Door County Arrest Records

Under Wisconsin law (Statute 968.07), law enforcement agencies in Door County, Wisconsin, may arrest individuals if probable cause exists that a crime was committed. Individuals detained by law enforcement in Door County are generally taken for processing and then housed in the Door County Jail. The arresting agency generates arrest records detailing the arrest and the crime that led to it. In instances where the arrest led to criminal case proceedings, arrest records for Door County may be found as part of Door County Court Records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Door County?

According to the Wisconsin Open Records Law, arrest records in Door County are public records. Unless an arrest record is specifically restricted by law, the public may access, view, and copy it.

Certain types of records may be exempt from public access for various reasons. This may be to protect the identity of victims and witnesses or to prevent prejudice and ensure a fair trial. Some records exempt from public access include arrest records of minors and juveniles, records sealed by a court order, expunged records, and records restricted by state or federal law. Although these records have been restricted, accessing them with a court order may be possible.

Door County Arrest Statistics

Law enforcement agencies such as the Door County Sheriff submit arrest statistics to the FBI using the Uniform Crime Reporting System. According to the data for 2023, the Sheriff's Office reported 413 arrests. This includes 80 arrests for driving under the influence, 49 arrests for drugs/narcotics offenses, 44 arrests for disorderly conduct, 18 arrests for simple assaults, eight arrests for aggravated assaults, five arrests for vandalism, two arrests for larceny, and two arrests for weapons violations.

Find Door County Arrest Records

Interested parties may obtain inmate information and arrest records from law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin, such as the Door County Sheriff and the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

Inmate information may be requested by calling the Records Clerk at the Door County Sheriff's Office at (920) 746-2415. Inquiries may also be directed to the Door County Jail at:

Door County Jail
1203 S Duluth Avenue
Sturgeon Bay WI 54235
Phone: (920) 746-5652

On the state level, record seekers may look up inmate records using the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Public Records Center.

Door County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Criminal and arrest records are official documents detailing an individual's criminal history. Arrest records deal with a person's arrest and detail each arrest and the events surrounding it. It typically contains the individual's physical description, personal information, the date, details of the crime that led to the arrest, and the arresting agency.

Criminal records, on the other hand, detail a full criminal history. They detail all arrests, court dates, trial details, verdicts, and any punishment, such as jail time or probation. While arrest records do not confirm guilt, only that the suspect was apprehended by law enforcement, criminal records are only generated when a suspect fully passes through the legal system.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Door County and the rest of Wisconsin, an arrest record will generally remain on your record indefinitely unless steps are taken to remove it. Convictions resulting from an arrest will remain on a person's records for varying amounts of time, depending on the crime, ranging between 75 years for felonies and 20 years for misdemeanors. The Wisconsin legal system provides a process for individuals to remove certain criminal records from their records if they qualify, called expungement.

Door County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are legal documents issued to law enforcement providing them with the authority to look for a suspect, apprehend them, and bring them before a judge in court. For warrants to be issued in Wisconsin, law enforcement agents must file a complaint with the judge in the court for the county where the crime was committed. The complaint may be made by phone, verbally, under oath before the court judge or district attorney, or electronically.

After the complaint is made, it is approved for filing by the district attorney. The approval must be written and endorsed by the district attorney, and the complaint filed with the judge. The judge, after reviewing the complaint, may issue the warrant or dismiss the complaint. Sometimes, the judge may convene a hearing to establish probable cause that a warrant is necessary and issue it if satisfied.

In Wisconsin, arrest warrants must be issued in writing, and the following information must be provided:

• The crime committed, the section charged, and the laws or statutes violated by the crime.
• A copy of the original complaint
• The name of the suspect or a reasonable description by which they may be identified
• The date the warrant was issued
• The name, official title, and signature of the issuing judge
• It must clearly order the suspect on the warrant to be apprehended and brought before the issuing judge or another judge serving the county.

A more comprehensive explanation of warrants and how they work is available in Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 968.

Do Door County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Any arrest warrant issued in Door County, Wisconsin, does not expire. It will only be removed if the subject is caught, surrenders willingly, or dies. However, a judge in the court that issued a warrant may cancel or recall it if it may be shown that the warrant was incorrect or illegal.

Expunge Door County Arrest Records

Arrest records in Wisconsin may be sealed or expunged if specific eligibility requirements are met. Typically, law enforcement agencies such as the Criminal History Information Bureau and the Consolidated Court Automation Program retain arrest records indefinitely until steps are taken to expunge them.

The following requirements must be met to qualify for expungement in Wisconsin:

• The applicant must have been found not guilty
• The charges from the arrest were dismissed, or the suspect was not charged
• The prosecution did not file any charges from the arrest
• The charges were dismissed by the court or the prosecution

When an applicant is eligible, they may fill out the Fingerprint Record Removal Request form (DJ-LE-250B) and submit it to the CIB. If approved, the arrest will be removed from their record.

Arrests that led to convictions and jail time may also be removed or expunged from a record in Wisconsin. Misdemeanor crimes that did not lead to probation or jail and nonviolent crimes that incurred jail time of 6 years or less may also qualify for expungement.