The Arrest Processing Center (APC) is the centralized entry point for all persons arrested in Mecklenburg County by any law enforcement agency. APC operates 24 hours, 7 days a week and utilizes state of the art electronic fingerprinting and digital mugshot equipment.
Certified, experienced, and accredited deputy sheriffs, accompanied by certified detention and civilian staff, run this facility, it is the only one in the state with onsite fingerprint technicians and civilian data entry staff who process the arrest information. This allows the most time efficient response from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) verifying the real identity of the persons being charged.
The Arrest Processing Center utilizes a full body scanner as part of the intake processing of arrestees. When an arrestee comes into the Arrest Processing Center, they receive a full body scan. This added security precaution augments the normal pat and frisk style search and suppresses the flow of contraband coming into the Mecklenburg County Detention Center.
The Arrest Processing Center is also home to our Information Gathering team (IG) and the Mecklenburg County Warrant Repository. In July of 2022, North Carolina changed the state’s processing system. eWarrants was brought online and electronically stores all criminal warrants and summons’. Our onsite Warrant Repository houses all hard copy warrants issued prior to 2013 as well as civil orders for arrest, restraining orders, grand jury indictments, and governor’s warrants issued in Mecklenburg County. After electronically verifying any outstanding criminal processes, these documents can be accessed for service in real time. Our Information Gathering team, comprised of civilian staff, serve as Arrest Processing Analysts. They work with arresting agencies and the magistrates to help facilitate outstanding processes are served, enter accurate data for arrests, delete arrests, and audits all these processes.
The Arrest Processing Center also contains our Records and Release division. Records and Release is operated by a mixture of civilian and detention staff. They also operate 24 hours, 7 days a week. They are responsible for entering demographics, charge, and bond information for every arrest into our Offender Management System (OMS). They update charge and bond information if changes are made during court appearances. Our Records and Release division is also responsible for ensuring people are released from custody when their conditions of release are met. They will complete a series of checks utilizing multiple staff members to verify the person is eligible for release and has no outstanding warrants or charges. They help to coordinate and document residents that are transferred into and out of our custody. They serve a vital part in keeping our community safe.
Major M. Henson
Facility Commander
Captain R. Abee
Administrative Captain
801 East Fourth Street Charlotte, NC 28202
(980) 314-5100
EFFECTIVE July 17, 2022, ARREST AND WARRANT INQUIRY DATA IS UNAVAILABLE ONLINE.
MCSO and local criminal justice partners have worked with the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC) to prepare for the state’s launch of its new electronic warrant system. The NCAOC has encountered challenges with its new system that have impacted local justice systems, processes, and access to data. MCSO has modified our systems and data entry to ensure the public can access charge and arrest information online. We will be continuously working with County IT to improve and circumnavigate these challenges as we continue to adjust to the NCAOC’s new system. All arrest/warrant inquiries can be submitted to the Public Information Office mcsopublicinformation@mecknc.gov and will be processed as soon as data is available. Individuals can also call Arrest Processing to look up and verify warrants at 980-314-5100.
As of October 2023, the NCAOC has implemented Odyssey (eCourts), which is publicly accessible through their portal and will house warrant information. We appreciate your patience as we continue to improve and improvise during the North Carolina’s Administrative Office of the Courts transition to an electronic courts system. North Carolina Law makes this information public. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office provides this arrest information via the internet for your convenience.
Be careful not to confuse criminal charges with criminal convictions. Many people are charged with crime(s) without being convicted; however, the arrest record is still active and public record. As well, the civil inquiry lists all civil process filed with the Clerk of Court but does not reflect case disposition. For more information about a particular case, visit the Clerk of Court’s Office at 832 E. 4th Street, Charlotte, NC.
Mug shots and more
Arrest and resident inquiry information will remain online for three years from the date of arrest or release from the Detention Center. To remove the information prior to three years, the Sheriff’s Office must receive an Order of Expunction signed by a judge. For more information about having charges expunged, please contact your attorney.
If you are unable to access these systems, please check with your local technical staff if your location uses a firewall.
Should you experience any difficulty with these applications, please send an email to the link below:
**SCAM ALERT**:
If you receive a call/message from 704-445-9833 stating "You have reached the Warrants/Citation Division of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Department" it is a #scam and not from MCSO.
MCSO and local criminal justice partners have worked with the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts to prepare for the state’s launch of its new electronic warrant system. The NCAOC has encountered challenges with its new system that have impacted local justice systems, processes and access to data. MCSO is continuously working with County IT to circumvent these challenges. All arrest/warrant inquiries can be submitted to the Public Information Office mcsopublicinformation@mecknc.gov and will be processed as soon as data is available or Individuals can call Arrest Processing to look up and verify warrants until the online system is restored, 980-314-5100. We appreciate your patience as we work to modernize and expand access to justice in Mecklenburg County.
On September 19, 2022, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) adopted a new policy to end regulatory stops for non-moving violations in its most recent amendment to the MCSO Uniform Traffic Enforcement Policy. In collaboration with North Carolina Forward Justice the policy change serves to focus more on hazardous traffic violations and move away from regulatory offenses that have been shown to create disparities and disproportionality in our criminal justice system.
General Order 20
Our office has received several complaints from Mecklenburg County registered sex offenders asking them to submit payment to avoid being arrested for failure to provide a DNA sample. Our agency will never ask for money to avoid a warrant being issued or for an arrest of any offender. If you receive a call from anyone requesting money, please know this is a scam and you should not submit any payment.
SCAM ALERT: We have have received information that individuals identifying themselves as MCSO Deputies are calling citizens and informing them that have warrants for missing jury duty. These calls have come from numbers 704-247-1286 and 404-907-1935. Please be advised that this is a SCAM. MCSO will never call and solicit money in order to avoid arrest. Please stay aware and don’t become a victim.