La Crosse County Arrest Records

La Crosse County arrest records contain information on all arrest-related events. You may find these records at the county's local law enforcement agencies or in other public documents like criminal records. For example, La Crosse County court records may contain arrest information.

Note: In La Crosse County, arrests refer to legal procedures in which law enforcement officers detain individuals suspected of committing a crime. Sometimes, the officers may make arrests to prevent a suspect from committing a potential crime. Officers will temporarily detain arrested persons until certain conditions are fulfilled. For example, they may detain suspects until they conclude their investigations.

Are Arrest Records Public in La Crosse County?

Most La Crosse County arrest records are public under Wisconsin's Public Records Law. The state law authorizes record seekers to request and obtain arrest records from record custodians. The county sheriff's office is the custodian of arrest records.

That said, the state law also redacts or outrightly exempts certain arrest information from public disclosure. In most cases, the exempt information contains sensitive data that may violate privacy or security rights. Per Sections 19.36(2)–(12) of the Wisconsin Statutes, exempt arrest records may include:

• Arrest information sealed or expunged due to a court order
• Identities of law enforcement informants
• Arrest information in an ongoing criminal investigation

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records in La Crosse County may include the following information:

• The arrested person's first and last name
• The offender's mugshot
• Date of the arrest
• Arrest charge description and the corresponding statute for the offense.
• Bond type and amount
• Case number
• City/state where the arrest occurred.

La Crosse County Crime Rate

The FBI’s Crime Data Explorer collects crime data from all La Crosse law enforcement agencies. Per the report, La Crosse County documented 1,899 crimes in 2022. The total crime rate consists of 163 property crimes and 1,736 property-related crimes.

Larceny thefts and aggravated assaults were the most recurring property and violent crimes, respectively. The county recorded 1,487 larceny thefts and 99 aggravated assaults.

La Crosse County Arrest Statistics

Arrest statistics provide information on all arrests conducted within the county. The FBI Uniform Crime Report contains Wisconsin arrest information. According to the report, the state documented 261,400 arrests.

On the other hand, the National Institute of Corrections documents inmate statistics in Wisconsin. Per the agency, Wisconsin had an inmate rate of 320 per 100,000 residents in 2020. Furthermore, the total number of current inmates was 20,298 in the same year.

Find La Crosse County Arrest Records

Inmate records are a great place to start when searching for La Crosse County arrest records. The records are easily accessible online through state- or federal-owned search sites. For example, the La Crosse County sheriff's office keeps an online list of recently detained persons. You may sort through the list to find inmates. Furthermore, click on an inmate's name to view the full information. You could also request arrest records in person by visiting the county sheriff at:

Courthouse and Law Enforcement Center
333 Vine Street
La Crosse, WI 54601-3296

The Wisconsin Department of Corrections is an alternative option for accessing inmate records. The agency maintains multiple online request options. Record seekers can obtain the records by using request options like anonymous requests and requests via email.

Conversely, you can search inmate records using the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ inmate search database. You have the option to search using the inmate's name or prison number.

The La Crosse City police department maintains arrest records for arrests that were conducted in the city. Record seekers may search the agency’s database to view police reports. In addition, requesters can use the police department’s online request portal to request arrest records. Note that you must create an account to use the online portal. After sending the request, you can use the Records Request Center to track your requests.

Free Arrest Record Search in La Crosse County

You may find La Crosse County arrest records for free by using these government-owned sites:

• The Federal Bureau of Prisons’ inmate search portal
• La Crosse County Sheriff's inmate search portal
• Wisconsin's Department of Corrections

Third-party search sites are also online sources for free La Crosse arrest records. These sites may feature arrest information as part of inmate records or criminal history checks.

Get La Crosse County Criminal Records

Also referred to as rap sheets, La Crosse County criminal records are government-generated files on criminal conviction histories.

Record seekers can get La Crosse County criminal records from the Wisconsin Department of Justice. As the record custodian, the agency maintains an online database through which requesters can get the records. That said, record seekers must register a user account before they can access the database.

