St. Louis County Arrest Records

St. Louis County arrest records are produced when individuals lose their liberties because they are accused of breaking state or federal law. Law enforcement officers generally document their names, details of arrest, holding facility, and alleged offenses. Booking numbers are also generated to help track the person’s case through the criminal justice system.

While police officers can arrest people at crime scenes without warrants, most arrests occur after prosecutors and law enforcement agents secure arrest orders after submitting complaints and indictments. In such cases, arrest records are created before the defendant's apprehension.

Once the individual appears before a judge, typically within 48 hours, their arrest information becomes part of St. Louis County court records. The courts create further arrest details like bond and bail amounts, next hearing schedules, and court case numbers.

People generally use information gathered from arrest records to bail their loved ones, track a case, or get a sense of crime dynamics within their neighborhoods. Lawyers also need arrest data to prepare for their clients’ arraignment and criminal defense, and prosecutors use the same records to support their arguments against defendants.

Are Arrest Records Public in St. Louis County?

Yes. Minn. Stat. 13.82 (Government Data Practices Act) establishes that arrest records, as defined under subdivision 2, are public at all times. The law also classifies police response and incident data, which may include any detail of apprehensions and arrests, as public information. Further, Minn. R. Pub. Access 2 (Supreme Court Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch) states that the general public can inspect and obtain court records, including criminal and arrest information.

These laws and rules also recognize that certain arrest documents and details are too sensitive for public perusal. As such, some regulations prohibit the release of the following records:

• Personal financial records like bank account and credit numbers
• Sensitive government-issued personal identification numbers like social security, driver's license, and passport numbers
• Arrest details included in active law enforcement investigations
• Information that may reveal the identities and locations of confidential sources, victims, and witnesses in certain criminal proceedings
• Mental health information
• Arrest records created for young adults under 18
• Sealed and expunged records
• Other records protected by federal law

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Per Minn. Stat. 13.82 Sub. 2, law enforcement agencies are required to release the following information to members of the public:

• The arrested person’s name, sex, age, and last known address
• Arrest date, time, and location
• Names of the arresting agency and officers
• Legal basis for the arrest (alleged state law or municipal code violation)
• Accounts of incidents surrounding the arrest, stating whether weapons were used, if the agency and officer encountered resistance, and the type of pursuit that led to the arrest
• Why and when the individual was released from custody
• Where the arrested individual is being detained
• The kind of information (and how it was received) that led to the individual’s arrest

Other information included in arrest records are bail and bond details and booking date, number, and type.

St. Louis County Crime Rate

Per Minnesota's 2023 National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) report, St. Louis County law enforcement recorded 8,239 offenses. Out of this number, 1,703 were crimes against persons, 5,783 occurrences were reported under crimes against property, and 753 represented crimes against society.

Simple assault (836) had the highest occurrence under crime against persons, drug/narcotic violations (472) topped crimes against society, and larceny/theft (1,139) was the highest category under crimes against property.

St. Louis County Arrest Statistics

The state's NIBRS data reveals that 4,347 arrests were executed by law enforcement authorities in St. Louis in 2023. 147 of those arrests were recorded under aggravated assault, 447 were for driving under the influence, and 16 accounted for robbery. Further, there were 83 burglary/breaking and entering arrests, 323 arrests for drug/narcotic violations, and 23 apprehensions for motor vehicle theft.

Find St. Louis County Arrest Records

Arrest records are first and foremost the products of booking processes after an individual's apprehension. As such, they are maintained by St. Louis County law enforcement agencies before they become court records when individuals are charged.

