Rock County Arrest Records

Per WI Stat § 968.07, a Rock County law enforcement officer can arrest an individual when:

• They have a warrant commanding the arrest of such a person.
• They have reasonable grounds to believe that an arrest warrant for the individual has been issued in Wisconsin.
• They have reasonable grounds to believe that a felony arrest warrant for the individual has been issued in another state.
• There are reasonable grounds to believe such an individual has committed or is committing a crime.

After the arrest, the suspect is brought into custody. The officer books the suspect, which involves collecting their personal data, mugshot, and fingerprints. Within 48 hours of the arrest, a hearing will be held for the suspect to determine probable cause for criminal charges. This does not apply to suspects arrested via an arrest warrant. If the offense is bailable, the judge will set a bail. After bail is set, the case will proceed to court. The preliminary hearing of a felony case is typically held within 10 or 20 days, depending on whether the suspect is in or out of custody. The hearing for a misdemeanor case may take about a month from the arrest date. The suspect has the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. After the hearing(s), the suspect will be sent to the Rock County Jail if found guilty of the crime.

The arresting officer’s report and the suspect's booking information will be compiled to generate an arrest record. These records become public after a few hours or days. They can be retrieved online or in person from the Rock County Sheriff’s website. The arrest record will not contain the arrested person’s court information. Interested individuals can conduct a Rock County court search to find such information. The Rock County Clerk of Circuit Court makes copies of Rock County court records available to members of the public by phone, mail, and in person for a fee of $1.25 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document.

Are Arrest Records Public in Rock County?

Yes. The Wisconsin Public Records Law authorizes public disclosure of arrest records. Therefore, anyone can inspect or obtain copies of arrest records from the Rock County Sheriff’s Office or any city police department. The law exempts certain arrest records or portions of them from public disclosure. Examples of such records are:

• Juvenile arrest records
• Arrestee’s medical records
• Criminal investigation and intelligence records
• Any records containing personally identifiable information whose disclosure would:
• Endanger an individual's life or safety.
• Reveal the identity of a confidential informant.
• Expose current techniques and procedures used in law enforcement investigations or prosecutions.
• Endanger the security of any jail, state prison, mental health institute, juvenile correctional facility, center for the developmentally disabled, secured residential care center for children and youth, or facility for the institutional care of sexually violent persons.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Most arrest records are public information in Rock County. These records contain arrest information that is available on most law enforcement agency websites. Typically, requesters can find the following information in a Rock County arrest record:

• Arrestee’s demographics (doc number, full name, birth year, sex, race, ethnicity, and aliases)
• Status (current status, sub-status, institution, maximum discharge date, mandatory release/extended supervision date, and parole eligibility date)
• Court cases (case number and county)
• Movements (date, type, reporting location, and other location)

Rock County Crime Rate

The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s UCR Offense Data shows that approximately 3,910 were recorded in Rock County in 2023, a 114 increase from the previous year. The three major crimes in the county that year were Larceny theft (1,902), simple assault (1,136), and burglary (288). The 2022 data shows a total of 4,024 crimes were committed in Rock County.

Rock County Arrest Statistics

The Rock County Sheriff’s Office's Records Bureau recorded about 1,627 arrests in 2022, a 139 increase from the previous year. The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s UCR Arrest Data recorded approximately 8,394 in Rock County in 2023. Adult arrests totaled 7,004, and juvenile arrests totaled 1,390. About 181 of the arrests were for violent crimes, 1,039 arrests for property crimes, 2,523 for society crimes, 819 for drug crimes, and 3,832 were for other crimes. Rock County law enforcement agencies arrested more people in 2023 than in 2022. The 2022 arrest data showed a total of 8,278 arrests, with 7,035 adult arrests and 1,243 juvenile arrests.

Find Rock County Arrest Records

The Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) has an Offender Search tool through which the general public can find arrest records of Rock County offenders housed in state prisons. The search criteria are by last name, first name, middle name, race, birth year, gender, age range, address, DOC number, and offender status. The user can ensure that they select “Rock” in the county search field to narrow the search. Requesters can also visit any of the DOC Adult or Juvenile Facilities to find arrest records. Although access to the Offender Search tool is free, in-person requests are not. All in-person requests should be made during business hours.

