BEAUMONT PUBLIC RECORDS

What are Beaumont Public Records?

The Texas Public Information Act broadly defines public records as all data created, filed, maintained, or issued concerning a public activity. Public records may exist in physical or digital format, including maps, charters, symbols, books, sound recordings, emails, videotapes, photographs, and graphs. Under the Texas Public Information Act, all public members may view or obtain copies of Beaumont public records. However, the state law exempts certain public documents from public access. Exempt public records in Beaumont City may include the following:

• Information that may violate an individual's right to privacy;
• Medical records that reveal sensitive information about the record subject;
• Confidentiality of certain personnel information, such as the personnel's home address and contact details;
• A report detailing a record subject's credit card numbers, social security numbers, and driver license numbers
• Litigation or settlement negotiations involving the state or a political subdivision;
• Information related to competition or bidding;
• Information related to the location or price of the property for public purpose before the public announcement of the project or the formal award of the contract;
• Trade secrets;
• Information on the location of endangered species of archaeological sites;
• Certain legislative documents, such as a draft about prospective legislation or working paper or internal bill analysis to evaluate proposed state legislation;
• Client-attorney communication;
• Certain legal matters, such as where a court prohibits the public disclosure of certain information;
• Sensitive crime scene images;
• Identity of crime victims and witnesses in an ongoing and past criminal investigation or conviction;
• Student records data;
• Certified birth and death records.

Public city records may also be accessible from third-party websites. Record seekers may opt to use these non-governmental platforms to search for a specific record or multiple city records. However, users will need to provide enough information to assist with the search, such as:

• The address of the requestor
• A case number or file number (if known)
• The location of the document or person involved
• The name of the subject involved in the record (not juvenile)
• The last known or current address of the registrant

Government agencies do not sponsor third-party sites. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.

Beaumont Crime Statistics

The Beaumont City Police Department generates annual statistics of all reported arrests within the city. In addition, it collates and sends the collated arrest reports to the FBI Uniform Crime Report platform. In 2019, Beaumont City reported 5,528 index crimes, including 1,241 violent crimes and 4,287 property crimes. The report covers the following index crimes: 19 murders, 97 rapes, 323 robberies, 802 aggravated assaults, 950 burglaries, 2,999 larceny-theft, 338 motor vehicle thefts, and 28 arsons.

In comparison with a 2016 crime report for Beaumont City, crime rates reduced sharply by 15 percent. Property crimes had the sharpest decline by 17 percent, whereas violent crimes in Beaumont City reduced slightly by six percent.

Are Beaumont Criminal Records Public?

Beaumont criminal records are public records, according to Texas state law. Nonetheless, the state law exempts portions of criminal records from public view. Also, juvenile criminal records are not accessible to the public.

There are different record custodians responsible for providing access to Beaumont criminal records. For instance, the Jefferson County Clerk's Office maintains copies of criminal records via an online search portal. Interested persons must visit the online portal and select the criminal court option to obtain the public document. On the other hand, the County Clerk allows requesters to get criminal records via mail, email, or in-person at the Clerk's Office. Requesters must download and fill out the criminal records search form. Furthermore, requesters must send the completed form to the address below:

Jefferson County Clerk
P.O. Box 1151
Beaumont, TX 77704-1151

Requesters must visit the County Clerk's Office within business hours to obtain criminal records in person. A criminal record search at the Clerk's Office costs $10.

In addition, the Jefferson County Clerk's Office issues Class A, B, and C misdemeanor records to interested persons. To obtain Beaumont misdemeanor records, record seekers must visit the Clerk's Office and provide the requester's name and date of birth.

Likewise, the Texas Department of Public Safety is the state-level custodian of criminal records. It maintains access to Beaumont criminal records through its Computerized Criminal History System. Publicly accessible criminal records on the online system contain information on the disposition of cases, convictions, and deferred adjudications of persons charged with Class B misdemeanor or more significant violations. In contrast, sensitive criminal records on the platform are only accessible to the record bearer.

How to Obtain Beaumont Police Reports and Arrest Records

Requesters may obtain copies of Beaumont public records from the Beaumont Police Department. The Records Unit of the police department receives and processes all police reports filed in the department. It is also responsible for filing a uniform crime report with the state law enforcement agency.

The Beaumont Police Department will only accept written requests for police reports and arrest records. Hence, requesters may obtain request forms at the records unit located in the police department lobby or download an accident report request form or offense report request form.

Public members can get copies of Beaumont police reports or arrest records via email, mail, or in person. To use the email request option, send the completed request form to pd.records@beaumonttexas.gov.

Alternatively, send a mail or fax request alongside the required fee to the address below:

Beaumont Police Records Unit
P.O. Box 3827
Beaumont, TX 77704
Fax: (409) 880-1010

In-person requesters must visit the Beaumont Police Department at:

Beaumont Police
255 College
Beaumont, TX 77701

The Records Unit accepts money orders or checks for mail-in requests, whereas it accepts all forms of payments for in-person requests. Uncertified and certified accident reports cost $6 and $8, respectively. Beaumont arrest records cost $1 for unverified copies and $3 for certified copies.