Interested parties can ideally start their arrest records searches using methods provided by the arresting agency, especially when the arrest is recent. If the arrest was executed by a local city police department, individuals can visit or contact it for inquiries. The Hibbing PD particularly allows members of the public to fill out its Public Data Requests form and submit to the office by mail, email, or hand delivery using the following information:

Hibbing Police Records
Sandra Hauta
1810 12th Avenue East
Hibbing, Minnesota 55746
Email: Refer to the form

The St. Louis County Sheriff's Records Division is another place to check. The office allows the public to inspect and copy incident reports containing arrest records. One can complete its Data Request Form and submit it by mail, hand delivery, email, or fax using the following details:

Central Records Division
Duluth Court House
100 North 5th Avenue West
Room 103
Duluth, MN 55802
Phone: (218) 726-2340
Fax: (218) 726-2171
Email: DSO.Records@StLouisCountyMN.gov

Hibbing Court House
1810 12th Avenue East
Hibbing, MN 55746
Virginia Court House
300 South 5th Avenue
Virginia, MN 55792

While inspection is free, individuals must cover the cost of mailing or printing copies if the cost exceeds $1. They must also agree to a $30 deposit for digital data like video (not produced from body-worn cameras) and photos.

People can also visit or contact the sheriff’s jail division to inspect and obtain arrest information about pretrial and sentenced inmates in its custody.

If someone from St. Louis County was arrested on serious state crimes and convicted by the criminal division of the district court, they will likely be in the custody of the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Interested parties can request offender information from the department under the Government Data Practices Act. The following details can be referred to for calling, faxing, or emailing the Records Management office for more information about obtaining records:

Phone: (651) 361-7330
Fax: (612) 473-5006
Email: CO-Records.DOC@state.mn.us

Federal agencies can also execute arrests in St. Louis County when individuals break federal law. One can contact the arresting agency to make inquiries or use its FOIA request option. It is important to note the agency may deny arrest record requests when the records are connected to ongoing investigations.

Free Arrest Record Search in St. Louis County

Members of the public can use the following methods to find local, state, and federal arrest records for people arrested within St. Louis County, Minnesota

Sheriff's Daily Booking Report and Inmate Roster

The Sheriff's Jail Division releases an hourly jail roster detailing information about inmates processed into the county jail. Each document contains the booking number, arresting agency, booking date and type, estimated release date, charges, offense level, age, and names of adult suspects checked into the facility on a specific date.

The roster also indicates the inmate's current location, as the jail division can transfer inmates to other county jails to alleviate congestion. As mentioned, individuals can visit or contact the listed facility for more information.

Further, people can download and view the division’s 48-hour release roster containing names and details of people released from custody. It shows each offender's name, jail ID, booking date and type, and release date.

Using search functions PDF readers can help one find specific inmates and avoid scrolling through the document.

St. Louis County District Court Records

Court records are another resource category that hold detailed arrest records. They are more comprehensive than arrest records obtained through local law enforcement agencies because they provide information about criminal proceedings and reveal case outcomes.

The county’s administration of courts provides free access terminals at the courthouse where individuals can view criminal case records without charge. They can also request to see physical copies of court records and request plain copies at the premises for free.

Further, individuals can use the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system to find and view criminal case information containing arrest records. They can use the case, hearing, document, or judgment search options to review charges, level of defendants’ charges, plain copies of court documents, prosecuting agency, law enforcement agency, offense date, offense location, bond and bail information, case events, and filed documents. The database allows individuals to search by name, case and citation numbers, and attorney. They can also specify that they want to search criminal records from St. Louis County.

Minnesota Public Criminal History Search

People who want even more detailed and streamlined criminal records where they can find anyone's jail booking and criminal histories can use the state’s public criminal history search (CHS) system. This type of search is also called a background check.

Site users must provide the person's first and last names and date of birth to start a search. The system only shows details of individuals who have been convicted of certain crimes. Convictions that are eligible for automatic sealing (expungement) will not show up in search results.

Department of corrections inmate locator

The DOC provides an online inmate search system that aids members of the public in finding incarceration information about people in its custody. Intending users can search for inmates by name or DOC assigned number. It shows each person's incarceration status, DOC offender ID, date of birth, and offense. People can use details gathered through this system to search the Minnesota public criminal history database or MCRO for more details about the person's criminal trial process.

Bureau of Prisons

The BOP's inmate locator only helps people find where individuals are being. It also shows their register number, which individuals can use to obtain more information from the bureau.

ICE Online Detainee Locator

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement allows people to use its online locator to find where people arrested on immigration offenses are being held. People who intend to use this tool must have the detainee's A-number or full name and birth country.

