Ramsey County Arrest Records

The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office provides criminal history arrest reports. The information contained in this report is generally public and limited to only Ramsey County arrest information. The Sheriff’s Office does not provide arrest or other information related to any other county or agency. Records kept by the Sheriff’s office may be connected to other records like the Ramsey County Court Records, accessible from the Minnesota district (county) courthouse. Other records are made public for ease of access either online or by requesting a copy to be mailed to an address.

Note: In Ramsey County, inmates are held in the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center, a 500-bed pre-trial facility. The ADC also houses individuals held for probation or supervised release (parole) violations.

Are Arrest Records Public in Ramsey County?

Yes, arrest records are public in Ramsey County, Minnesota. According to the Official Records Act, Minnesota Statutes section 15.17, government entities "make and preserve all records necessary to a full and accurate knowledge of their official activities".

Records may be kept in any format (e.g., electronic files, paper, photographs, other recordings, etc.). These records are available to the general public and may be accessed through law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and county levels, such as the local Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Ramsey County Court. Arrest records contain valuable information about an individual's criminal history, including arrests, inquiries, warrants, reports, logs, and mug shots.

There are some exemptions to this law. These exemptions include:

• A record will not be made public during the ongoing investigation
• when the safety of persons may be jeopardized;
• The release of information regarding juveniles is also restricted.
• Also, documents should show financial or private health records.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

According to the Minnesota Statutes 13.82 on Comprehensive Law Enforcement Data, the information contained in a public arrest record includes:

• Arrestee’s name
• Physical description
• Date of Birth
• Time, date, and place of the arrest
• Any resistance encountered by the agency
• Any pursuit engaged in by the agency;
• Whether any weapons were used by the agency or other individuals;
• The charge, arrest or search warrants, or other legal basis for the action;
• The identities of the agencies, units within the agencies, and individual persons taking the action;
• Whether and where the individual is being held in custody or is being incarcerated by the agency;

Ramsey County Arrest Statistics

From 2016 to 2020, about half of adults arrested by Ramsey County law enforcement agencies were arrested for five specific offenses, which are theft, drugs, simple assault, DUI, and Aggravated assault.

The statistics also revealed that arrests for theft declined by 9% in that time, while arrests for simple assault and DUI increased by 5% and 4%, respectively. Ramsey County law enforcement agencies arrested about 14,000 people each year from 2016 to 2019 and almost 6000 people in 2020.

Find Ramsey County Arrest Records

Ramsey County collects and keeps records on inmates currently at the Adult Detention Center and inmates currently at the Correctional Facility. The Minnesota Statute 641.05 requires that information on inmates be provided and accessible to the public. In accordance with that, the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office provides an online inmate search tool for the public to locate and obtain information about incarcerated individuals in the jail.

To obtain arrest records, you may visit the relevant government agencies in person and request them. This may be done by visiting the local Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation office, or the Ramsey County Court. By submitting a formal request, you may access the arrest records you seek.

Additionally, there are third-party websites that provide access to Ramsey County arrest records.

Judicial case data may be searched and accessed on Minnesota Court Records Online. Specific details like the inmate's first name and surname, Date of birth, case category, date filed, and case status will be required to access the information.

Free Arrest Record Search in Ramsey County

The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office provides an online platform where the public may search for current jail inmates and recent arrest information for free. This database, however, is not comprehensive. It includes basic details such as the arrestee’s name, date of birth, and charges. For detailed arrest records, you may visit the Sheriff’s office in Ramsey County and apply in person or through mail. The request will be processed, and the records will be produced and shared. There are other third-party platforms and websites that may offer similar information to the public, and some also offer detailed records at a cost. However, the accuracy of information obtained on such platforms cannot be guaranteed.

Ramsey County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

The main difference between a criminal record and an arrest record hinges on the outcome of the arrest. An arrest record is not proof that a person broke the law. It is simply a record that law enforcement suspected a person broke the law at one point in time. A criminal record, in contrast, is only created when a person has gone through the legal system and either admitted guilt or found guilty of a crime.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. When a person is arrested by a law enforcement agency in Minnesota, a record of that arrest usually exists. Law enforcement agencies (e.g., police departments, sheriffs, prosecutors, etc.) and the MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) generally keep arrest records. The public, including employers and landlords, may be able to see arrest information upon request at the law enforcement agencies or the BCA.

If you were arrested but were never charged with a crime, OR if the case was dismissed before a criminal complaint was filed against you, you may be able to request that the "identifying parts" of the arrest records (except DNA samples that were collected) be destroyed and that your arrest record be sealed at the law enforcement agency. The MN Statutes § 299C.11 is the law that applies to arrest records, and it provides grounds to apply for your records to be sealed.

Expunge Ramsey County Arrest Records

To ask for this type of 299C.11 expungement you must make your request in writing to the law enforcement agencies that may have a record of the arrest. The agencies typically include the police department, city and/or county attorney, the county sheriff, and the BCA.

For eligibility, you must not have been convicted of a felony or gross misdemeanor within ten (10) years prior to the arrest. In addition, you must meet the following criteria:

• All charges were dismissed prior to a determination of probable cause; OR
• The prosecuting authority declined to file any charges, and a grand jury did not return an indictment;

AND

• You did not participate in a diversion program as a result of the arrest.

If you think you qualify for expungement of arrest records under MN Statutes § 299C.11 and you decide to contact the law enforcement agencies involved in the arrest. Sample letters are available on the Expunge Arrest Records page.

Some common offenses eligible for expungement are theft, forgery, financial transaction card fraud, receiving stolen property, and fifth-degree drug possession or sale.

Ramsey County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant, which calls for the immediate apprehension and arrest of a person, is issued by a district court judge in response to a suspected commission of a crime and/or failure to follow a court order, such as a violation of probation or pre-trial supervision.

The Sheriff’s Office does not issue warrants; the Sheriff’s Office is responsible by state statute for processing and maintaining warrant data. Warrants processed by the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office are issued by Ramsey County District Court (Second Judicial District). A judge must sign and approve each warrant.

Details on the warrants and its meaning are explained in the Warrant Procedures page.

The arrest warrant, according to Minnesota law on Criminal Procedure, shall contain the following:

• The complete name of the defendant, or if the name is unknown, any name or description by which the defendant may be identified with reasonable certainty;
• The location of the defendant, if known;
• State the offense with which the defendant is charged;
• For all offenses, the amount of bail must be set, and other conditions of release may be set by a judge and stated on the warrant.
• The warrant must direct that the defendant be brought promptly before the court that issued the warrant if the court is in session.
• If the court specified is not in session, the warrant must direct that the defendant be brought before the court without unnecessary delay and not later than 36 hours after the arrest, exclusive of the day of arrest or as soon as a judge is available.

Do Ramsey County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Once a warrant is issued, it does not expire. However, the warrant may be executed anywhere within the State except where prohibited by law. Also, the law enforcement agency may prioritize some warrants over others due to the specialty of the case at hand. Regardless, once a warrant has been issued, it will be acted upon.