What are Polk County Arrest Records?
Polk County arrest records are formal documents that give information about apprehensions carried out by law enforcement bodies within the county. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is the primary custodian of arrest records in Polk County. The Records Division of the Sheriff’s Office processes requests of the county’s arrest records. A requester should fill out the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Record Request Form and submit it to:
Polk County Sheriff’s Office
600 Bruce Street
P.O. Box 416
Crookston, MN 56716
Phone: (218) 281-0431
Crime Statistics
The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety provides the yearly report of crime statistics in all counties of the state. In 2018, Polk County reported 1,338 total crimes, including 145 violent crimes and 1,193 property crimes. The violent crimes include 57 rapes, three robberies, and 85 aggravated assaults. The property crimes include 196 burglaries, 861 larcenies, 123 motor vehicle thefts, and 13 arsons.
The 2018 crime data reveals a significant decline in total crime rates in the county over five years. Between 2014 and 2018, rape, aggravated assault, burglary, and larceny rates declined by 28%, 35%, 43%, and 6% respectively. Robbery, motor vehicle theft, and arson rates increased by 200%, 45%, and 117% respectively.
What are Polk County Criminal Records?
Polk County criminal records are formal documents that spell out information about individuals apprehended for felonies, gross misdemeanors, and some misdemeanor offenses within the county. It provides information about investigations, arrests, bail/bonds, charges, plea bargains, convictions, probation, and placement in correctional centers. Criminal records may be requested by any individual on anyone. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety keeps and disseminates copies of criminal records to interested and eligible persons in the state.
How Do I Get Polk County Criminal Records?
The BCA allows interested individuals to request their own criminal records. To obtain criminal records, submitting a written request with the following information:
- The requester’s full name
- Date of birth
- Any other names (aliases) used, including maiden and former married names
Sign, date, and notarize the written request, enclose payment of $8 and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Payment methods include money order, personal check, cashier’s check, and certified or business check. Submit requests by mail to:
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
CHA Unit
1430 Maryland Avenue East
St. Paul, MN 55106
Each request is processed within 14 days.
In the alternative, an in-person request can be made with the written request and the requester’s government-issued photo ID. Simply visit the office address above during the hours of 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., from Monday to Friday.
Third-party requests for the criminal history record of another person are made online, by mail or in person. The Minnesota Public Criminal History Information is the portal used to make online requests. It is a publicly accessible portal where requests are made with the names (first and last) and date of birth of the record subject.
To make in-person and mail requests, the requester will provide a notarized Informed Consent Form signed by the record subject. The form will have information like the names (first, last, and middle name) and date of birth of the record owner. The notarized form, payment, a valid ID, and a self-addressed stamped envelope should be submitted to:
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
CHA Unit
1430 Maryland Avenue East
St. Paul, MN 55106
A criminal history record request costs $15. Means of payment include money orders, personal checks, cashier’s checks, or business checks.
For more information, contact the BCA through (651) 793-2400 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
How to Find Polk County Sex Offender Information?
The state of Minnesota’s Predatory Offender Registry is operated by the BCA. It serves as a database with sex offender information made available to the general public for safety and welfare purposes. Interested persons may search for sex offender’s information with the individual’s full name, age, and location. Information on sex offenders within Polk County may be gotten by selecting the county. At the same time, the Minnesota Department of Corrections provides an online searchable database of compliant and non-compliant registrants. Search this database with city, name, county, or zip-code. The Polk Sheriff’s Office may also provide sex offender information to an inquirer where a request is made.
How Do I Visit an Inmate in Polk County Jail?
Inmate visiting days are Monday to Friday, between 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.; 9:40 a.m. to 10:40 a.m.; and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The jail facility allows on-site or public visits where they are scheduled before arrival. The jail facility is located at:
Polk County Jail
816 Marin Avenue
Suite 110
Crookston, MN 56716
Phone: (218) 470-8100
Where and How to Find Polk County Inmate Information?
