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Barrington Hills Arrest Records

Are Arrest Records Public in Barrington Hills, Illinois?

Arrest records are public in Barrington Hills, Illinois, pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 ILCS 140/1 et seq.). This statute establishes the legal framework ensuring transparency in government operations by granting members of the public the right to access records maintained by public bodies, including law enforcement agencies. The Village of Barrington Hills Police Department, as a public entity, is required to comply with FOIA requests for arrest records, subject to certain exemptions designed to protect privacy rights and ongoing investigations as outlined in § 7 of the Act.

The public nature of these records serves multiple governmental and societal purposes, including:

Promoting accountability within the criminal justice system
Enabling community awareness of law enforcement activities
Supporting journalistic reporting on matters of public interest
Facilitating background checks for employment and housing purposes

Individuals seeking arrest records should note that while these documents are generally accessible, certain information may be redacted in accordance with Illinois privacy laws and FOIA exemptions.

How to Look Up Barrington Hills Arrest Records in 2025

Members of the public may access Barrington Hills arrest records through several official channels established by municipal authorities. The Barrington Hills Police Department maintains these records and processes requests in accordance with Illinois FOIA provisions. Individuals seeking arrest information may utilize the following methods:

Submit a formal FOIA request to the Barrington Hills Police Department Records Division at 112 Algonquin Road, Barrington Hills, IL 60010
Visit the police department in person during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
Access the Village of Barrington Hills website for online submission options
Contact the Records Division by telephone at (847) 551-3000 to inquire about proper request procedures

When submitting a request, individuals must provide sufficient identifying information to locate the specific arrest record, including:

Full name of the arrested individual
Approximate date of arrest
Case number (if known)
Requestor's contact information for response purposes

The Barrington Hills Police Department is required by law to respond to FOIA requests within five business days, though this period may be extended by an additional five business days under certain circumstances as permitted by § 3(e) of the Illinois FOIA.

Barrington Hills Police Department
112 Algonquin Road
Barrington Hills, IL 60010
(847) 551-3000
Official Village Website

Contents of a Barrington Hills Arrest Record

Standard arrest records maintained by the Barrington Hills Police Department contain comprehensive documentation of law enforcement interactions with detained individuals. These records are created pursuant to departmental policies and state recordkeeping requirements outlined in the Illinois Municipal Code. A complete arrest record typically contains the following elements:

Biographical information of the arrested individual (full legal name, date of birth, address, physical description)
Date, time, and specific location of the arrest
Statutory violations and charges filed
Arresting officer's name and badge number
Booking photographs (mugshots) taken during processing
Fingerprint data collected at the time of booking
Narrative description of the circumstances leading to arrest
Property inventory of items in possession at time of arrest
Initial appearance information and bail determination
Detention facility assignment if applicable

Certain sensitive information may be redacted from publicly available arrest records in accordance with privacy protections established under Illinois law, particularly when records involve juveniles or cases involving sexual assault. The Barrington Hills Police Department maintains these records in both physical and digital formats, with retention schedules determined by state archival requirements.

Expungement of Arrest Records in Barrington Hills

The State of Illinois provides legal mechanisms for the expungement or sealing of certain arrest records maintained by the Barrington Hills Police Department and associated judicial entities. Pursuant to the Illinois Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630/5.2), eligible individuals may petition for the removal of arrest records from public access under specific circumstances.

Eligibility criteria for expungement in Barrington Hills include:

Arrests that did not result in formal charges
Cases resulting in acquittal or dismissal
Successful completion of supervision or qualified probation
Certain non-violent offenses after applicable waiting periods
First-time offenses eligible under recent criminal justice reform legislation

The expungement process requires petitioners to:

Obtain a complete copy of their criminal history transcript from the arresting agency
File a formal Petition for Expungement with the Circuit Court of Cook County (for Barrington Hills arrests)
Pay applicable filing fees (fee waivers available for qualifying individuals)
Serve copies of the petition to all relevant agencies, including the Barrington Hills Police Department and State's Attorney
Attend scheduled court hearings regarding the petition

If granted, an expungement order requires the Barrington Hills Police Department and all notified agencies to physically destroy or return to the petitioner all arrest records, photographs, and fingerprints. The process effectively removes the arrest from public record searches, though certain law enforcement and governmental entities may retain limited access to sealed records under specific statutory authorizations.

The Cook County Circuit Court Clerk's Office provides standardized forms and procedural guidance for individuals seeking expungement of Barrington Hills arrest records.

Cook County Circuit Court - Third Municipal District
2121 Euclid Avenue
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
(847) 818-3000
Illinois Courts Directory

Legal Restrictions on Arrest Record Access

While arrest records in Barrington Hills are generally accessible to the public, Illinois law establishes important limitations on disclosure to protect individual privacy rights and the integrity of the criminal justice system. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act contains specific exemptions under § 7 that permit the Barrington Hills Police Department to withhold or redact certain information.

Protected categories of arrest record information include:

Juvenile arrest records (subject to restrictions under the Juvenile Court Act)
Information that would interfere with pending or contemplated law enforcement proceedings
Records that would disclose the identity of confidential sources
Information that would endanger the life or physical safety of law enforcement personnel
Medical information and personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers
Records related to ongoing internal investigations of officers
Information specifically prohibited from disclosure by federal or state law

Additionally, the Illinois Criminal Identification Act places restrictions on how arrest record information may be used, particularly by employers and housing providers. The Act prohibits certain forms of discrimination based solely on arrest records that did not lead to conviction.

The Barrington Hills Police Department has established internal protocols for reviewing FOIA requests to ensure compliance with these statutory exemptions while maintaining the public's right to access non-exempt information. Requestors whose FOIA requests are denied have the right to seek review by the Public Access Counselor at the Illinois Attorney General's Office.

Impact of Arrest Records on Employment and Housing

Arrest records maintained by the Barrington Hills Police Department may have significant implications for individuals seeking employment or housing within the community and beyond. Illinois has enacted specific legislation to balance public safety concerns with the rights of individuals with arrest histories.

The Illinois Human Rights Act (775 ILCS 5/) establishes important protections:

Employers may not inquire about or consider arrest records that did not lead to conviction
Housing providers are prohibited from discriminating solely based on arrest records without conviction
Public employers and licensing agencies must consider specific factors before denying opportunities based on criminal history
Private employers with 15 or more employees must follow specific procedures before taking adverse actions based on criminal background checks

The Illinois Employee Background Fairness Act, effective January 1, 2025, further strengthens these protections by:

Requiring individualized assessment of criminal history information
Mandating that employers demonstrate direct relationship between criminal history and specific position
Establishing procedural requirements for adverse employment decisions
Creating remedies for violations of these provisions

Individuals with arrest records in Barrington Hills should be aware of these legal protections and may seek assistance from the Illinois Department of Human Rights if they believe they have experienced unlawful discrimination based on their criminal history.

Illinois Department of Human Rights
100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 10-100
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 814-6200
Illinois Department of Human Rights Website