Rock County offenders are also housed in federal prisons. Inquiry about them can be made at the arresting federal law enforcement agency. Arrest information about federal offenders is commonly available online, but some agencies also provide arrest records by mail and in person. Here is how to get arrest records from some federal law enforcement agencies in the United States:

• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): It provides arrest records to record holders online, by mail, and through approved channelers. A fee of $18 applies to this service and can be paid by certified check, credit card using the Credit Card Payment Form, or money order. Requests made through approved channelers attract an extra processing fee. Online applicants must submit fingerprints electronically by visiting a participating U.S. Post Office location. Online applications are processed within 15 days, while mail requests take 20 days. Mail applicants must submit a completed Applicant Information Form to:

FBI CJIS Division – Summary Request
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, WV 26306

• The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP): Requesters can use the BOP’s Inmate Locator to find arrest records of Rock County offenders. A search can be conducted by number (BOP register number, DCDC number, FBI number, or INS number) or name (first, middle, or last). Alternatively, inquirers can visit any of the BOP facilities to obtain copies of arrest records. All visits should be made during business hours.
• The United States Capitol Police (USCP): Individuals can find arrest summary reports issued by the USCP online and by mail. Online requesters can filter their searches by CFN number, crime date, crime summary, and crime type. Mail requesters must submit a Request Form to:

United States Capitol Police
Reports Processing Section
119 D Street, Ne
Washington, DC 20510

• The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): The ICE provides arrest records online through the Online Detainee Locator System. The search parameters are A-Number or biographical information. Requesters can also contact ICE field offices or detention facilities to request arrest records of Rock County offenders.

Free Arrest Record Search in Rock County

The Rock County Sheriff’s Office partners with a third-party vendor to provide free arrest records to members of the public. Individuals can also use other available third-party websites to conduct a free arrest records search. However, free arrest searches on third-party portals are usually limited. Users would have to pay to conduct an extensive search. The search criteria are generally by name. It is advisable to vet all arrest information retrieved from third-party sites to determine their accuracy.

Get Rock County Criminal Records

Individuals might be able to get criminal records in person at the Rock County Sheriff’s Office. The office is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Copies of criminal records attract a fee, which must be paid before the record will be released. Individuals can also submit a request online via the Public Records Online Portal. Users can access this portal 24 hours a day. The requester must provide sufficient information about the criminal record to facilitate the search. The Sheriff’s Office is located at:

Rock County Sheriff's Office
200 E. US Highway 14
Janesville, WI 53545
Phone: (608) 757-8000
Email: soopenrecords@co.rock.wi.us

Alternatively, individuals can request criminal records at the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Crime Information Bureau (CIB). Adult criminal records are public in Wisconsin, so anyone can obtain one provided they pay the necessary fee. Access to juvenile criminal records is restricted. The CIB only makes juvenile criminal records available online for daycare background checks. Interested individuals must have a valid Facility ID number issued by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF).

Criminal records requests can be submitted through the Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS). Authorized users must register an account to use the portal. However, public users must provide an order reference number to retrieve their search results. Online criminal record checks cost $7. An additional $3 applies for daycare background checks. Record seekers can also make criminal records requests by mail. They must submit a completed Single Subject Requests DJ-LE-250 or Multiple Subject Requests DJ-LE-250A form to CIB. Mail requesters must pay an additional $5 processing charge. Payments can be made by check or money order. A self-addressed, postage-paid envelope must accompany every mail request. The mailing address is:

Division of Law Enforcement Services
Crime Information Bureau
Record Check Unit
P.O. Box 2688
Madison, WI 53701-2688
Phone: (608) 266-7314

Rock County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

An arrest record is information about a person questioned and apprehended by a law enforcement officer. It also contains the person’s custody or detention, investigation, arrest, and charge information. Conversely, a criminal record contains details of a person’s arrests, arrest charges, prosecution, court findings, sentences, and jail or prison admissions and releases. Typically, a criminal record is more comprehensive than an arrest record. Individuals can obtain arrest records online for free, but they can only retrieve criminal records at a fee.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrests remain on a person’s record permanently in Rock County. However, arrested persons can restrict access to their records through expungement. An expunged arrest record is usually not available when a background check is conducted by an employer, employers, landlords, and the general public. However, such records can be accessed by law enforcement agencies for official purposes. The Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) website maintains a retention schedule for some arrest information. For example:

• Arrests for misdemeanor offenses are available for 20 years
• Arrests for felony offenses are kept for 50 years.
• Arrests for Class A felony crimes are retained for about 75 years.

