Search West Hartford Released Inmates
Released inmates records in West Hartford come from the Connecticut Department of Correction and the West Hartford Police Department. West Hartford is a town of about 64,000 people in Hartford County, and all court cases go through the Hartford Judicial District. The state DOC tracks inmates held at any Connecticut facility, while the local police department keeps arrest records and incident reports. You can search for released inmates in West Hartford through state databases, court records, and by contacting the police records unit on Raymond Road.
West Hartford Quick Facts
West Hartford Released Inmates Records
Connecticut has no county jails. The state took over all correctional facilities in 1968. Every person held on criminal charges in West Hartford goes into the state DOC system, regardless of whether the charge is a misdemeanor or a felony. The Connecticut Department of Correction runs all prisons and holds records on every inmate, past and present. Under C.G.S. § 54-142g, criminal history record information includes data on arrests, court actions, and sentences for released inmates in West Hartford and across the state.
The CT DOC inmate search tool lets you look up people by name or inmate number. For the best results, try a few letters of the last name rather than the full name. This tool covers current inmates and some who have been released. If the person left the system some time ago, the record may not show up in the online search. In that case, call the DOC Public Information Office at (860) 692-7480 to ask about released inmates from West Hartford.
Note: The online inmate search updates daily but does not include every person who has ever been in the system.
West Hartford Police Department Records
The West Hartford Police Department is the main local source for arrest records and incident reports in town. The department is at 103 Raymond Road, West Hartford, CT 06107. You can reach the records unit by phone at 860-570-8800 or by fax at 860-570-8899. For email requests, send a message to PDRecords@westhartfordct.gov. The records unit is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Those are the only walk-in hours, so plan around them if you need to visit in person for released inmates records in West Hartford.
The West Hartford Police Department website has general info on the department and its divisions.
The police website shows contact details for each division, including the records unit that handles released inmates requests.
Copies of police records cost $0.50 per page. If you want them mailed, add $1.00 for postage. A record check that covers only West Hartford arrests costs $5.00. This check tells you if a person has been arrested by the West Hartford Police Department. It does not cover arrests made by other agencies or state facilities. For a full criminal history, you need to go through the State Police Bureau of Identification. Fingerprinting at the West Hartford Police Department costs $10.00 for residents and $20.00 for non-residents per card.
Under C.G.S. § 1-210, most police records in Connecticut are public. Arrest records include the name, address, and charges. But records tied to active cases or ongoing investigations can be held back. Reports that involve an arrest may not be available until all charges are resolved in court. The West Hartford Police Department handles its own FOIA requests for released inmates records.
How to Get West Hartford Records
The West Hartford Police Records page gives full details on what you can request and how to get it. Accident reports are not handled by the police department. Instead, you go to www.buycrash.com to find and order copies of collision reports for West Hartford. That site is run by a third-party vendor and may charge its own fees on top of any base cost.
The records page lists all forms, fees, and hours for the West Hartford Police Department.
When you request a record in person, bring a valid photo ID. Checks should be made payable to "Town of West Hartford." Cash is also accepted for small amounts. If you submit a FOIA request in writing, the department must respond within four business days under Connecticut law. You can appeal a denial to the Freedom of Information Commission. The process is the same for released inmates records as it is for any other public record in West Hartford.
Note: Walk-in hours for records are limited to Tuesdays and Thursdays, so email is often the fastest way to start a request.
West Hartford Court Records
All criminal cases for West Hartford go through the Hartford Judicial District. The state court system in Connecticut is not organized by county. Instead, it uses judicial districts. Hartford is both the county seat and the judicial district center. The Connecticut Judicial Branch case lookup lets you search criminal cases from the past 10 years. You can search by name or docket number. The results show charges, court dates, and case outcomes for released inmates who had cases in West Hartford.
Under C.G.S. § 1-215, arrest records are public. They include the name, address, date of arrest, and charges. Court records show what happened after that: pleas, verdicts, sentences, and any post-conviction changes. If you need older records or records that do not show up in the online system, contact the court clerk at the Hartford Superior Court. They keep files going back many years for released inmates from West Hartford.
Connecticut has an erasure law under C.G.S. § 54-142a. Records can be erased if charges are dismissed, nolled after 13 months, or end in acquittal. Under the Clean Slate Act, some misdemeanor convictions are erased after 7 years and certain felonies after 10 years. This means that some released inmates in West Hartford may not appear in a search because their records have been erased by law. You will not find those records in any public database once they are sealed.
Criminal History Checks for West Hartford
A local record check from the West Hartford Police Department only covers arrests made by that agency. It costs $5.00 and only shows what happened in West Hartford. For a full picture of a person's criminal history across the entire state, you need to go through the State Police Bureau of Identification. A state criminal history check costs $75.00. A federal check is $13.25. Fingerprinting costs $15.00 and must be done by a law enforcement agency.
Mail your request using form DPS-0846-C to the Bureau of Identification at 1111 Country Club Road, Middletown, CT 06457. They do not accept requests by email or fax. Under C.G.S. § 29-11, the bureau keeps a central file of criminal records for everyone age 16 or older who has been charged with a crime in the state. The results will show records from West Hartford and every other jurisdiction in Connecticut for released inmates.
West Hartford residents who want their own record can also request it through the bureau. A personal record check shows everything on file, including items that may have been erased from the public version. This can help if you need to verify what a background check might show about released inmates status in West Hartford.
Victim Alerts in West Hartford
Crime victims can track inmate status changes through the DOC Victim Services Unit. Call 888-869-7057 or email doc.victimservices@ct.gov to sign up. CT SAVIN sends automated phone alerts when an inmate's status changes. The toll-free number is 1-866-277-2877. VINELink also provides online notification for West Hartford through the Connecticut system. You can get alerts for bond releases, escapes, parole hearings, and end-of-sentence dates for released inmates.
The Board of Pardons and Paroles handles parole decisions for the state. Their office is at 55 West Main Street in Waterbury. Parolees from West Hartford are supervised by DOC staff. The board holds public hearings, and victims can attend or watch by video. If a released inmate from a West Hartford case is up for parole, the victim services unit will send a notice to any registered victim.
Legal Resources in West Hartford
Several groups offer legal help to West Hartford residents who need to understand criminal records, check on released inmates, or deal with record issues. Connecticut Legal Services has offices that serve Hartford County. They give free legal aid to people with low income on matters that include criminal record issues. Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut can be reached at 1-800-453-3320 for help finding the right program.
The Hartford County Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service for people who need an attorney. The Connecticut Bar Association has a statewide referral line at (860) 525-6052. For people who want to look into record erasure under C.G.S. § 54-142a, an attorney can help you figure out which records are eligible and guide you through the petition process in West Hartford.
The Hartford Superior Court has a self-help center where you can get basic info on court procedures and forms. This is useful for West Hartford residents who need to navigate the court system on their own. Staff cannot give legal advice, but they can point you to the right forms and tell you which office to contact about released inmates records.
Note: Free legal aid programs have income limits, so call first to see if you qualify before visiting an office.
Hartford County Released Inmates
West Hartford is in Hartford County. All state-level records for released inmates go through the Connecticut DOC, and court cases are handled by the Hartford Judicial District. Hartford County has nearly 900,000 residents spread across dozens of towns and cities. For more info on county-wide resources, the full court system, and links to state databases, visit the Hartford County released inmates page.
Nearby Cities
These cities and towns are near West Hartford. If you need released inmates records from a different area, check the city where the arrest or court case took place. Each police department keeps its own local records.