certificates online, in person, or mail-order options.

In-person requesters must visit the ADH at:

Arkansas Department of Health
Vital Records
Slot 44
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72205.

Note: requesters must present a valid photo ID and proof of relationship with the record subject. The ADH will not attend to requests from unauthorized persons or entities.

Alternatively, record seekers may get copies of Fort Smith birth certificates via mail orders. Requesters must mail in the birth record application form, money order, or check payable to the Arkansas Department of Health, and a copy of a verified ID to:

Arkansas Department of Health
Vital Records
Slot 44
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72205.

Likewise, online copies of Fort Smith birth records are accessible via the ADH's online database. Record seekers must fill out their personal information alongside the record subject's details to get the required document on the platform. The platform accepts payment by credit or debit card only. A birth record costs $12 for the first copy and $10 for additional copies.

Where and How to Find Fort Smith Death Records

The Arkansas Department of Health maintains a statewide repository of all death events in the state cities and counties. Therefore, public members can obtain copies of Fort Smith City death records by contacting the ADH. More so, requesters can get the public document via online, mail, or in-person requests.

Record seekers may get copies of Fort Smith death certificates by mailing in the death record application form, money order, or check payable to the Arkansas Department of Health, and a copy of a verified ID to:

Arkansas Department of Health
Vital Records
Slot 44
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72205.

Conversely, requesters can visit the ADH at the address provided above to get copies of death records. Note: the ADH will only process requests from requesters with a legitimate or tangible interest in the record.

On the other hand, requesters can also make requests via the ADH's online database. To get copies of Fort Smith death records, record seekers must fill out their personal information alongside the record subject's details to get the required document. The platform accepts payment by credit or debit card only. A Fort Smith death record costs $10 for the first copy and $8 for additional copies.