Omaha Arrest Records

Per the Nebraska Legislature, a law enforcement officer can arrest a person if they have reasonable cause to believe that the person has committed a felony or misdemeanor and may evade future arrest if not taken into custody immediately, or pose a significant risk to themselves or others. Under strict conditions, it may be lawful for a regular citizen or anyone not a member of the Omaha Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Nebraska State Police, or any other law enforcement agency in Nebraska to arrest another person. A citizen's arrest is lawful where a petit larceny or felony has been committed, and the suspected offender may be detained until a legal warrant can be obtained or a law enforcement officer intervenes (NE Code § 29-402).

The primary agency in charge of arrest and incident reports within the city of Omaha is the Omaha Police Department. Persons arrested in Omaha are held in the Douglas County Correction Center. Arrest records filed by the Omaha Police Department are transferred to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, which then files details of their arrest in jail rosters and court dockets. Arrest reports generated in Omaha are regarded wholly as Douglas County Arrest Records.

Are Omaha Arrests Public Record?

According to the Nebraska Public Records Laws, every resident of the state and all other interested persons have the right to examine and make copies of records of public agencies. The Police and other law enforcement agencies are generally considered public bodies and are empowered by the state to maintain law and order and protect the public (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 84-712).

Thus, the Omaha Police Department and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office are public bodies. As custodians of arrest records, incident reports, and inmate records in Omaha, they must make their records reasonably available online and produce copies for requesters without Internet access.

Under section 84-712.05, certain public records may be withheld and exempt from public disclosure. Therefore, an individual's request may be validly rejected. Such records include:

• Medical records
• Confidential records of an attorney or public body concerned with litigation and negotiation
• Law enforcement investigation records and intelligence information
• Records on the cause of the death of an employee arising from his employment
• The identity and personal information of a victim of sexual assault or sex trafficking

Omaha Crime Rate

Crime Statistics retrieved from the Omaha Police Department reveal that Omaha had much higher levels of property crime (15,528 victims) than violent crimes (1,740 victims). The most prevalent offenses for the City of Omaha in 2024 were theft (11,344 reports), auto theft (3,064), aggravated assault (1,271 reports), and burglary (1,120). Based on current reports in 2025, the city has experienced much higher rates of rape (+18%), robbery (+3%), and aggravated assault (+2%), and lower rates of auto theft (-21%), burglary (-17%), and theft (-10%)

Find Omaha Arrest Records

Interested persons can obtain a copy of an Omaha Arrest Record from the Omaha Police Department Records Unit. Any person can submit a request to the Police Department to obtain records of arrests within the jurisdiction of Omaha. A copy of an Omaha Police Report costs $5. Requests may be tendered by mail or in person.

Omaha Police Department
Central Police Headquarters, Front Desk
505 South 15th Street
Omaha, NE 68102
Phone: (402) 444-5600

Mail Address:
505 South 15th Street
(Attn: Records Manager)
Omaha, NE 68102.

Free Arrest Record Search in Omaha

The Douglas County Department of Corrections maintains an Inmate Locator, which provides information on inmates' identity and their arrest and incarceration details. Researchers can also perform an online inmate enquiry to the Douglas County Sheriff Detention Center using the inmate's name, booking number, custody status, booking date, and facility.

Alternatively, interested persons may use third-party public records sites to find Omaha arrest records. Although access to these records is not free, the turnaround time is instant, and there are no processing delays or waiting times. However, third-party aggregate databases charge much higher search fees and even more fees to access comprehensive public records.

Criminal Background Check in Nebraska

Residents of Omaha County can also conduct criminal history checks for Douglas County through the Omaha Police Department for $7. Submit the requests at the Front Desk of Central Police Headquarters, or send a mail to:

The Records Manager
Omaha Police Department
505 South 15th Street
Omaha, NE 68102.

Any individual may request a Nebraska RAP sheet or Nebraska criminal history report for any other person online, or fill out the Criminal History Record Request form and submit it to any Nebraska State Patrol Troop Area office or mail the form along with a $15.50 payment (cashier's check, personal check, or money order) to the Criminal Identification Division.

Omaha Inmate Search

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services maintains an online searchable Incarceration Records database. To find inmate records, all you need is the inmate's first or last name or DCS ID number. Search results typically include the inmate's committed name, legal name, gender, race, date of birth, sentence information, projected release date, parole information, release information, and offense information.

Omaha Police Record Lookup

Omaha residents may access reports, arrests, police reports, and other criminal history information from the Omaha Police Department's Records Unit. Interested persons may call the Front Desk at (402) 444-5600, write to the Records Manager, or walk in to the Central Headquarters Front Desk to request a copy of an incident within the City of Omaha. However, they must wait at least 5 business days from when the incident report was made before requesting to inspect or order copies of the report.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record in Omaha?

In line with Section 29-3523 of the Nebraska Revised Statutes, records of an arrest where the prosecuting attorney decides not to file any charges shall no longer be a public record after one year from the date of the arrest. Where charges are not filed because the offender completed a diversion program, the arrest will no longer be a public record two years after the arrest. Finally, where charges are indeed filed but dismissed by the court, the records of the arrest and all related criminal history records will no longer be public information after three years from the date of the arrest.

How Can I Get My Record Expunged for Free in Omaha?

The law in Nebraska does not provide for the process of expunging criminal records except where a person was arrested due to the error of a law enforcement officer. Instead, individuals with criminal records may file a motion with the sentencing court to seal the criminal history record related to the case and conviction (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 29-3523)

Anyone who has received a pardon or whose case has been dismissed may file a motion with the court where the case was filed or the sentencing court to enter an order to seal the criminal history record information and any cases related to the charges or conviction. If the court finds that the person did receive a pardon, the case is dismissed. The court may grant the motion and enter an order as follows:

• The court shall order that all records and information and data concerning the case, including arrest, detention, petition, complaint, indictment, trial, hearing, adjudication, correctional supervision, dismissal, acquittal, or any other sentence or verdict, are not public records and must not be made available or accessible to any other persons other than criminal justice agencies.
• The court shall send notice of the order to the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, the Nebraska State Patrol, the transferring courts, Douglas County Attorneys, Omaha Attorneys, and all other law enforcement agencies and attorneys, including all notified parties, to seal all records relating to the case.

Omaha Warrant Search

In Nebraska, a judge or magistrate issues a search warrant to identify a person or property to be searched and seized. Likewise, an arrest warrant directs a peace officer to arrest a named person wherever they are in the state and bring them before any judge, magistrate, or court available in the jurisdiction where the arrest is made.

The Douglas County website provides information on all criminal warrants active in Omaha and Douglas County. A person with an arrest warrant can be apprehended at any time and in any city, county, or state outside the area where the warrant was issued.

Do Omaha Warrants Expire?

No. In Omaha, felony and misdemeanor arrest warrants do not expire. An arrest warrant remains active until executed, quashed, or recalled. On the other hand, search warrants must be executed and returned within 10 days from the issuing date.