Alaska Recent Arrests
Alaska recent arrests are public records available through several state and local agencies. The Alaska Court System's CourtView portal, the Alaska State Troopers Daily Dispatch, and local police department databases are the main places to search. This page covers how to find recent arrest records across all 30 Alaska boroughs and census areas, how to request copies, and what state law says about public access. Most searches are free to start online.
Alaska Arrest Records Overview
Where to Find Recent Arrests in Alaska
Alaska has no single statewide arrest log covering every agency. Arrests are spread across local police departments, Alaska State Trooper posts, borough police departments, and federal agencies. Where to search depends on where the arrest took place and how recent it was. For anything within the past few days, the Alaska State Troopers Daily Dispatch and local police department websites are your fastest options.
The Alaska Court System's CourtView portal at courts.alaska.gov is the main free online tool for searching criminal cases statewide. CourtView holds case data from 1985 forward for most case types. You search by name, case number, or citation number. Results show party names, case status, charges filed, hearing dates, and disposition information. You can search all courts at once or filter by specific location.
CourtView is a court records system, not a booking log. New arrests may take several days to appear after prosecutors file charges. The system's own disclaimer notes it is not a criminal history check. Some records are also removed from public view. Excluded records include juvenile cases, sealed records, expunged cases, cases dismissed at initial hearing for lack of evidence, cases where the defendant completed a suspended imposition of sentence, and marijuana possession cases under one ounce for people 21 and older.
For immediate arrest information, check the Alaska State Troopers Daily Dispatch. Troopers post press releases and incident reports from all four detachments. Coverage spans A Detachment in Southeast Alaska, B Detachment in Southcentral, C Detachment in Western Alaska and Kodiak, and D Detachment in Interior Alaska including Fairbanks. Each entry shows incident type, location, date, time, and a brief description. Arrest details are included when troopers made or assisted with the arrest.
Alaska State Troopers Arrest Records
The Alaska State Troopers are the primary law enforcement agency for most of the state. Many rural boroughs and census areas have no municipal police at all. Troopers handle arrests throughout those areas, and their records are the starting point for any search outside major cities.
To get records from Alaska State Troopers, submit a written public records request. Cite the Alaska Public Records Act at AS 40.25.110. You can contact the nearest trooper post directly or send a request to the DPS Records and Identification Bureau at 5700 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99507. Phone: (907) 269-5511. Email: dps.criminal.records@alaska.gov. The fax number is (907) 269-5091.
The troopers also maintain an active wanted persons database. It covers warrants for AST-related cases and includes most wanted listings, unsolved cases, and missing persons. Browse or search it at dps.alaska.gov/AST/Wanted. To submit a tip, text AKTIPS to 84711 or visit dps.alaska.gov/ast/tips. Tips can be anonymous. The database covers only Alaska State Trooper cases, not all warrants statewide.
Alaska Criminal History Background Checks
The Alaska Department of Public Safety's Criminal Records and Identification Bureau (R&I) maintains the central repository for Alaska Criminal Justice Information. Under AS 12.62.160, any person may request criminal history information including prior conviction records, existing offender information, and criminal identification information.
Name-based reports cost $20 for the initial report. Request one online at backgroundcheck.dps.alaska.gov. You enter your email, verify identity with your social security number and Alaska DMV ID, pay the fee, and receive a secure link to the report. Additional copies cost $5 each when requested at the same time. A separate report ordered later is another $20. Mail-in requests require payment by cash, check, or money order. Walk-in locations across the state accept requests with two forms of photo ID, one of which must be government-issued.
Fingerprint-based searches cost $35 and are more accurate. They match by biometric data rather than name, which matters when someone has used aliases. These require the FD-258 FBI fingerprint form and results come by mail within 2 to 3 weeks. Alaska criminal history reports cover Alaska records only. Federal records are not included.
Note: Name-based searches may miss records filed under other names or aliases. Fingerprint searches are recommended when accuracy matters most.
Alaska Inmate Lookup and VINE
VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) is a free service that lets you search for current Alaska inmates and register for custody change alerts. Search by offender name or DOC/Booking ID at vinelink.com, or go directly to vinelink.vineapps.com/search/AK. VINE shows current custody status, facility location, tentative release date, offense details, and photos when available.
To sign up for notifications, call 1-800-247-9763 or register online. You create a 4-digit PIN. VINE sends calls, texts, or emails when an inmate's status changes. The service runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is fully confidential. The offender will not know you registered. If VINE cannot reach you on the first try, it keeps calling for up to 24 hours. TTY users call 1-866-847-1298. Customer support is at 1-866-277-7477.
