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Rockville Arrest Records

Are Arrest Records Public in Rockville, Maryland?

Arrest records are public documents in Rockville, Maryland, pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA), codified under §§ 4-101 through 4-601 of the General Provisions Article. This legislation establishes the fundamental right of Maryland citizens to access government records, including those pertaining to arrests made by law enforcement agencies. The MPIA operates on the principle of transparency in government operations, ensuring that citizens can monitor the activities of public officials and agencies, including the Rockville City Police Department.

The public nature of these records serves multiple governmental and societal purposes. Law enforcement accountability is maintained through public scrutiny of arrest procedures and patterns. Additionally, these records provide statistical data for crime analysis and policy development. However, certain information within arrest records may be redacted or restricted if disclosure would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, compromise an ongoing investigation, or endanger an individual's safety as specified under § 4-301 of the General Provisions Article.

How to Access Rockville Arrest Records in 2025

Members of the public seeking arrest records in Rockville have several methods available through which they may obtain this information. The Rockville City Police Department maintains these records in accordance with state retention schedules and provides access through multiple channels:

In-person requests may be submitted at the Records Division of the Rockville City Police Department:

Rockville City Police Department
2 West Montgomery Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: (240) 314-8900
Rockville City Police Department Official Website
Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Written requests may be submitted via mail to the above address, with attention to the Records Division. Pursuant to § 4-202 of the General Provisions Article, requests must be sufficiently detailed to enable the custodian to locate the requested records.
Electronic requests may be submitted through the official police records request portal. The department processes these requests in accordance with MPIA timelines, which require an initial response within 10 working days.
Montgomery County judicial records, which may contain arrest information, are accessible through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search system maintained by the Maryland Courts.

Requestors should note that fees may apply for record retrieval and reproduction as permitted under § 4-206 of the General Provisions Article. The current fee schedule includes $0.25 per page for standard copies and $25 per hour for staff time exceeding two hours for search and preparation.

Contents of a Rockville Arrest Record

Standard arrest records maintained by the Rockville City Police Department contain specific categories of information as mandated by Maryland Criminal Procedure Article § 10-215. These records typically include:

Biographical information of the arrested individual, including full legal name, known aliases, date of birth, address of residence, and physical descriptors
Date, time, and specific location of the arrest
Statutory citations and descriptions of criminal charges filed
Case number and identifying information of the arresting agency
Name and badge number of the arresting officer(s)
Booking photographs (commonly referred to as "mugshots")
Fingerprint records and other biometric identifiers collected during processing
Detention status information, including bail or bond determinations
Court appearance dates and preliminary hearing schedules
Disposition information if available (e.g., charges dropped, case pending, conviction)

Certain sensitive information may be redacted from public versions of arrest records, including Social Security numbers, medical information, and information pertaining to juvenile suspects as protected under Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article § 3-8A-27.

Legal Restrictions on Arrest Record Access

While arrest records are generally public, Maryland law establishes several categories of protected information that may be withheld or redacted from public disclosure. The Rockville City Police Department and Montgomery County courts must adhere to these statutory exemptions when processing record requests:

Records pertaining to juvenile arrests are confidential pursuant to Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article § 3-8A-27, except under specific circumstances authorized by court order.
Information that would compromise an active investigation may be temporarily withheld under § 4-351 of the General Provisions Article.
Records containing medical, psychological, or sociological information are protected under § 4-329 of the General Provisions Article.
Information that would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy may be redacted as provided in § 4-401 of the General Provisions Article.
Records pertaining to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking receive additional protections under Maryland Family Law Article § 4-520.

Requestors whose access to records is denied may file an administrative appeal with the custodian of records within 90 days, as provided in § 4-362 of the General Provisions Article.

Expungement of Arrest Records in Rockville

Maryland law provides mechanisms through which individuals may petition for the expungement of arrest records under specific circumstances. Expungement removes records from public access and, in some cases, from government databases entirely. The Maryland Criminal Procedure Article § 10-105 establishes the following eligibility criteria for expungement:

Arrests resulting in acquittal, dismissal, or nolle prosequi may be eligible for expungement after a waiting period of three years, unless a waiver is granted.
Arrests for which no charges were filed may be eligible for immediate expungement.
Convictions for certain misdemeanors become eligible for expungement after waiting periods ranging from 3 to 15 years, depending on the offense category.
First-time non-violent offenses may qualify for expungement under the Justice Reinvestment Act provisions.

The expungement process requires filing a petition with the court where the case was adjudicated:

District Court of Maryland for Montgomery County
191 East Jefferson Street
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: (301) 563-8800
Maryland District Court Official Website
Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Circuit Court for Montgomery County
50 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: (240) 777-9400
Montgomery County Circuit Court Official Website
Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

The petition must be accompanied by a filing fee of $30, which may be waived upon demonstration of indigence. The State's Attorney's Office has 30 days to file an objection to the petition, after which the court will rule on the expungement request.