Third-Party Public Record Vendors

Certain third-party public records websites provide arrest data from multiple agencies for free. Depending on the service, individuals can find arrestees by name or booking number or by scrolling through a list. These sites are not usually affiliated with police departments or the Sheriff's Office but pool publicly available information to a central platform and make it easier for anyone to find arrest records.

Get St. Louis County Criminal Records

Apart from using the free options already explained, individuals can receive certified copies of criminal records. These are the statutorily recognized types of background checks, and they can be obtained from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and the St. Louis County District Court.

Interested parties can look up instructions on how to obtain RAP sheets, as criminal records are commonly called, on the BCA's Background Checks webpage.

People who want to obtain physical copies of criminal court documents or records not available on the MCRO system can contact the Sixth District Copy Center in Lake County (at 601 3rd Avenue, Two Harbors, MN 55616) via email (6thcentralcopy@courts.state.mn.us) or phone call at (218) 834-8330. They can fill out the online copy request form or use the print out version if they want to send their requests by mail, in person, or by email. Individuals can also request transcripts of court proceedings by following the transcript request method outlined by the Sixth Judicial District Administration.

Transcripts and copies of court documents attract the following fees:

• Juvenile and criminal transcripts: $4.25
• Plain court papers: Free
• Certified copies: $14 per document
• Certified/exemplified copies: $28 per document

St. Louis County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest records and criminal records carry different implications and do not contain the same amount of information. An arrest record only indicates that law enforcement apprehended and confined someone on suspicion of breaking the law. It does not mean the person committed or has been found guilty.

However, criminal records can help a researcher to determine another person’s guilt for crimes they were arrested and convicted for. Criminal records contain each subject’s arrest, trial, incarceration, and post-conviction records. Unlike arrest information, they can be used in a more broader sense to evaluate people for certain employment and licensing procedures.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. While individuals can request to expunge their records, criminal justice agencies will retain access to most documents and information. In cases where the individual is not eligible to have their records sealed, they will be permanently accessible to the public.

Expunge St. Louis County Arrest Records

People can request expungement of arrest records under Minn. Stat. 299C.11 if one of the following conditions are met and they did not go through a diversion program:

• An arrest occurred, but charges were never filed, and a grand jury declined to issue an indictment
• Charges were filed but dismissed before a court tried to determine probable cause

This type of request results in the deletion of the person's photograph, names (including aliases), physical identification marks (such as tattoos and piercings), fingerprints and thumbprints, and other details that may identify the person. Intending applicants must submit their petitions to the arresting agencies in writing to start the expungement process. They can visit the Minnesota Judicial Branch's Expunge Arrest Records webpage for more details about the application and sample letters.

When an arrested individual is charged to court and convicted or went through a diversion program, they may need to submit their expungement application with a court to seal their records under Minn. Stat. 609A and Minn. Stat. 260B.198, subd.6. In some cases, the courts will automatically delete records that qualify for expungement.

Individuals must note that expungement in this case does not imply deleting or destroying records. It means sealing records from public view, and criminal justice agencies can access them for criminal matters. People can refer to the website of the Minnesota Judicial Branch for more details and guidance on expunging their records.

St. Louis County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are judicial instructions issued to police officers for the apprehension and confinement of identified persons. These directives can be delivered by court judges when law enforcement complaints against people prove that they may have committed a crime and may cause potential future harm. Warrants can also be issued to apprehend people who have violated certain court orders and criminal justice processes, like parole and probation.

These documents generally contain the name or other identifying information of the individual who is being accused, description of the offense committed by the individual, and signature of the issuing judge. The judge may also list the condition of release, such as bail amount, on the warrant.

St. Louis County Arrest Warrant Search

Law enforcement agencies are the primary source for obtaining arrest warrants. People can use the online felony or misdemeanor active warrants list published by the Warrants Division of the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office. The documents show each subject's name, age, photograph, charges, and offense level. It also shows the issue date and bail amount.

Interested parties can also visit their local police departments to confirm whether warrants have been issued for their arrest.

Do St. Louis County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Warrants remain active until the individual is apprehended, confined, and arraigned before a judge.