Criminal Statistics
According to the 2017 crime statistical report published by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Olmsted county law enforcement agencies recorded a net total of 7,000 criminal offenses within county limits. Index crimes constituted 2,731 of the reported incidents, accounting for 39% of the total crimes. A breakdown of this figure revealed larceny to be the most popular property crime and the most recurring index crime with reported 1,950 incidents. Burglary was reported to be the second most recurring offense with 374 incidents while aggravated-assault was recorded to be the third most reported offense and the most popular violent crime with 144 incidents within the 12-month span. Incidents of rape and robbery were reported 80 and 49 times each, while murder and arson were the least reported criminal acts with 1 and 5 incidents respectively.
Criminal Records
The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office is responsible for providing all law enforcement related services to county residents including crime investigation and documentation of crime-related data and records of the county. However, requests for criminal records are directed to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety which maintains the criminal records repository of the state.
How to Get Criminal Records
Criminal history records provided by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension contain details of the subject's arrests and convictions including gross misdemeanor, and adult felony arrests.
These records can be obtained by making in-person or mail requests to the Bureau or by accessing the records using the Minnesota Public Criminal History Record Search Website.
To request criminal records in-person or via mail, the requesting party is required to write a written request indicating the full name of the subject (including any maiden or married names), and their date of birth. The request must be signed, notarized, and accompanied by a consent form, signed and notarized by the subject as well as a cheque or money order payment of $8 (for in-person requests) and $15(for mail requests). Mail requests should also include a self-addressed and stamped envelope and all requests are to be submitted at:
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
CHA Unit
1430 Maryland Ave. E.
St. Paul, MN 55106
Requestors may also access records online by searching the Public Criminal History Database of the state. The subject of the record can be searched by name and date of birth.
How to find Sex Offender Information
Information regarding registered sex offenders in Olmstead County is housed on the Minnesota Sex Offender Registry and the Registry of non-compliant predatory offenders. Interested persons may search for offenders in Olmsted by the offender by name, city, address or by their proximity to specific landmarks within the county. All queries relating to sex offenders and their identifiers, addresses, and compliance status may be directed to the DOC's Community Notification Unit at (651) 361-7340, (866) 396-9953 or notification.doc@state.mn.us.
Where and How to Get Inmate and Jail Information
The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office provides public access to inmate information via it's Who Is In Custody. It features information regarding detainees in the county jail. Interested persons may view inmate mugshots and booking details including charges, charge description and bail/bond conditions using the tool. Other inmate and jail information including inmate welfare, visitation, and court details can be obtained on the Jail Information Page of the Sheriff's website or by contacting the staff on (507) 328-6790.
Court Records
Where and How to get Court Records
The office of the Olmsted County District Court Administrator performs all of the court's clerical functions including maintaining records of court cases heard by the court. The office provides access to non-confidential court records to interested members of the public upon request.
To access a record, the requestor must make in-person queries to the court or send a written request to the administrator's office. The requesting party will be required to provide information regarding the record being requested including the name of the plaintiff or defendant, the date on which the record was filed as well as the case file number.
Requests for court records can be made to:
Olmsted County District Court
Olmsted County Government Center
151 Fourth Street SE
Rochester, MN 55904
Phone: (507) 206-2400
Fax: (507) 285-8996
Location of all Courts in County
Below is the address and contact information of the courthouse in Olmsted County, Minnesota:
Olmsted County District Court
Olmsted County Government Center
151 4th Street SE,
Rochester, MN 55904
Phone: (507) 206-2400
Fax: (507) 285-8996
Where and How to Get Property Records
The Olmsted County Property Records & Licensing office is charged with recording and maintaining records pertaining to land and real property ownership within the county. These include land records, deeds, liens and mortgage documents. Interested persons may access copies of these records by querying the office via mail or in person. All record requests must state relevant information regarding the property and record such as the grantor/grantee name, the property address and the recording number. All requests for property records may be directed to:
Property Records and Licensing Office
151 4th St SE
Rochester, MN 55904
Vital Records
The Minnesota Department of Public Health serves as the state's central repository for records of vital events. The Department maintains and issues birth records, death records, marriage records and divorce records in compliance with state laws. At the county level, The Olmsted County Property Records & Licensing office provides this service to Olmsted residents. To access these records at either state or county level, the requestor may be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the state.
Where and How to Get Divorce Records
Records of divorces granted in Olmsted county are retained in the office of the Olmsted County District Court Administrator. These records can be made available to interested persons on request, provided they are non-confidential.
Divorce records may be accessed by querying the court administrator's office via mail or in person or using the Minnesota District Court Case Search tool. Whichever the case, the requesting party will be required to know and provide relevant details regarding the divorce such as the names of the spouses involved, the date and place of the divorce as well as the case file number of the record (if known). Mail requests may be addressed to:
Olmsted County District Court
Olmsted County Government Center
151 Fourth Street SE
Rochester, MN 55904
Phone: (507) 206-2400
Fax: (507) 285-8996
Where and How to Get Marriage Records, Birth Records and Death Records
The Olmsted County Property & Licensing Office maintains records of marriages, births, and deaths which occur within county limits.
As per state laws, birth and death records can only be provided to the subjects of the record, their immediate family members or persons who can prove tangible interest. However, copies of marriage certificates can be accessed by interested members of the public.
Interested persons may request these records using the Birth Certificate Application Form, the Death Certificate Application or the Marriage Certificate Application. The suitable application must be completed, notarized and submitted along with the stated fees and ID requirements to:
Olmsted County
Vital Records and Licensing
151 4th Street SE
Rochester, MN 55904-3709
In addition to government agencies, county public records may also be obtained from third-party websites. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for expansive searches. Record seekers may either opt to use these tools to search for a specific record or multiple records. Users are able to search third-party websites remotely for multiple records at a time with just the name of the record subject and their last known location, including the city, county, or state. Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.
