Winston-Salem Criminal Records
Winston-Salem criminal records are managed by the Winston-Salem Police Department, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, and the Forsyth County court system. Winston-Salem is the fifth-largest city in North Carolina and the county seat of Forsyth County. The police department operates a P2C portal for public access to incident and arrest data, while court records are maintained by the Forsyth County Clerk. This page outlines how to search criminal records in Winston-Salem through official sources.
Winston-Salem Quick Facts
Winston-Salem Police Criminal Records
The Winston-Salem Police Department maintains criminal records from all law enforcement activity within the city. The department provides public access to crime data through its official website at cityofws.org/police. The department website allows you to find information about incidents, accidents, and wanted individuals in Winston-Salem without visiting the police station in person.
The following image shows the Winston-Salem Police Department official page, which provides information about criminal records access and department services.
Through the P2C system, residents and the public can view information about recent criminal activity in Winston-Salem. The portal includes data about reported incidents, traffic accidents, and individuals with active warrants. This makes it a useful starting point for anyone researching criminal records in Winston-Salem. The department also provides general information about its operations at cityofws.org/police.
Criminal records created by Winston-Salem police officers include incident reports, arrest reports, and supplemental documentation. Under North Carolina's public records law, GS 132-1, these documents are accessible to the public. Some records may be withheld if they fall under the exemptions listed in GS 132-1.4, such as active investigation files or personnel records.
Note: The Winston-Salem P2C portal provides current data and is updated regularly but may not include every historical criminal record.
Forsyth County Criminal Court Records
Criminal cases from Winston-Salem are prosecuted in the Forsyth County court system. The Forsyth County Clerk of Court, Denise Hines, oversees the maintenance of court records. You can reach the clerk's office at 336-779-6300. Court records for criminal cases include charging documents, motions, orders, and final dispositions for cases originating in Winston-Salem.
The Forsyth County court records are accessible through forsythcountycourt.org/court-records. This resource provides information about how to search for and obtain criminal court records from Forsyth County. The North Carolina eCourts system at portal-nc.tylertech.cloud also provides online access to criminal case information from Winston-Salem and all other North Carolina jurisdictions.
Court criminal records in Winston-Salem track the legal proceedings from the initial charge through the final outcome. This includes preliminary hearings, grand jury indictments for felony cases, plea negotiations, trial proceedings, and sentencing. These records provide significantly more detail than police reports about how a criminal case was resolved in Winston-Salem.
Forsyth County Sheriff Criminal Records
The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office is located at 120 W. 3rd Street in Winston-Salem and can be reached at 336-917-7001. The sheriff's office handles criminal records related to warrant service, arrests by deputies, and operation of the county detention facility. Visit the sheriff's website at forsyth.cc/sheriff for information about accessing these records.
The sheriff operates the Forsyth County jail, and booking records for individuals arrested in Winston-Salem and surrounding areas are maintained by this office. These records include the charges, booking date, bond information, and release status. The sheriff also serves criminal warrants issued by the Forsyth County courts, generating additional criminal records documentation.
For individuals looking to conduct a broader criminal records search that extends beyond Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, the NCSBI background check service provides statewide criminal history searches. This service pulls records from all 100 North Carolina counties and can reveal criminal history that may not appear in a Forsyth County search alone.
Note: The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office and the Winston-Salem Police Department maintain separate criminal records systems covering different jurisdictions within the county.
Criminal Records Expungement in Winston-Salem
Residents of Winston-Salem may be eligible to have certain criminal records expunged under North Carolina law. Under GS 15A-145.5, eligible individuals can petition the Forsyth County court to seal qualified criminal records. Dismissed charges, not-guilty verdicts, and some misdemeanor and lower-level felony convictions may qualify for expungement after a specified waiting period.
The expungement petition is filed with the Forsyth County Clerk of Court in Winston-Salem. The petition must identify the specific criminal record and demonstrate eligibility under the statute. A judge reviews the petition and issues a ruling. If expungement is granted, the criminal record is removed from public databases including the eCourts system and NCSBI records.
The North Carolina Sex Offender Registry at sexoffender.ncsbi.gov is another criminal records resource covering Winston-Salem. This database lists registered sex offenders by name and location and is maintained by the State Bureau of Investigation. Criminal records associated with sex offenses are not eligible for expungement under current North Carolina law.
Public Access to Criminal Records in Winston-Salem
North Carolina's public records law provides a strong foundation for accessing criminal records in Winston-Salem. Under GS 132-1, records made or received by government agencies belong to the people. This applies to criminal records maintained by the Winston-Salem Police Department, the Forsyth County Sheriff, and the Forsyth County courts. Anyone can submit a request for these records regardless of their reason for doing so.
Certain exemptions under GS 132-1.4 may limit access to specific criminal records in Winston-Salem. Active investigation files, sealed court records, and juvenile records are among the categories that may be withheld from public disclosure. Despite these exceptions, the majority of criminal records from Winston-Salem are available to the public through the channels described on this page.
The NC Courts help page on court records provides additional guidance on what criminal court records are publicly available and how to request them. This resource covers court records from all North Carolina counties including Forsyth County where Winston-Salem is located.
Forsyth County Criminal Records
Winston-Salem is the county seat of Forsyth County. All criminal cases originating in Winston-Salem are processed through the Forsyth County court system. The county also includes smaller municipalities such as Kernersville, Clemmons, and Lewisville. For broader information about criminal records across the entire county, visit the Forsyth County page.