Hartford Busted Mugshots Search
Hartford busted mugshots come from one of the most active arrest systems in Connecticut. As the state capital and the largest city in Hartford County, the city sees a high volume of arrests each year. The Hartford Police Department posts a daily arrest log with full booking details for every arrest. You can also search Hartford mugshots and case records through the state court system for free. If you need to look up someone who was arrested in Hartford, you have multiple ways to search. This page covers the main sources, what each one shows, and how to get the records you need.
Hartford Mugshot Quick Facts
Hartford Police Arrest Log
The best local source for Hartford busted mugshots is the police department's daily arrest log. The Hartford Police Department Daily Arrest Log gives you detailed booking data for every arrest made in the city. This log gets updated on a regular basis and is free to view. No login or account is needed. It is one of the most complete public arrest logs in Connecticut.
Each entry on the Hartford arrest log shows a large amount of detail. You get the case number, arrest number, and the date and time of the arrest. The log also shows the arrest type, which tells you if it was an on-site arrest, a warrant arrest, or if the person was summoned and cited. The location of the arrest is listed too. For the person who was arrested, the log includes their full name, date of birth, age, sex, race, hair color, eye color, height, weight, and home address. On top of that, every charge is listed with the specific CGS statute number. The arresting officer's name and badge number are also part of the record. This level of detail makes the Hartford PD log stand out from most other police departments in Connecticut.
Common charges you will see on the Hartford arrest log include CGS 53a-182 for disorderly conduct, CGS 53a-61 for assault in the third degree, CGS 53a-181 for breach of peace, and CGS 53a-117 for criminal mischief. More serious charges like CGS 53a-64cc for strangulation, CGS 53a-123 for larceny in the second degree, and CGS 53a-103 for burglary also show up. Motor vehicle charges like CGS 14-215(a) for operating under suspension appear as well. The Hartford PD arrest log is a direct window into the type of arrests happening across the city on any given day.
Note: The Hartford PD arrest log shows recent arrests only and does not serve as a long-term record database.
Hartford Criminal Case Lookup
For older records or full case history, the state court system is where you want to search. The Connecticut Judicial Branch Criminal Case Look-up covers all courts in the state. That includes Hartford Superior Court. You can search by name, docket number, or case type. The system shows case details going back up to ten years for Hartford arrests.
The screenshot below shows the main page of the Connecticut criminal case database, which is the primary tool for searching Hartford busted mugshots and arrest records online.
This tool is free and works on any device. You can search at any time of day or night without setting up an account.
Hartford criminal cases go through Hartford Superior Court at 95 Washington Street, Hartford, CT 06106. The court phone number is 860-548-2700. Walk-in visitors can search case files during business hours. The clerk's office pulls arrest records if you have a case number or the name of the person. You can also use the convictions search tool to find conviction records for anyone with a Hartford case in the last ten years. This is separate from the general case search and only shows cases that ended in a conviction.
Hartford Inmate and Custody Search
People arrested in Hartford who are held before trial or serving short sentences typically go to the Hartford Correctional Center. The Connecticut Department of Correction inmate search lets you look up anyone currently in state custody. You search by name or DOC number. The database updates daily.
The DOC search shows booking details and current custody status. It covers all state prisons and jails in Connecticut, including Hartford's facility. Keep in mind that being in custody does not always mean someone has been convicted. Many people in the Hartford Correctional Center are still waiting for trial. The system shows their accused status alongside people who have already been sentenced. If someone was released, their record drops off the DOC search. For released inmates, the court case lookup or a police records request is a better path to find their arrest details and mugshot information.
Some records are left out of the DOC search. Cases tied to the Youthful Offender Statute and federal immigration holds are not shown. Data changes fast in this system, so results may not reflect the most current status of a Hartford inmate.
Hartford Criminal History Records
A full criminal history check goes deeper than what the court lookup or arrest log shows. The State Police Bureau of Identification keeps a record of every person age 16 and older who has been charged with a crime in Connecticut. That includes all Hartford arrests. This is the most complete source for criminal history data in the state. The SPBI office is at 1111 Country Club Road in Middletown.
To get a criminal history check, you first book a fingerprinting appointment online. Appointments run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. You need to pre-enroll before your visit. Bring your appointment confirmation, pre-enrollment page with tracking number, and a valid government ID. The fees are:
- Fingerprinting: $15
- State criminal history check: $75
- Federal criminal history check: $13.25
Pay all fees in exact amounts with cash, check, or money order. These records are the most thorough source for Hartford busted mugshots and arrest history beyond what the court system or arrest log provides.
The State Police Reports and Records Unit handles police case reports separately. You submit requests through the GovQA portal. A $16 non-refundable search fee applies under CGS § 29-10b whether a report is found or not.
Are Hartford Mugshots Public Records
They are. Arrest records in Hartford are public. CGS § 1-215 makes the record of any arrest a public record from the moment it happens. This covers the name, race, and address of the person, the date and time, and the charges. For warrant arrests, the warrant application and affidavit are public too. For on-site arrests, the official arrest report is public. This is the law that lets you access Hartford busted mugshots through the police department and the court system.
You can request arrest records in person at the Hartford Police Department at 253 High Street, Hartford, CT 06103. There are no required forms for a public records request in Connecticut. You can ask in writing, by email, or face to face. Under CGS § 1-210(b), agencies must respond promptly. Municipal agencies like the Hartford PD can charge up to $0.50 per page for copies. The Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission oversees public records access statewide. If the Hartford PD or court denies your request, you can file a complaint with the FOIC within 30 days. The FOIC is at 165 Capitol Avenue, Suite 1100 in Hartford, and you can call them at (860) 566-5682.
Not all Hartford records stay public. Under CGS § 54-142a, arrest records get erased when charges are dismissed, dropped, or when someone is found not guilty. Nolled cases are erased after 13 months. Connecticut's Clean Slate law takes this further. It allows automatic erasure of certain misdemeanors after 7 years and some felonies after 10 years, as long as the person has no new criminal charges. Sex crimes, family violence offenses, and gun charges are not eligible for Clean Slate erasure. Once a Hartford arrest record is erased, it is treated as if it never happened and will not show up in any court or police search.
Note: Hartford residents with erased records can legally say the arrest never occurred when asked about their criminal history.
Nearby Cities for Mugshot Searches
Hartford sits in the center of a dense cluster of cities and towns in Connecticut. If you need to search busted mugshots outside of Hartford, these nearby cities have their own police departments and arrest records. Arrests near city borders sometimes get handled by a different department, so checking nearby cities can help you find what you need.
Hartford County Mugshot Resources
Hartford is the county seat of Hartford County. All criminal cases from Hartford go through the Hartford County court system. For a broader search that covers the full county, including towns and cities outside Hartford, visit the county page. It has contact details for all Hartford County courts and police departments along with links to county-level arrest records and booking data.