Grand Forks County Arrest Records

Arrest records in Grand Forks County are created following the detention of a person suspected of committing an offense. Detention is usually considered necessary when an individual is suspected of an offense committed against local, state, or federal laws and when law enforcement believes that it will offer protection to the public or prevent the suspect from fleeing court proceedings. Generally, arrestees in Grand Forks County are taken to the Grand Forks County Correctional Center's main jail facility.

Local police departments, including the Grand Forks Police Department and other municipal agencies within the county, are involved in generating arrest records. The Grand Forks County Sheriff's Office also plays a significant role in maintaining arrest records. These arrest records are integrated with other public records, such as criminal history files, court documents, and records maintained by the Grand Forks County Court. For example, information related to arrests may be accessible in Grand Forks County Court Records, criminal history databases, and documents managed by the district attorney's office.

Are Arrest Records Public in Grand Forks County?

Yes. Arrest records in Grand Forks County are considered public documents per North Dakota Century Code § 44-04-18, which allows the public to view records kept by agencies, including law enforcement agencies.

Not all arrest records are accessible to the public. Some restricted records include those pertaining to juvenile offenders, ongoing investigations, and court-sealed records. Records exempt from public disclosure also include those disclosing the identification of informants and those that did not result in an indictment. People who may access confidential arrest records include those directly involved in a case or with a legitimate need for a record.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records in Grand Forks County generally include the following information:

• Full Name of Arrested Individual
• Age and Gender of Arrested
• Arrest Information: Date and Time of Arrest, Place of the Crime
• Charges Filed: Particular Offenses, Applicable Legal Codes
• Booking Information: Booking Number, Date of Booking, Amount of Bail/Bond (if set)
• Arresting Agency: Grand Forks Police Department, Grand Forks County Sheriff's Office, or local law enforcement
• Disposition: If charges have been filed, and the case is pending court action

Grand Forks County Arrest Statistics

According to the 2023 report from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Grand Forks County Sheriff's Office arrested 487 suspects, of which 448 were adults and 39 were juveniles. For the year, the Grand Forks County Police Department arrested 2,140 individuals, with 1,764 adults and 376 juveniles.

Find Grand Forks County Arrest Records

Grand Forks County arrest records are typically managed by the Grand Forks County Sheriff's Department. The office maintains a list of inmates housed in the Grand Forks County Correctional Center and arrest information. Arrest records are also held by the Grand Forks Police Department. Individuals may contact these agencies by calling or visiting the office in person.

At the state level, the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) provides an online service for searching for inmates incarcerated in state prisons. This service allows inquirers to look up general information about inmates in correctional facilities statewide in North Dakota.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) maintains an inmate locator useful for tracking prisoners incarcerated within federal facilities. This is helpful when an inmate may have been transferred to federal custody from local incarceration.

Free Arrest Record Search in Grand Forks County

Public arrest record searches in Grand Forks County can be done with free resources from the county and third-party websites. As already stated, there is an inmate roster at the Grand Forks County Sheriff's Department with information about inmates currently in custody at the Grand Forks County Correctional Center, which anyone can request for free. Likewise, free arrest records can be obtained by calling or visiting the Grand Forks Police Department in person, but most requests will require a written request for public records.

Besides that, third-party websites aggregate public information, such as arrest records, and make them accessible online. While many of the basic searches are free, the more comprehensive reports may require some payment after that. When using third-party information providers, users must ensure the accuracy and credibility of the source.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrests are not removed from an individual's Grand Forks County record unless expunged. North Dakota law does not automatically seal arrest records after a certain period has passed. Individuals may be allowed to petition for arrest record expungement if the case is dropped or they are acquitted.

Expunge Grand Forks County Arrest Records

Arrest record expungement in Grand Forks County is carried out under specific state laws that allow the deletion or sealing of certain criminal records in very limited circumstances. In North Dakota, expungement involves deleting and destroying related records or information, but it is only allowable for certain record types.

There are various conditions under which an individual may seek to have their criminal record expunged. Victims of human trafficking may file a petition to have records from convictions related to crimes like prostitution, misdemeanor theft, or drug offenses vacated and expunged if the individual committed such crimes as a result of being trafficked. According to NDCC § 12.1-41-14, the defendant may move the court to vacate and expunge such records.

Also, under NDCC § 19-03.1-23, a person convicted of possession of one ounce or less of marijuana for the first time, if since the conviction, the person has not been convicted of any offense within two years, may petition to expunge the record.

In the case of records resulting from juvenile court cases, delinquency records are kept for up to a maximum of 10 years from the date of the last order or when the youth reaches the age of 18, whichever occurs last. Unruly records will be maintained for one year following the youth's attainment of the age of 18 or one year after the final order has expired, whichever is longer. Afterwards, the records will be destroyed, and agencies that have received copies will be notified that no record exists. This process is controlled by NDCC § 27-20.2-25 and Rule 19 of the North Dakota Rules of Juvenile Procedure.

Likewise, a defendant whose DNA profile was taken and then entered into the state database due to an arrest may request the expungement of it if no felony charge was filed within one year of the arrest or if the charges were dismissed, the person was acquitted, or no felony conviction resulted from the case. It is provided by NDCC § 31-13-07.

Finally, where an arrest was determined to be unconstitutional and the charge was dismissed, or the conviction reversed, the defendant could move the court to expunge the records of arrest, as developed in State v. Howe, 308 N.W.2d 743 (N.D. 1981).

The expungement process generally involves filing a motion in the district court where the case was handled, completing supporting documentation, and then a hearing in front of the presiding judge, who will ultimately grant or refuse the request for expungement. Not all forms of criminal records can be expunged, and these state statutes strictly control who is eligible.

Grand Forks County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant in Grand Forks County is issued by the court, authorizing the apprehension of a suspect.

No warrant can be issued without probable cause or reasonable indication that a person has committed a crime. The arrest warrant is primarily issued when the suspect is not at the scene, the crime warrants a more severe punishment, there is failure to appear in court, or when parole or probation is violated. These documents typically contain the accused's name, the offense's nature, a statement of probable cause, and the signature of the issuing judge, which makes it valid.

An arrest warrant issued for Grand Forks County can thus be used by law enforcement authorities to search for and arrest the individual named in the warrant. Active warrants can sometimes be checked through the Grand Forks County Sheriff's Office, though some information may be restricted to maintain privacy and investigation integrity.

Do Grand Forks County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. The arrest warrants issued in Grand Forks County do not have expiration dates. An arrest warrant remains effective once issued until the individual named on it is arrested or the court officially withdraws it. Circumstances that may lead to a warrant being canceled by a court include dismissing the charges or throwing out the case.