Douglas County Arrest Records

When a person is caught at a crime scene or attempting to escape after committing a crime, Douglas County law enforcement officers or private citizens may perform an arrest. Each individual arrested in Douglas has certain information collected from them during detainment, including their biometric data and information about the crime. These pieces of information are included in the suspect's arrest record.

In Douglas County, arrest records are created and maintained by the law enforcement agency that made the arrest, which may be the Alexandria Police Department or Douglas County Sheriff's Office. According to Minn. Stat. § 13.87, arrest data form part of a person's criminal history information, alongside their Douglas County court records, which detail the legal proceedings after an arrest or indictment.

Are Arrest Records Public in Douglas County?

Yes. Certain information in a Douglas County arrest record can be released to the public under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA). However, juvenile arrest data, sealed/expunged records, personally identifying information like Social Security numbers, and other records exempt by law are not publicly accessible.

Further, Minn. Stat. § 13.87 blocks public access to arrest data maintained as part of the criminal history records compiled by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). Such records are accessible only to the record subject, criminal justice agencies, and other legally authorized entities.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Per Minn. Stat. § 13.82, subd. 2, publicly available arrest records typically include:

• Personal Information: Name, physical characteristics, date of birth, sex, last known address of the suspect
• Arrest Details: Date, time, and location of the arrest, manner of the arrest, the arresting agency
• Charges: Charges, outstanding warrants (if any), weapons involved (if any)
• Custody Information: Custody status and location, as well as release information

Researchers should note that the information presented may differ depending on the agency they query.

Douglas County Arrest Statistics

According to the FBI's Crime Data, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office recorded 234 arrests in 2023. Deputies arrested more men (155) than women (79) for crimes within Douglas County, and Driving Under the Influence (74), Drug/Narcotic Offenses (56), and Simple Assault (20) were the most prominent offenses.

On the other hand, the Alexandria Police Department reported 503 arrests. Of that number, 351 males and 152 females were arrested. Larceny (119), Driving Under the Influence (76), and Simple Assault (65) were the most prevalent departmental arrests.

Altogether, Douglas County had 737 arrests in 2023.

Find Douglas County Arrest Records

Public information on arrested individuals in Douglas County can be accessed through the following agencies:

• The Douglas County Sheriff's Office: The Douglas County Sheriff's Office maintains an online inmate roster with real-time data about individuals in custody. Researchers may view current detainees by scrolling through the page or using a function to search by name or a specific keyword. Search results include arrestees' full names, booking dates, arrest charges, arresting agency, and custody/bail status.
• Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension: The BCA is the statewide repository for Minnesota criminal history checks. The agency offers public criminal history searches to any interested member of the public. Public records searches require someone's first and last name or date of birth. However, they do not reveal arrest data, which only the record owner and other eligible persons (like a record owner or employer) can access via a background check.
• Minnesota Judicial Branch: Individuals can access the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) to view information about a criminal case, including any arrest data added to the public court file. A visit can also be paid to the local court that handled a case to see documentation associated with the case.
• The Arresting Police Department: A person may visit or contact the local department that made an arrest to find public information about the incident.

Free Record Search in Douglas County

Free online resources to look up limited arrest records include the Douglas County Sheriff's Office's inmate roster and the Minnesota Judiciary's MCRO database, as explained above. Some third-party websites also aggregate arrest data from public sources and offer limited search options for free.

Local police departments may also provide public arrest information for free. However, obtaining copies of records may cost a fee.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Usually, forever. Arrests typically remain on a person's criminal record indefinitely. However, a Minnesota law may hide the record from public view. For example, people who obtain expungement automatically or by application are able to remove eligible arrests from public perusal.

Expunge Douglas County Arrest Records

Expunging a Douglas County arrest record means removing it from public access, including from criminal background checks conducted by employers or landlords. Still, expunged records remain accessible to the record's subject, law enforcement agencies, and the courts for specific purposes, such as future investigations or sentencing considerations.

Different kinds of expungement exist under state law in Minnesota.

Automatic Expungement or "Clean Slate Act" (Minn. Stat. § 609A.015)

This law automatically seals certain criminal records for individuals who were arrested but not found guilty, who had no charges filed against them, or who were convicted for certain misdemeanor offenses and have completed their sentences. Suppose the eligibility criteria are met and the waiting period is satisfied, the BCA will identify and seal those records without the subject's application.

The BCA will also notify relevant agencies and individuals about expungement.

Application For Expungement

Under Minn. Stat. § 299C.11, if a person had their charges dismissed and has not been convicted of a gross misdemeanor or felony in the past ten years, they can file a petition for expungement with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and any other agency that has the record. For instance, to expunge local arrest records, the subject should send a letter to the local police department or sheriff's office requesting that they seal the arrest record and remove identifying information.

People can also expunge their police and court records through the court system, typically when the case is filed in court and the petitioner is eligible under Chapter 609A. Minnesota Statutes. More information about the process is available in the state judiciary's Petitioner’s Instructions for Expungement.

Douglas County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant authorizes law enforcement officials to apprehend an identified individual for a crime and bring them before the court (Minn. R. Crim. P. 3.01). The warrant can also be issued if a defendant disobeys a court summons or fails to obey a court order.

Judges issue arrest warrants in Douglas County after receiving a law enforcement complaint that establishes probable cause (legitimate reason) for an arrest. Without probable cause, such warrants are invalid.

Douglas County arrest records typically contain the following information:

• The issuing judge's signature
• The defendant's name or any name by which they may be reasonably identified
• The offense charged in the complaint
• A directive to bring the defendant before the court or judge
• The bail amount for the offense
• Any other release conditions set by the judge

Interested persons can check if they or anyone they know has an outstanding warrant by searching the Douglas County Sheriff's Office Active Warrants List, searching court records, or contracting an attorney or bail bond agency.

Do Douglas County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Douglas County arrest warrants have no expiry date. Once issued, they remain active until the warrant subject appears in court (voluntarily or after an arrest). A warrant also becomes inactive if the court formally withdraws it.