Unlike other detention orders like bench warrants and subpoenas, an active arrest warrant can only be issued by a criminal court in the City of Chesapeake, VA. In fact, arrest warrants are never issued by the judicial authority on its own.
The process has to start with filing a petition in court by the police or the DA’s department on behalf of the victim. Warrant trials conducted in Chesapeake City are routinely preceded by pre-warrant hearings in which all case-related matters are closely considered to ensure that there is probable cause to suspect the individual against whom the warrant is being sought.
While the issue of an active warrant entails a detailed and stringent process, once issued, the arrest orders go through the system fairly quickly as it is immediately dispatched to the office of Chesapeake Sheriff’s department from where the deputies are instructed to serve it.
Any detention decree that does not get executed stays back in the criminal database as an outstanding warrant. The police department and various divisions of the judiciary hold records on all warrants issued in the City of Chesapeake and arrest records from the area. So, these should serve as your one-stop-shop for all criminal information and a warrant search. To connect with them, head to:
- The sheriff’s office: 400 Albemarle Drive Chesapeake, VA 23322
- The county clerk’s office: 307 Albemarle Drive, Civic Center, Chesapeake, VA 23322-5571
- The magistrate’s office: Same as county clerk’s office.
How do you get Chesapeake arrest records and information on warrants over the phone? (2021-relevant)
- Contact the Central Records Unit to learn about the possibility of an over-the-phone warrant search as well as arrest records inquiry. They can be reached at 757-382-6387.
- Get in touch with the Sheriff’s Office on 757-382-6556 for general information and questions.
- Dial the phone number of the Investigations Bureau (757-382-8241) to know more about a criminal case (only for victims).
- Contact the Vice and Narcotics Section at 757-382-6427 to give a drug tip.
- Call the Chesapeake City Jail on 757-382-6159 for details on bookings and releases.
- Reach the police precincts on the following phone numbers- First Precinct-757-382-6556, Second Precinct- 757-382-1500/757-382-1501, Third Precinct -757-673-0498, Fourth Precinct -757-382-3520 and Fifth Precinct -757-410-0582.
- Get in touch with the judiciary on 757/382-3000 to reach the Circuit Court Clerk, 757/382-3134 to reach the District Court Clerk (Criminal), and on 757/382-3119 to contact the District Court Clerk (Traffic).
Crime statistics for Chesapeake, Virginia
In 2018, nearly 5200 property crimes and more than 780 violent crimes were reported in Chesapeake City. As compared to the crime rates of previous years, the number of criminal incidents did show a drop. But, the crime averages of the city continued to be higher than state averages. In the property crimes category, larceny-theft had the highest occurrence rate with over 4830 incidents. In the violent crime category, aggravated assaults contributed the most to the annual complaints, with an incident rate of over 730.
The City of Chesapeake, Virginia, figures in the middle of the crime scale in terms of the number of criminal incidents each year. However, from 1999 to 2008, there has been an alarming increase of over 100% in the violent crime rate. Add to this the 8000 or so property crimes reported each year, and it is easy to understand why residents are turning increasingly wary.