VINE provides information only. Do not rely on it alone for safety decisions. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
Alaska Sex Offender Registry
Alaska maintains one of the most publicly accessible sex offender registries in the country. The registry is managed by the Department of Public Safety's Sex Offender Central Registry Office (SOCRO). Search by name, geographic region, or use the web mapping tool at sor.dps.alaska.gov. The map option lets you identify registered offenders near any address in the state.
Registry entries show full name and aliases, photograph, physical description, home address, employment address, crime of conviction, registration status, date of conviction, and compliance status. The registry covers people convicted of sex offenses in Alaska since January 1, 1999, out-of-state offenders physically present in Alaska, and child kidnapping convictions. Under AS 18.65.087, DPS is required to maintain this public online registry.
The Alaska Sex Offender Registration Act at AS 12.63 requires all qualifying offenders physically present in Alaska to register. Single-offense registrants verify annually for 15 years. Those with multiple offenses or aggravated convictions must verify quarterly for life. Contact SOCRO at (907) 269-0397 in Anchorage or 1-800-658-8892 outside Anchorage. Email: sor@dps.state.ak.us.
Court Records and Certified Copies
The Alaska Court System's Copy Request Service handles requests for certified copies and physical court documents. You can submit requests online, by mail using form TF-311, or in person at any court location during business hours. Find the portal at records.courts.alaska.gov. The fee is $5 for the first copy and $3 for each additional copy from the same file. Certified copies cost $5 per document plus $2 per page.
A criminal court file typically includes the original affidavit of probable cause, the executed arrest warrant, filed complaints and summons, bail and bond records, all hearing dates and court appearances, sentencing orders, probation conditions, and any required program documentation. These records build on the initial arrest and reflect everything that happened through the court process. They are separate from, but related to, the booking records kept by the arresting agency.
Historical court records from before 1990 may be found at the Alaska State Archives in the Andrew P. Kashevaroff Building at 395 Whittier Street in Juneau. Staff provide research assistance for older files not available through CourtView.
Alaska Public Records Law
Alaska arrest records are public documents under the Alaska Public Records Act. AS 40.25.110 gives every person the right to inspect public records during regular business hours. Agencies must provide reasonable access. They can charge fees for copies, but under AS 40.25.110(d), they may waive or reduce those fees when it is in the public interest to do so.
Certain records are exempt from public disclosure under AS 40.25.120. An agency may withhold a record if releasing it would interfere with an active enforcement proceeding, deprive someone of a fair trial, constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, reveal the identity of a confidential informant, or endanger life or safety. Nonconviction information and correctional treatment information are also restricted under AS 12.62.160. These can only go to "Interested Persons" as defined by law.
Arrest records, meaning the booking information and initial charge details, are generally public. Court records that grow from those arrests are also public unless sealed by court order. If an agency denies your request without proper justification, Alaska law provides avenues for administrative review and court challenge. The full text of all relevant statutes is available at akleg.gov.
What Alaska Recent Arrest Records Include
An Alaska arrest record typically shows the full name and known aliases of the person arrested, date of birth, physical description, the date and time of arrest, the location, the arresting agency and officer, charges filed, booking details including photo and fingerprints, a case ID number, bail amount, and initial court date. The level of detail varies by agency. Municipal police departments and borough police maintain the most detailed booking records. State troopers maintain records for all arrests in unincorporated and rural areas.
Once a case enters the court system, the record expands. The court file adds the officer's probable cause affidavit, filed charges, all hearing dates and appearances, bail or bond modifications, plea information, trial records if applicable, and final disposition. For cases that result in conviction, sentencing orders and probation conditions are also part of the public record.
Some information in arrest records is protected. Juvenile records are sealed. Ongoing investigations may produce redacted copies. Financial documents tied to asset disclosures can be restricted. Mugshots are available through most public records requests, though agency policies vary on releasing photos of people who were not convicted. Court clerks can tell you exactly what portions of a specific file are available for public viewing.
The Alaska Department of Corrections at doc.alaska.gov provides inmate lookup for all state-operated facilities. Major state facilities include Anchorage Correctional Complex, Fairbanks Correctional Center, Goose Creek Correctional Center in Wasilla, Hiland Mountain Correctional Center in Eagle River, Wildwood Correctional Complex in Kenai, and Spring Creek Correctional Center in Seward.
Browse Alaska Recent Arrests by Borough
Each Alaska borough and census area has its own law enforcement structure and records resources. Select a location below to find local contact information, arrest search portals, and records request procedures.
View All 30 Alaska Boroughs and Census Areas
Recent Arrests in Major Alaska Cities
Major Alaska cities maintain their own police departments and public records portals. Select a city to find local arrest record resources, contact information, and how to submit a records request.