Access Radford 24 Hour Booking Records

Radford 24 hour booking records are handled by the Radford Police Department, with people arrested in the city transported to New River Valley Regional Jail, a shared facility serving Radford and Montgomery County in Virginia's New River Valley region.

Find Radford 24 Hour Booking Records

Radford is an independent city in the New River Valley, adjacent to Montgomery County. It operates its own police department but relies on New River Valley Regional Jail for detention. When someone is arrested in Radford, the booking process happens at that shared facility. Records will appear under New River Valley Regional Jail rather than a standalone Radford jail.

To search for Radford booking records, start with the Virginia Department of Corrections Inmate Locator for anyone in state custody. For local jail data, contact New River Valley Regional Jail or the Radford Police Department records unit. Court case records for Radford arrests are searchable through Virginia's court case information portal. Circuit court criminal records are on the Circuit Court Online Case Information System, where you can search by name, case number, or date.

Online databases may take up to 24 hours to reflect a new arrest. For immediate custody information, call the jail or the Radford Police Department directly.

Radford Police Department

The Radford Police Department is the sole law enforcement agency serving the city. Since Radford is an independent city, it is separate from the Montgomery County Sheriff, though the two agencies may cooperate on shared calls or investigations near the city line. The police department handles all patrol, traffic enforcement, and criminal investigations within Radford's city limits.

Radford is home to Radford University, which means the police department also works alongside the Radford University Police on campus-related matters. Arrests on campus may involve either agency, so check with both if a record does not appear through one source. For city arrests, the Radford Police Department is the right contact.

Under Virginia Code § 2.2-3706, the Radford Police Department must release the name, charges, and booking photo of any adult arrested and charged in the city. Submit a written FOIA request to get records that are not already publicly available. The department has five working days to respond. For quick lookups, a phone call to the records unit is often faster than a formal request.

New River Valley Regional Jail

New River Valley Regional Jail is the shared detention facility for Radford and Montgomery County, among other area localities. People arrested in Radford are transported here for booking and intake. The jail runs 24 hours a day and processes new arrivals at any time.

Booking at New River Valley Regional Jail covers identity verification, fingerprinting, mugshot photos, and a medical screening. All charges are documented during this step. After intake, a Virginia magistrate holds a bail hearing. Virginia's magistrate system is available around the clock, so the hearing happens shortly after booking regardless of the hour. The magistrate weighs the severity of the charge, the person's record, and their community ties when setting bail or deciding to hold the person without bond.

To check custody status at New River Valley Regional Jail, call the facility directly. Staff can tell you whether a specific person is in custody and give you a booking number. Visitation schedules and phone access rules are set by the jail and may change. Anyone transferred to a state facility after sentencing will appear in the VADOC Inmate Locator.

Your FOIA Rights in Radford

Virginia's Freedom of Information Act gives the public the right to access most arrest and booking records. The key statute is Virginia Code § 2.2-3706. Under this law, any law enforcement agency in Radford must release the identity of adults who are arrested and charged, the specific charges filed, and booking photos taken at initial intake. This is a mandatory disclosure. Agencies cannot choose to withhold this information without citing a legal exemption.

Some records are off limits. Juvenile records are sealed. Medical information is protected. Active investigation details may be withheld if releasing them could harm the case. Informant identities are exempt. But for most adult arrests in Radford, the core booking information is public. If a request is denied, the agency must state which specific exemption it is relying on. You can appeal a denial to the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council.

The standard response window is five working days. If more time is needed, the agency must tell you within that window and has seven additional days. No special form or legal language is required. A clear written description of what you want is enough to begin the process.

Arrest and Booking Process in Radford

Arrests in Radford follow the same Virginia statewide rules as every other locality. Virginia Code § 19.2-72 governs magistrate warrants. A sworn complaint showing probable cause is needed before a warrant can be issued. The warrant names the person and lists the offense. Virginia magistrates operate around the clock, so warrants can be sought and issued at any hour.

After a Radford Police Department officer makes an arrest, the person is transported to New River Valley Regional Jail for booking. The process covers identity checks, fingerprints, photos, a medical screening, and documentation of all charges. A magistrate then holds a bail hearing right after booking. Anyone arrested without a warrant must be brought before a magistrate without unnecessary delay. Virginia allows two-way video for this hearing when in-person is not practical.

For minor misdemeanor offenses, an officer may issue a summons to appear in court instead of a custodial arrest. A summons skips jail entirely. Whether that happens depends on the charge and the officer's judgment about flight risk and public safety. Class 1 and Class 2 misdemeanors are more likely to result in a full arrest and booking than a summons.

Radford Court Records

After booking, criminal cases in Radford move through the Virginia court system. Misdemeanors go to General District Court. Felonies go to Circuit Court. Court records and jail booking records are separate. You may need to check both to get a full picture of what happened after an arrest.

Radford circuit court criminal records are searchable through the Virginia Circuit Court Online Case Information System. Search by name, case number, or hearing date. Use the "CR" prefix for criminal matters. Results include charges, case status, and upcoming hearings. The broader statewide portal is at vacourts.gov/caseinfo. Both are free and do not need a login or account.

Sealing and Expungement of Radford Booking Records

Virginia's record sealing law is set for a major expansion on July 1, 2026. Under the new rules, roughly 90% of all misdemeanors and a large share of Class 5 and 6 felonies become eligible for sealing. Radford residents with old booking records may find those records eventually disappear from public view. The Justice Forward Virginia Foundation has a plain-language guide on who qualifies and how to apply under the new rules.

Some records get sealed automatically without any action needed. Marijuana possession records are one example. Certain minor misdemeanors like trespass and disorderly conduct also qualify for automatic sealing if the person has gone seven years without a new conviction. For records that need a petition, the process will be easier after July 1, 2026. No filing fees and no fingerprint cards will be required for most petitions at that point.

Under current Virginia law, arrests that were dismissed or ended in acquittal can already be expunged. If a Radford arrest did not lead to a conviction, you may already qualify to clear that record. File a petition with the Circuit Court. A lawyer is not required but can help if the case has complications.

Nearby Cities

Radford is in the New River Valley in western Virginia. The nearest qualifying independent cities are Galax to the south, and Roanoke and Salem to the northeast.