The Polk County Jail provides a regularly updated Polk County inmate roster in the form of a PDF document. It provides information such as the inmate’s name, ID number, age, booking date and time, and charges.
What are Polk County Court Records?
Polk County court records are public records in the custody of the Polk County District Court. Court records are available online and may be requested in person. To make an online search for court records, use the Minnesota AccessCaseRecords. Make walk-in requests for court records by visiting the District Courthouse to:
Polk County District Court
Polk County Justice Center
816 Marin Avenue
Suite 210
Crookston, MN 56716
Phone: (218) 281-2332
Fax: (218) 281-2204
Location of all Courts in Polk County
Polk County belongs to the Ninth Judicial District of Minnesota and it has just one District Court.
Polk County District Court
Polk County District Court
Polk County Justice Center
816 Marin Avenue
Suite 210
Crookston, MN 56716
Phone: (218) 281-2332
Fax: (218) 281-2204
What are Polk County Vital Records?
Polk County vital records are official files that document the occurrence of vital events within the county. Polk County vital records include birth, divorce, death, and marriage records. The Polk County District Court maintains divorce records in Polk county, while the Polk County Recorder keeps and processes requests for marriage, birth, and death records. Access to Polk County birth and death records is restricted to:
- Persons with a particular interest in the record
- The record’s subject
- The close relatives of the record’s subject
- The personal representative of the estate of the record’s subject
- Individuals who filed or a representative of the organization that filed the birth or death information with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) or a local registrar
- Local, state, or federal government agencies where the request is necessary for carrying out authorized duties.
Where and How to Get Polk County Divorce Records?
Polk County divorce records are at the courthouse of the Polk County District Court. A requester may obtain divorce records by making in-person inquiries at:
Polk County District Court
Polk County Justice Center
816 Marin Avenue
Suite 210
Crookston, MN 56716
Phone: (218) 281-2332
Fax: (218) 281-2204
Where and How to Get Polk County Marriage Records?
Records of marriages performed in Polk County between 1875 to date are kept by the County’s Recorder. The recorder provides certified and non-certified copies of marriage records for any interested person at $9. Polk County marriage records can be requested in person or by mail with the names of the married couple before and after the marriage and the date of marriage. To make a request, complete the Request for Marriage Certificate form, enclose a money order or check and submit in person or by mail to:
Polk County Recorder
612 North Broadway
Room 225
P.O. Box 397
Crookston, MN 56716
Phone: (218) 281-3464
Marriage licenses and certificates can also be searched with the Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS).
Where and How to Get Polk County Birth Records?
Polk County Recorder is the primary custodian of birth records from 1875 to date within the county. The Recorder has certified and non-certified copies. To get certified copies, the requester needs to present a government-issued ID and establish proof of tangible interest. For non-certified copies, there is no need to establish proof of tangible interest since they are for informational purposes. A certified birth record costs $26 for the first copy and $19 for each additional copy of the same record. A non-certified birth record costs $13 for the first copy and $6 for each additional copy of the same record. Either type of birth record can be requested in person or by mail. Simply fill out the Certified Birth Certificate Application form or the Non-Certified Birth Record Transcript Application. Enclose a valid ID, payment (check or money order), and proof of tangible interest (for certified copy requests) and send by mail or submit in person to:
Polk County Recorder
612 North Broadway
Room 225
P.O. Box 397
Crookston, MN 56716
Phone: (218) 281-3464
Where and How to Get Polk County Death Records?
Records of deaths that occurred within Polk County from 1875 to date are at the office of the Recorder. The recorder processes requests for certified and non-certified copies of death records within the county. Requests for certified copies require the requester to prove tangible interest. A certified and non-certified copy costs $13 for the first copy requested, while any additional copy requested at the same time costs $6 each. To request either a certified copy or non-certified copy, fill out the Death Certificate Application form, include payment (check or money order), a valid ID, and proof of tangible interest (for certified copy requests). Submit these documents in person or by mail to:
Polk County Recorder
612 North Broadway
Room 225
P.O. Box 397
Crookston, MN 56716
Phone: (218) 281-3464
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.
