Search Brighton Arrest Records

Brighton arrest records are held by the Adams County Sheriff's Office. Brighton is the county seat of Adams County with a population of about 42,000. The Adams County jail and sheriff's headquarters are both located in Brighton, which means arrest records are processed right in town. The Brighton Police Department makes arrests within city limits, and those arrested go directly to the Adams County Detention Facility for booking. You can search for Brighton arrest records through the county's free online tools, the CBI statewide database, and the Colorado court system.

Adams County Sheriff in Brighton

The Adams County Sheriff's Office is headquartered right in Brighton at 4430 S. Adams County Pkwy., 1st Floor, Suite W5400, Brighton, CO 80601. The detention facility sits at 150 North 19th Avenue, also in Brighton. Because Brighton is the county seat, the jail is just minutes from the police station. Arrests made by Brighton police result in immediate booking at this facility.

The Adams County Sheriff offers a free inmate search tool online. This lets you look up anyone currently held in the county jail. Results include the inmate's name, charges, bond amount, and booking date. The data updates by 7 AM each day. For Brighton arrests that happened the night before, the booking should appear in the system by morning.

You can also use the free warrant search tool from the same website. This shows active warrants in Adams County. Brighton residents with outstanding warrants may appear in this database. Both search tools are free and open to anyone.

Call the Adams County Sheriff's records unit at (303) 655-3490 for help with specific arrest record requests. The general information line is (303) 654-1850.

Brighton Police Department

The Brighton Police Department handles arrests within city limits. Their main office is at 300 Strong Street, Brighton, CO 80601. The records division processes requests for copies of arrest reports and incident reports. You can reach them at (303) 655-8740.

Brighton police write the initial arrest report when they make an arrest. This report details the incident, the suspect, and the charges. To get a copy of a Brighton arrest report, file a request under the Colorado Open Records Act. The department must respond in three business days. Fees for copies depend on the format and number of pages.

Brighton police records are separate from the Adams County Sheriff's records. The police department has the arrest report from the incident. The sheriff has the booking and jail records. If you need both, you may have to request records from each agency.

CBI Statewide Criminal Check

Brighton arrest records are in the CBI system. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation collects fingerprint data from all arrests across the state, including those in Brighton. Search the CBI Records Check for $6.00 per name to see a person's Colorado criminal history.

CBI results show arrest dates, charges, and case dispositions. The search covers all 64 counties. A Brighton arrest will show alongside any other Colorado arrests for the same person. The online search returns results in minutes. You can also request a search by mail for $13.00, which takes several weeks to process.

Court Records for Brighton Cases

Brighton is in the 17th Judicial District. The Adams County Justice Center at 1100 Judicial Center Drive in Brighton handles criminal cases from Brighton arrests. Court records are searchable through the Colorado Courts Records Search tool.

Court records show the full progress of a criminal case. You can find the charges filed by the DA, plea agreements, trial dates, and sentencing information. If you need to know if a Brighton arrest led to a conviction, the court records will tell you. Most adult criminal cases are public. The clerk of court at the Adams County Justice Center can provide certified copies for a fee.

Brighton also has a municipal court that handles city code violations and lower-level offenses. For arrests that led to municipal charges rather than district court charges, you would check with the Brighton Municipal Court separately.

Laws on Brighton Arrest Records

The Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act makes Brighton arrest records public. Records of official action, such as arrests, bookings, and charges, must be released to anyone who asks. Neither the Brighton Police Department nor the Adams County Sheriff can refuse to release these records unless a specific legal exemption applies.

The Colorado Open Records Act provides another path to get records. CORA applies to all government agencies in the state. File a written request and the agency must respond in three business days. Up to seven extra days are allowed for complex requests.

People arrested in Brighton can petition to seal their records in certain situations. If charges were dropped or dismissed, or if the person was found not guilty, they can ask a court to seal the arrest record. Once sealed, the record is no longer visible in public searches. The CBI fees and forms page explains how record sealing affects statewide searches.

VINE Alerts for Brighton

The Colorado VINE system tracks inmates in the Adams County Detention Facility. Since the jail is in Brighton, tracking Northglenn, Commerce City, and Brighton arrests all works through the same system. VINE sends free alerts when an inmate is released, transferred, or has a custody status change. Register online and choose your preferred notification method.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Brighton in the north metro area. Arrest records for each are managed at the county level.