How to Find Sex Offender Information in Beaumont

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, via the Sex Offender Registration and Compliance Unit, registers and updates information of all sex offenders residing in Beaumont City. The unit is also responsible for evaluating the risk level of offenders moving into the city. Interested persons can obtain Beaumont sex offenders information via the Texas Department of Public Safety's online sex registry. Requesters may receive sex offender information on the platform via the following search options:

• Search by map address;
• Search by registrant's name;
• Search by the institute of higher education.

How to Find Beaumont Inmate Records

Requesters can access Beaumont Cityinmate records via the Jefferson County Sheriff's online inmate locator. To access Beaumont inmate records via the platform, requesters must input the offender's first and last name.

How Do I Visit an Inmate in Beaumont City?

Visitors must schedule an appointment to visit inmates at the Jefferson County Correctional Facility in Beaumont City. The facility is located at:

5030 US-69
Beaumont, TX 77705
Phone: (409) 726-2500

Requesters can find the visitation schedule on the correctional facility's online document. Friends and families of inmates or professional visitors must make a visitation appointment at least 24 hours before visiting the inmate. Note that inmates are eligible for two - 59-minute visits per week. During visitation, visitors must adhere to the guidelines of the correctional facility.

What are Beaumont City Vital Records?

Vital records in Beaumont City are documents detailing the occurrence of a life event in the city. For example, documentation of life events like birth, death, marriage, and divorce are classified as Beaumont city vital records. These records are generated and maintained by state and local agencies. For example, Beaumont City Health Department generates and issues copies of birth and death records to interested applicants. Meanwhile, the Jefferson County Clerk's Office handles all requests for marriage and divorce records.

Where and How to Obtain Beaumont City Divorce Records

Public members can request and access copies of Beaumont City divorce records by contacting the Jefferson County Clerk's Office. As the custodian of divorce records, the Office maintains and provides access to divorce records via online and offline methods.

Requesters must visit the online search platform to request copies of Beaumont divorce records. It costs $1 to download a copy of a divorce record and $2.5 for credit card transaction fees.

Requesters also have the alternative of ordering copies of Beaumont divorce records via email requests. Thus, requesters must write a written request detailing the record bearers' names, date and place of the divorce, and other necessary information and send it to countyclerk@co.jefferson.tx.us.

In contrast, public members can access divorce documents in person at the address below:

Jefferson County Clerk
P.O. Box 1151
Beaumont, TX 77704-1151

The County Clerk accepts all cash, money order, checks, and credit/debit card payments for in-person requests. Certified divorce records cost $6 per page. On the other hand, it costs $1 to obtain an unverified copy of Beaumont divorce records.

Where and How to Get Beaumont City Marriage Records

The Jefferson County Clerk's Office is the record custodian of all documented marriage events in Beaumont City. Therefore, all record requests for Beaumont marriage records must be directed to the Jefferson County Clerk's Office. Interested public members can access marriage records by submitting a request via online, email, and in-person options. Requesters must request via the Jefferson County Clerk's online search portal to obtain online copies of Beaumont marriage records.

Conversely, marriage records are obtainable via mail requests. Requesters must send a written request detailing the record bearers' names, place and date of marriage event, and the purpose of the request to countyclerk@co.jefferson.tx.us.

Similarly, public members can access Beaumont marriage documents in person at the address below:

Jefferson County Clerk
P.O. Box 1151
Beaumont, TX 77704-1151

The County Clerk accepts all cash, money order, checks, and credit/debit card payments for in-person requests. Certified marriage records cost $6 per page. On the other hand, it costs $1 to obtain an unverified copy of Beaumont marriage records.

Where and How to Find Beaumont Birth Records

The Beaumont City Health Department is the designated record custodian for all birth events documented within the city. According to the health department guidelines, birth records are confidential for 75 years after the birth event. Thus, only eligible persons can request and obtain confidential birth records. The following requesters are eligible to access Beaumont birth records:

• The record bearer;
• Parents listed on the birth certificate;
• Guardians;
• Legal representatives of the record bearer;
• Other persons with a direct and tangible interest in the birth certificate.

To access Beaumont birth records, requesters must visit the city's health department at the address below:

3040 College Street
Beaumont, TX 77701
Phone: (409) 832-4000

In contrast, requesters may opt to send a written request to obtain the birth certificate. The written request must contain the record bearer's birth name, place, and time of birth.

Where and How to Find Beaumont City Death Records

The Beaumont City Health Department is responsible for generating copies of all Dearg events documented within the city. Interested persons can access these records via mail or in-person requests to the Health Department. To access Beaumont death records, requesters must visit the Beaumont health department at the address below:

3040 College Street
Beaumont, TX 77701
Phone: (409) 832-4000

Confidential death records are only accessible to eligible persons. Eligible applicants may include spouses of the deceased, family relatives of the deceased, and legal representatives. In contrast, requesters can obtain death records by sending a mail to the health department at:

P.O. Box 3827
3040 College Street
Beaumont, TX 77701
Phone: (409) 832-4000

Requesters must create a written request containing the deceased's full name, date and year when the event occurred, and other additional information to use the mail request option. In addition, requesters can get death records from 1903 to 1966 from the Jefferson County Clerk's Office. Requesters must fill out the application for a death record alongside a Designation of Representative Authorized to Obtain Death Record form before accessing the public document.