La Crosse County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

While arrest and criminal records provide information on crime-related activities, the records are quite different in these aspects:

Arrest records may consist of arrest-related events like the booking date, mugshot, arrested person's full name and physical attributes, and arrest date. However, criminal records are a compilation of court records, inmate information, and arrest data.

The records also differ in terms of their creation process. Law enforcement agencies are primarily responsible for creating arrest records. However, county courts, law enforcement agencies, and correctional facilities contribute information to the creation of criminal records.

Note that arrest records are not evidence of the subject’s involvement in the crime. Not all arrest records lead to criminal convictions; law enforcement agencies may dismiss the charges.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

La Crosse arrest records will indefinitely remain on file unless the court expunges or seals the record. Note that there are different procedures for expunging or sealing arrest records. You may submit only a fingerprint removal request if the arrest charges are dismissed.

Expunge La Crosse County Arrest Records

Expungement is the legal process for restricting public access to criminal or arrest records. However, the records will still remain visible to specific government agencies.

In La Crosse County, you can expunge arrest charges by sending a request form and a fingerprint card to the Wisconsin Department of Justice. The agency will remove the record by cross-checking your fingerprint against the one they have on record.

Who is eligible to expunge La Crosse County arrest records?

Offenders are eligible to expunge La Crosse County arrest records if:

• The arrest charges were dismissed or cleared of all offenses by the county court.
• They committed misdemeanor or felony offenses before age 25 but were convicted and have completed the court-mandated sentence.
• The offense carried a maximum sentence of six years or less.
• They committed commercial sexual acts while being victims of human trafficking.
• The offender was a minor at the time of conviction.

Outside of these situations, criminal convictions will remain on the offender's record. Offenders may contact the Governor's Office to get a pardon. Although the pardon will not expunge the records, it will restore certain rights to the offender.

Note: Wisconsin state laws do not permit the expunction of traffic violations or civil cases.

How can I expunge arrest records?

Individuals seeking to expunge arrest records must submit a completed Fingerprint Record Removal Request (DJ-LE-250B) via mail to Wisconsin's Department of Criminal Justice at:

Crime Information Bureau
Attn: Criminal History Unit
P.O. Box 2718
Madison, WI 53701-2718

Note that you must use this method if the arrest charges were dismissed or you were cleared of all wrongdoing through court proceedings.

If the arrest record led to a criminal conviction, you must send a petition request to the court that passed the conviction. The petition must contain the arrested person's information and criminal conviction details, including a copy of the court judgment. The court will review the petition and examine the opinions of the offender's probation officer or correctional facility. The facilities must send a certificate of discharge to the court. If there are no objections to the expungement petition, the court will pass an order to expunge all court records related to the criminal conviction.

You can get a copy of the court order from the court clerk. Furthermore, you must expunge the criminal record from the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Justice via these steps:

1. Complete a Fingerprint Record Removal Request (DJ-LE-250B)
2. Attach a certified copy of a court order that authorizes the expunction.
3. Send both documents via mail to:

Department of Criminal Justice at:
Crime Information Bureau
Attn: Criminal History Unit
P.O. Box 2718
Madison, WI 53701-2718

La Crosse County Arrest Warrants

In La Crosse County, arrest warrants are official documents that authorize law enforcement officers to arrest persons named in the document. Court judges in La Crosse County may issue warrants after receiving an affidavit from the officers. Note that the affidavit must provide enough evidence of the individual's involvement in the crime.

Arrest warrants will generally provide information on the following:

• The record defendant's name
• Case number
• Criminal offense
• The date on which it was issued
• The city and location
• Court clerk's name and signature

La Crosse County Arrest Warrant Search

You can search arrest warrants by using the county sheriff's online arrest warrant list. The agency maintains the list on behalf of the court clerk. The list contains the offender's names in alphabetical order, so you only need to scroll down the list to find the offender. You can also contact the clerk of courts at (608) 785-9590 to get more information concerning outstanding warrants.

Do La Crosse County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In La Crosse County, arrest warrants do not expire until the defendant gets arrested. In some cases, the court may cancel the warrant.