Cary Criminal History Records
Cary criminal history records are kept by the Cary Police Department and the Wake County court system. Cary is a town in Wake County, just west of Raleigh. It is one of the largest towns in North Carolina. The Cary Police Department handles law enforcement within town limits. All criminal cases from Cary go through Wake County District Court. Both sources are key to a criminal history search in Cary.
Cary Police Criminal History
The Cary Police Department is at 120 S. Academy Street, Cary, NC 27511. The main number is (919) 469-4015. For records, call or text (919) 469-4021. The Records unit handles all requests for police reports and criminal history data from the Cary Police Department.
To get a police report from Cary, call or text the Records unit at 919-469-4021. Give them the report number or details about the incident. Provide a return email address. Staff will send the report to you. Reports are available from 2014 to the present. Older reports may not be in the current system.
Police records in Cary cover arrests, incidents, and citations. When an officer makes an arrest, a report is filed. That report becomes part of the criminal history records for the person and for the town. Under NCGS 132-1, these are public records. Anyone can ask for a copy. You do not need to give a reason.
Note: Reports from before 2014 may need a different process. Contact the Records unit at 919-469-4021 to ask about older Cary criminal history records.
Cary Criminal History Portal
The Cary Police Department has a Police-to-Citizen portal. Go to townofcary.policetocitizen.com to search for events. The portal is free. It shows calls for service, incidents, and arrests. You can search by date, type, or location within Cary.
The P2C portal gives a quick view of recent criminal activity in Cary. It does not give the full report. For a complete copy of a police report, you still need to contact the Records unit. But the portal is a good first step. It helps you find the right case or incident before you request the full record.
Cary Open Data Records
Cary publishes crime incident data on its open data portal. Go to data.townofcary.org to view and download the data. The dataset covers Part I crimes. These are the most serious types. The data is updated daily, which makes it one of the most current sources for Cary criminal history data.
Part I crimes in the Cary dataset include:
- Homicides
- Robberies
- Aggravated assaults
- Burglaries
- Larcenies
- Motor vehicle thefts
- Arson
The data shows where and when each crime happened in Cary. It does not include names. It focuses on the type and location of the crime. This is useful for seeing patterns. It can help you understand what types of criminal activity are common in different parts of Cary. For individual criminal history records, use the P2C portal or contact the Records unit.
Wake County Court Records
Criminal cases from Cary go to Wake County District Court. The court handles all criminal matters for the town. Case files include charges, court dates, pleas, and outcomes. The Wake County Clerk of Superior Court keeps these records. You can visit the courthouse in Raleigh or use the online portal.
The NC eCourts portal at portal-nc.tylertech.cloud covers all of Wake County. Search by name or case number. The basic search is free. It shows party names, charges, and case status. For copies of documents, contact the clerk or visit in person. The NC Courts website explains how to request copies.
Court records give more detail than police records. They show the full history of the case from filing to final outcome. A court record for a Cary criminal case shows the charges, any plea deals, the trial result, and the sentence. This is the most complete form of criminal history you can get for a case that went through the courts.
Cary Criminal Record Expungement
Some Cary criminal records can be expunged under North Carolina law. The expungement statutes are in NCGS 15A-145 through 15A-150. Dismissed charges and not guilty verdicts are often eligible. Some first-time convictions may also qualify depending on the offense and the time that has passed.
To expunge a Cary criminal record, you file in Wake County court. You use the AOC forms from the NC Courts forms page. A judge reviews the petition. If approved, the record is sealed. The Cary Police Department, the SBI, and the court all remove the record from public view.
Expunged records do not show up in any criminal history search. Not in Cary. Not anywhere in North Carolina. The person can state that the charge or arrest did not happen. This is a legal right under the expungement statutes.
Note: Expungement is not automatic. You must file the forms and go before a judge. If you need help, Legal Aid of North Carolina may be able to assist people with low income in the Cary and Wake County area.
State Criminal History Search
The NC State Bureau of Investigation keeps the central criminal records database for North Carolina under NCGS 114-19. This database includes arrests made in Cary and every other city in the state. A statewide check may reveal records beyond what Cary police or Wake County courts hold.
The NC Department of Public Safety at ncdps.gov runs a free offender search. Go to the offender search tool and type in a name. It shows people in state prison or on probation. This is useful for Cary criminal history searches that involve serious offenses with state sentences.
All North Carolina criminal statutes are in the General Statutes at ncleg.gov. These laws define what crimes exist, what penalties apply, and what records are public. NCGS 132-1 and NCGS 132-6.2 cover public records access and copy fees. Understanding these laws helps when you search for criminal history records in Cary.
Public Records Access in Cary
Criminal history records in Cary are public under NCGS 132-1. This law covers the Cary Police Department and the Wake County courts. Both must provide records when asked. You do not need to explain why you want them. The agency must respond in a reasonable time.
Fees for copies follow state rules. Under NCGS 132-6.2, agencies can charge for the actual cost of making copies. The agency cannot charge for search time. If an agency denies your request, it must cite a specific legal exception. Most criminal history records in Cary are fully open to the public. Sealed, expunged, and juvenile records are exceptions.
Wake County Criminal History
Cary is in Wake County. All criminal cases from the town go through Wake County courts. The county clerk handles case files, records requests, and certified copies. For full details on county-level criminal history records, court fees, and other resources, visit the Wake County criminal history page.