Arrest records are public in University Park, Texas, pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act (Texas Government Code Chapter 552). This legislation establishes that information collected, assembled, or maintained by or for governmental entities is available to the public, with specific statutory exceptions. Arrest records fall under this provision and are generally considered open to public inspection unless they are part of an ongoing investigation or contain sensitive personal information protected by law.
The Texas Public Information Act specifically states in § 552.021 that "public information is available to the public at a minimum during the normal business hours of the governmental body." Members of the public seeking arrest records must submit their requests to the appropriate custodian of records, typically the University Park Police Department or the Municipal Court.
Certain information within arrest records may be redacted in accordance with § 552.101-152, which outlines exceptions to disclosure including information related to juveniles, victims of certain crimes, and confidential informants. Law enforcement agencies maintain the authority to withhold specific details that might compromise ongoing investigations pursuant to § 552.108.
The University Park Police Department maintains arrest records for incidents occurring within its jurisdiction. Members of the public seeking arrest information have several methods available to access these records:
In-person requests may be submitted at the University Park Police Records Division, located at 3800 University Boulevard, University Park, TX 75205. The Records Division operates Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding city holidays.
Written requests can be submitted via mail to the Records Division at the address above, pursuant to Texas Government Code § 552.301. Requests must reasonably identify the records sought and should include contact information for correspondence.
The University Park Municipal Court provides access to case information for arrests that have resulted in charges filed within its jurisdiction. The court is located at 3800 University Boulevard, University Park, TX 75205.
The Texas Department of Public Safety maintains a Criminal History Record Information repository that includes arrest data from contributing agencies statewide. Requests may be submitted to Texas DPS, Crime Records Service, P.O. Box 4143, Austin, TX 78765-4143.
Third-party commercial services aggregate public records and may provide access to arrest information for a fee. These services are not affiliated with governmental entities and may not contain complete or current information.
Requestors should note that fees may apply for record retrieval and duplication in accordance with Texas Government Code § 552.261. The standard charges for copies of public information are established by the Office of the Attorney General.
Arrest records maintained by the University Park Police Department typically contain the following information as mandated by Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 2.17:
Biographical information of the arrested individual, including full legal name, any known aliases, date of birth, physical description, and address at time of arrest
Date, time, and specific location of the arrest
Statutory citation and description of the alleged offense(s)
Arresting officer information and badge number
Booking details, including fingerprints and photographs taken during processing
Custody status information, including bail or bond amounts if applicable
Case disposition information if available (pending, dismissed, convicted)
Warrant information if the arrest was executed pursuant to a warrant
Pursuant to Texas Government Code § 552.108, certain information may be redacted from publicly available arrest records if release would interfere with detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime. Additionally, information related to victims, witnesses, or confidential informants may be withheld in accordance with applicable privacy statutes.
The University Park Police Department maintains these records in accordance with the records retention schedule established by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission under Local Government Code § 203.041.
Under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55, individuals may petition for expungement (expunction) of arrest records under specific circumstances. Expungement legally removes arrest records from public access and, when granted, permits the individual to deny the occurrence of the arrest in most circumstances.
Eligibility criteria for expungement in University Park include:
The expungement process requires filing a Petition for Expunction in the district court of Dallas County, where University Park is located. The petition must comply with the requirements set forth in Article 55.02 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure and include specific information about the arrest and subsequent proceedings.
Upon receipt of a properly filed petition, the court will schedule a hearing. Notice of the hearing must be provided to all agencies believed to have records subject to expungement. If the court grants the expunction, all agencies maintaining records of the arrest will be ordered to destroy or return all records and files related to the arrest.
Individuals seeking expungement are strongly advised to consult with legal counsel, as the process involves complex statutory requirements and procedural rules. The University Park Municipal Court can provide general information about the expungement process but cannot provide legal advice to petitioners.