Iowa County Arrest Records

Iowa County arrest records contain information about an individual’s questioning, arrest, detention, and criminal charges. Per Wisconsin Statutes Section 16.61, government agencies must preserve records created or received while performing their duties. The county sheriff’s office maintains these records and provides them to the public upon request, as mandated by law. Arrest records may also be accessible as part of Iowa County Court Records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Iowa County?

Yes. Under Wisconsin's Public Records Law, Iowa County citizens and residents can access arrest records held by law enforcement. Under this law, interested individuals may examine, copy, or obtain these records unless a specific statute states otherwise. However, there are exceptions to this general access, including:

• Records containing the identity of a law enforcement informant
• Records about an investigation in progress
• Sensitive personal details such as driver's license, social security number, and bank account number
• Records that, if revealed, may pose a threat to an individual's safety
• Juvenile records
• Sealed and expunged records

Iowa County Arrest Statistics

According to data provided to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, in 2019, the overall crime rate in Iowa County was about 845 per 100,000 residents. The property crime rate was 770 per 100,000 residents; there were 185 incidents of property crime, 12 aggravated assaults, and four sexual assaults. The average daily population of the county jail was 30 inmates. The leading causes of Iowa County arrests are drug violations and operating while intoxicated (OWI).

Find Iowa County Arrest Records

Law enforcement agencies in Iowa County, Wisconsin, particularly the county sheriff's office, maintain arrest records. Law enforcement officers create these records when an individual is arrested and booked. The county sheriff's office is the first point of call for interested parties seeking access to arrest records. Interested parties may request open records by email or visit the county sheriff's office in person. The location is:

Iowa County Sheriff's Office
109E Leffler St,
Dodgeville, WI 53533,
Phone: (608) 930-9500

Requesters must provide vital details that may facilitate the search process. These include the arrestee's name, case number, arrest date, and location.

In addition to local record search resources, requesters may use state and federal record search resources. The Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) provides an inmate and offender search tool, which is a good source of information about individuals kept in a state penitentiary. The Federal Bureau of Prisons maintains the federal inmate locator. Record seekers can search using either of these tools by entering the inmate's name or identification number.

Iowa County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Although both terms are often used interchangeably, arrest and criminal records differ in purpose, scope, and content. In Iowa County, the Sheriff's office and other local law enforcement agencies generate arrest records when an individual is suspected of criminal activity and taken into custody. An arrest record stops at documenting the arrest. It does not mean the individual was convicted.

Even in cases where the suspect is found not guilty, their arrest record remains indefinitely. The record shows an accusation, not a conviction. Consequently, the public generally is not privy to personal information of individuals with arrest records due to privacy laws.

In contrast, a criminal record shows an individual's interactions with the criminal justice system. It documents arrests, trials, convictions, and sentences. Minor offenses such as traffic violations are usually found on arrest records, while more serious offenses such as robbery, murder, and violent crimes are typically found on criminal records.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

No. Wisconsin law grants authority to automatically and uniformly delete arrest records stored in law enforcement databases. Instead, Section 16.61 of the Wisconsin Statutes requires law enforcement to preserve public records. Consequently, arrest records may potentially remain a permanent part of an individual's criminal history.

However, individuals may petition the court to remove their arrest record from the Wisconsin Criminal History Repository, which is managed by the state's Department of Justice. This relief is available to eligible individuals.

Iowa County Arrest Warrants

An Iowa County arrest warrant is a legal order issued to a law enforcement officer empowering them to arrest an individual. The warrant is granted when there is reasonable cause to believe an individual committed a crime. Typically, arrest warrants contain the name of the arrestee, the alleged offense for which they are being arrested, the county, and details about the issuing judge.

Do Iowa County Arrest Warrants Expire?

An arrest warrant in Iowa County does not just expire. It remains effective unless the individual is arrested, the court cancels it, or the individual dies. However, statutes of limitation determine how long prosecutors have to file charges. If those deadlines pass, the warrant becomes invalid. In other rare circumstances, the judge may recall the warrant if new evidence proves that the individual is not guilty.

Expunge Iowa County Arrest Records

In Iowa County, Wisconsin, expungement is a legal process available to individuals convicted of a crime or adjudicated as juvenile delinquents. Under Wisconsin Statutes Section 973.015, expungement seals a defendant's criminal case file and limits access to those with a court order. Eligible individuals may petition the Crime Information Bureau (CIB) to remove their arrest records by submitting Form DJ-LE-250B.

However, if an individual is arrested but not charged, or cleared through court proceedings, the court may not expunge the arrest record. This includes cases where the individual was found not guilty, the court or prosecutor dismissed charges, or the prosecutor never filed charges. In these situations, the individual may request the removal of their fingerprint arrest record from the Wisconsin Criminal History Repository in line with Wisconsin Statutes Section 165.84(1). However, this process does not erase records kept by law enforcement agencies or district attorneys.