Removing arrest record from NH State Police website

Submitted by throwaway_badboy69 t3_zqt6h3 in newhampshire

throwaway account

years ago I was arrested in NH. I was ultimately not charged for the crime, however, a quick internet search of my name will pull up the arrest record immediately. I understand it was something that happened, and I can't change the past, but I feel I'm being given somewhat of an "unfair trial" by anyone who Googles me -- they won't find record of the case being dropped, only the "bad news".

I petitioned google to remove the results but, expectedly, they told me to kick rocks (I believe the official term was "we deemed the information to be useful to the public" or something). Their suggestion was to petition the source...

My question is, has anyone had any luck requesting the NH State Police to remove an arrest record from their public website? I don't want to waste any more time than the 3 minutes it took to write this post (I'm a slow typer).

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

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Comments

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SillyIce t1_j10twsc wrote

Why is this not done automatically is beyond any comprehension…

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sheila9165milo t1_j15lvrv wrote

Really? In the "We refuse to pay taxes to properly fund our government" state? It's pathetic how archaic our governmental services are. I moved to freaking SC in 2005 and you could electronically update a change of address on their DMV website. NH finally allowed us just a few short years ago to download, fill/print out a fucking paper form that has to be snail mailed in order to update a change of address. How sad is that?

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SillyIce t1_j15nrsz wrote

Not sure how the dmv situation is related to clean up the name of someone innocent.

0

lazymusings123 t1_j11ivok wrote

You could try asking them to remove it. I called the town police department when I got a MIP (minor in possession of alcohol) ticket and they wiped it from their website. Couldn’t hurt!

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OhMyDad t1_j126oan wrote

Being a minor, your information never should have been public

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Loosh_03062 t1_j1299be wrote

Unless the person was in that age zone between "minor for publication of arrest purposes" and "minor for possession of alcohol purposes." 18-20 year olds get to have their bonehead awards given in public.

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mattpap603 t1_j0zrpfh wrote

I had my lawyer submit the annulment paperwork when my juvenile charges were dropped. I believe it was only $100 (because of course they charge you for it).

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Snails2300 t1_j126bzk wrote

Paying a lawyer to get the arrest expunged is the easiest option. Depending on the crime all anyone has to do is wait a set amount of time before submitting for expungement. I had a criminal violation, waited one year from date of sentence and filed the paperwork thru my lawyer. It removes everything from the state police records including the arrest. If there was no conviction should be a relatively easy process. Misdemeanors and felonies have a longer waiting period, some violent and sex crimes cant be expunged. OP should definitely use a lawyer, my buddy did it himself but its a pain in the butt and you probably need to take a day off work. Lawyers do this everyday.

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foodguy5000 t1_j12o4rk wrote

I'll add one other thing, once it's been expunged, if your name was picked up by any local media try contacting them to ask if they'll remove it from their websites. I worked at a few places who had policies where they would remove your name from a story if you could prove it was expunged. It might be a pain and time consuming, but it will be beneficial for you years down the line.

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movdqa t1_j10zk9n wrote

There is a way to expunge arrests and, maybe convictions but I think that the Legislature did some kind of review of this many years ago. I do not know what the status of this process is. I believe the result of the process is that you can answer "no" to the question, "Have you ever been arrested.". Nothing you can do about search engines and newspapers though.

Good luck. I don't really like marks for getting arrested without conviction as it results in reputational damage.

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itsyounotmeithink t1_j10whls wrote

If im correct about this theres a way to seal a record. This will still show the arrest date, but it wont reveal the crime or charge. The only one that will be able to see why you were arrested would be a judge. Unfortunately there is no way to remove an arrest. Im not sure of the process so you should consult with a lawyer.

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Certified_Falafel t1_j1066b7 wrote

If it really poses a problem for you, consider changing your name. In New Hampshire it's all done online and only takes a few weeks to process.

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MentllyDisnfectd t1_j11vt3a wrote

Seriously? I've been wanting to legally change my name for awhile now and have been putting it off because I figured it would be a hassle. Just googled it after seeing this post and paperwork has been filed and submitted. Yes! Finally!

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Certified_Falafel t1_j12040f wrote

Glad to hear it!

It's a very difficult and expensive process in most states, but here it's affordable, easy, and fast.

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sheila9165milo t1_j15ldw2 wrote

Fucking Google, they completely suck. I switched to Duckduckgo a few years ago and never looked back. It took multiple emails to them and multiple requests for them to finally take down my free business ad because I had trolls leaving bad reviews when they were people who never stepped foot in my door. As far as your original request goes, check out their NH Sate Police website.

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arthur_taff t1_j10v7tp wrote

There's probably a way to expunge records like this, but I can't remember the exact process. I think it usually starts with a call to the service desk of whichever court any charges were filed at (source: here )

I'm a lot less certain about arrests that didn't lead to a formal charge though. The PD who handled it would know for sure, and they'll have civilian staff dedicated to handling requests like this. (Edit: and the phone call won't take long either, unless they bounce you back to the courts).

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thisismypornaccountz t1_j1052r5 wrote

Public record. Next time don't get arrested.

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SillyIce t1_j10tp6e wrote

You know, innocent until proven guilty. Cops are no judges.

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throwaway_badboy69 OP t1_j10got6 wrote

this person's entire existence is complaining about cars while they wait for an extra week of vacation at their job at Home Depot (seriously). Please don't give them any more attention than a downvote -- it's all they crave.

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sheila9165milo t1_j15m1en wrote

The user name tells you everything you need to know about this moron.

0

Edelmaniac t1_j10ch58 wrote

Ah yes. Only guilty people get arrested and cops are perfect.

https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/2022/03/30/laurie-list-new-hampshire-police-misconduct-records/7214996001/

ACAB

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kells938 t1_j11v2b7 wrote

I love the hypocrisy. Not everyone is guilty and then you say all cops are bastards 🤔

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thisismypornaccountz t1_j11cc0i wrote

An arrest isn't a conviction. Still part of the public record, regardless of innocence.

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