Expunge Rock County Arrest Records

An expungement is the sealing of an arrest record from the general public. Wisconsin differs from other states in terms of the timing of expungement. Individuals can apply for the expungement of their arrest records during sentencing. Wisconsin law does not permit a petition for expungement after sentencing. Per Wis. Stats. 973.015, requesters must meet the following criteria to qualify for expungement in Rock County:

• Certain felonies or misdemeanors committed by individuals below the age of 25, whose maximum jail term is six (6) years or less, and has successfully completed their sentences.
• Crimes committed by minors which are clearly stated in Wis. Stats. 942.08 (2) (b), (c), or (d) or (3), and the minors have successfully completed the sentence for the offense.
• Persons guilty of committing a commercial sex act as victims of human trafficking (Wis. Stat. § 973.015(2m)).

A judge can order that an arrestee’s record be expunged if they meet the above-mentioned eligibility requirements and the sentence originating from the arrest has been successfully completed. Wisconsin law excludes the expungement of arrest records relating to:

• Civil or small claims cases and traffic citations
• Class H or I felony conviction records if the arrestee has a prior felony conviction and the current offense is deemed violent (as defined in s. 301.048 (2) (bm)).

The court automatically expunges the records of individuals who were arrested and placed on probation or sentenced to jail or prison once they have successfully completed their sentence. However, arrested persons who were only sentenced to pay a fine or restitution can file a Petition to Expunge Court Record of Conviction (Non-Probation/ Non-Incarceration) form with the Rock County Circuit Court to expunge their records. Individuals interested in expunging juvenile arrest records must file a Petition to Expunge Court Record of Adjudication/ Recommendation of District Attorney form.

Individuals can also remove arrest information from their criminal records by contacting the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Crime Information Bureau (CIB). Only arrested individuals whose charges were dismissed or acquitted qualify for expungements. Eligible individuals must submit a Fingerprint Record Removal Request (DJ-LE-250B) by mail to CIB. Individuals who have documentation showing dismissal or no prosecution of the offenses on the arrest card can submit them alongside the form to expedite the expungement process.

Rock County Arrest Warrants

Per WI Stat § 968.04(1), a judge will issue an arrest warrant when there is probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed and the accused has committed it. The judge will determine a probable cause from the complaint, affidavit(s) filed with the complaint, or after an examination of the complainant or witnesses under oath. The judge will deliver the arrest warrant to a law enforcement officer for service. An arrest warrant must be in writing and signed by the judge. A copy of the complaint must be attached to it. The arrest warrant must contain the following information:

• State the name of the crime, the section charged, and the section number.
• The defendant’s name or a designated description of the person.
• The issuing date, the name of the issuing judge, and the title of the judge's office.
• A command that the defendant be arrested and brought before the issuing judge or any judge in Rock County.

Rock County Arrest Warrant Search

Individuals can conduct an arrest warrant search by phone at (608) 757-7947, online through the Most Wanted list, or in person. In-person requesters can visit the Rock County Sheriff’s Office Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Copies of warrant records may attract search and copy fees. In-person and phone requesters must provide a name or warrant number to help facilitate the search. The Sheriff’s Office is located at:

Rock County Sheriff's Office
200 East US Highway 14
Janesville, WI 53545

Do Rock County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Unlike search warrants, arrest warrants do not have expiring dates. They remain active until executed or recalled/canceled by the issuing judge. Rock County residents who believe arrest warrants have been issued in their names can contact the nearest police station to know the next action to take.