Getting a Purge

A purge can be done by Express Pardons following any arrest, investigation or police incident that did not result in a conviction.  A purge can be done to destroy whatever information is retained by the local police following and incident, arrest or investigation.  This information can include fingerprints, photographs, arrest records, local police files, records of withdrawn charges, records of stayed proceedings, records of acquittal, conditional and absolute discharges given prior to July 1992 and court records of conditional and absolute discharges.  There is no time line as to when an application for a purge can be made however, different police have their own policies regarding purges.

What is a Purge?

Express Pardons knows that not all police incidents or investigations end in a conviction.  Following an arrest, police incident or investigation the police will keep all information on file indefinitely.  The only way to have this information removed is to apply for a purge. An application is made to the local police where the information is being retained to purge the information from the system.  This means that all information related to the incident will be destroyed.  A purge application applies to non conviction incidents only.

Why You Need A Purge For A Police Record?

Why Would You Need a Purge for a Police or Arrest Record?

Express Pardons explains what happens if you are arrested or investigated by the police and why people may need to apply for a purge application.

If you have ever been arrested, involved in an incident or investigated by the police, then that information will be kept on record permanently.   Arrest records, investigation reports and police files are kept on file after the incdient has passed and may show up on some searchable systems.  These records are usually found at the local police level.

Most people are not aware that arrest records, police reports and investigation reports are held on file indefinitely.  If you have an arrest record or police record on file then that information can show up when you do a background check when applying for jobs, school programs or volunteer work. The only way to have the arrest record, incident report or police file removed from the system is to apply for a purge.