Cass County Arrest Records

In Cass County, Minnesota, arrest records are official documentation of arrest events that occurred within the county. Such records typically reveal the arrestee's name, physical description, and charges.

Arresting officers make arrests when there's sufficient evidence that a crime occurred. Officers may also arrest persons who are likely to cause harm to persons or property. Arrestees are often held in the county jail until they are bailed or arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.

The Cass County sheriff's office generates records of arrest events. The sheriff also serves as the official record custodian and may disclose the records to interested parties.

Note: Cass County arrest records may be accessible in other related public documents. For instance, you can find the arrest information in Cass County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Cass County?

Most arrest records are classified as public documents under the Minnesota Data Practices Act. The state law governs public access to public documents and may assign record custodians. For instance, the Cass County Sheriff's Office is the record custodian of arrest records. Interested parties can obtain the records by visiting the county sheriff at this address:

301 Minnesota Avenue West
Walker, MN 56484
Phone: (218) 547-1424

Note: Record custodians can refuse requests for certain arrest records. In most cases, the exempted record contains information whose disclosure will violate the privacy or safety of concerned parties. For instance, information about crime victims is exempt from public access.

Cass County Arrest Statistics

The Minnesota Crime Explorer provides access to arrest statistics reports for all law enforcement agencies in the state. According to the report, Cass County's law enforcement agencies made 218 arrests in 2024. The agencies made arrests for crimes against persons, property, and society.

While there are no county-specific incarceration statistics, the state prisons had an inmate population of 8,152 inmates in 2023.

Find Cass County Arrest Records

Interested parties can find arrest records at the agency that documented the arrest. For instance, Cass County arrest records are accessible at the county sheriff's office.

Alternatively, you can locate arrest records in other public documents, such as court files and inmate records. To access inmate records, you must use online resources provided by government entities. The Minnesota Department of Corrections hosts a search platform for incarcerated persons held in state jails. Inquirers can view inmate records on the platform by providing the inmate's name or MNDOC offender ID.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons, via an inmate locator, offers an alternative option to locate Cass County arrest records. To view records on the platform, you must provide the inmate's name or prison number. Note that the platform only contains information on inmates held in federal correctional facilities.

Cass County Arrest Records vs. Criminal Records

Cass County arrest records are not the same as criminal records. Although they both contain crime data, they differ in terms of their custodian agency, mode of creation, and content.

Based on custodian agencies, the county sheriff's office is the custodian of arrest records. The agency creates arrest records by collating information received before and after arrest events. However, criminal records fall under the purview of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The agencies create criminal records by gathering crime data from other public entities.

Cass County arrest records contain arrest data like the offender's name, physical features, arrest date and location, and booking information. In contrast, criminal records contain comprehensive data about an individual's criminal past.

Cass County arrest records do not prove that an individual was guilty of the charges. However, criminal records show the court's conviction and judgment concerning the offense. The latter may lead to social stigma and legal restrictions due to the criminal conviction. Employers may also consider criminal records to determine whether the applicant is fit.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Cass County, arrest records remain a part of your public files unless they are expunged or sealed. Arrestees can expunge arrest records by sending a written request to the arresting agency holding copies of the documents. An alternative option is to apply for the Minnesota Attorney General's expungement program.

Only eligible parties can expunge arrest records in Cass County. You are considered eligible for expungement if:

• Arrest charges were dismissed
• You were not found guilty of a felony or misdemeanor in the last ten years after the arrest date.
• The prosecutor failed to file charges for the offense.

Arrestees who have completed a court-mandated diversion program or sentence are not eligible to expunge arrest records. However, they must follow a different procedure to expunge criminal conviction records.

Note: Not all arrest charges can be expunged; class A felonies and offenses that require sex offender registration are not eligible to be sealed or expunged.

Cass County Arrest Warrants

Cass County arrest warrants are court orders that authorize peace officers to apprehend defendants named on the document. Court judges will issue arrest warrants after receiving a complaint or affidavit from law enforcement officers. There are also instances when judges issue arrest warrants without receiving a complaint. In such cases, the judge believes the offender is a flight risk or is on the run. Judges may also issue arrest warrants for offenders who violate probation or pre-trial conditions.

Under Rule 3.02 of Minnesota Revised Statutes, arrest warrants must contain the following details:

• The defendant's name, aliases, and physical descriptions like height, eye color, gender, and ethnicity.
• Criminal charges.
• Court document number.
• The court official's signature.
• Bail amount and release conditions.

Do Cass County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In Cass County, arrest warrants do not expire. They remain active until the defendant is arrested and booked. The statute of limitations does not affect the lifespan of an active warrant.