Ward County Arrest Records

An arrest record is documentation of everything that happens when a person is taken into custody by law to answer for the commission of an offense. According to Chapter 29-06 of the North Dakota Century Code, an arrest within the county is either made by a peace officer with or without a warrant or by a private person. However, probable cause must be established before law enforcement can arrest the suspect without a warrant.

After an arrest, the suspect is taken into custody at the Ward County Detention Center, where the booking begins. During this process, fingerprints and photographs of the individual are taken for record-keeping. According to Rule 46(a)(1) of the North Dakota Court system, the suspect may then be released by paying a bail amount, or the case may be set for a bond hearing before a judge. The outcome depends on the severity of the charges.

The Ward County Sheriff's Department is the county's custodian of arrest records. Under the department's direction, individuals may need to request Ward County Court Records to access other arrest information.

Are Arrest Records Public in Ward County?

Yes. Ward County arrest records are public records accessible to interested persons upon request to the right custodian. According to North Dakota Sunshine Laws, all government records should be public unless a specific law authorizes a record to be closed. These laws allow individuals to review and obtain copies of information on arrests that happen in the county.

Certain records are not open to the public as they may be private, sealed, or protected to keep the parties involved safe. Examples of arrest information not available to the public in the county:

• Personal information of any person contained in an active or inactive file is an exempt record as defined in section 44-04-17.1
• Reports containing juvenile information or victims of domestic violence
• Federal records
• Accident reports containing an officer's opinion on responsibility for the accident
• Most traffic offense information.

Note that departments like the Ward County Sheriff's Department will not release records from another law enforcement agency.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Ward County arrest records contain information on a person's arrest, including the following:

• The arrested person's full name, date of birth, home address, phone number, and type of job and location.
• Personal details upon booking (mugshot, fingerprints, physical description, booking time and date, alleged criminal offense, and arrest type).
• Full name and contact details of the officer who made the arrest and the interrogation method.
• Bail amount and judgment of the case trial.

Ward County Arrest Statistics

In NIBRS, the Ward County Sheriff's Office collects detailed data related to incidents and arrests. According to the 2023 Crime/Arrest Report overview, 660 arrests were recorded, with 514 adult arrests and 146 juvenile arrests. Under Group A offenses, there were a total of 49 adult arrests and a total of 56 juvenile arrests for crimes against persons. For crimes against property, there were a total of 21 adult arrests and a total of 12 juvenile arrests. For crimes against society, there were a total of 180 adult arrests and a total of 7 juvenile arrests. Adult arrests for Group A were 250, and juvenile arrests were 75.

The total number of Group B arrests for adults recorded was 264, and for juveniles, it was 71. However, the most prevalent adult group B arrests were for offenses like driving under the influence (116), liquor law violations (38), and all other offenses (106).

Find Ward County Arrest Records

The Ward County Sheriff's Department makes arrest records accessible to interested persons. While viewing arrest records may be free, obtaining copies of the records often involves covering the copying fees.

Ward County Sheriff's Department
204 Front Street Southeast
P.O. Box 907
Minot, ND 58702
Phone: (701) 857-6500
Fax: (701) 857-6520

Another way to find free arrest records is to search the Ward County Detention Center online inmate locator. Requesters will need to provide certain details to initiate a successful search. The jail roster provides comprehensive information such as the inmate's full name, booking number, cell number, release Date (including due date for release, if available), criminal charges, and responsible agency. For additional information, contact:

Ward County Detention Center
204 Front Street
P.O. Box 907
Minot, ND 58702
Phone: (701) 857-6530

For information on persons in state facilities, use the Resident Lookup tool maintained by the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (NDDOCR). Requesters will have to provide the last name or the starting letters of the name of the individual in custody. If there is a match, it will display the arrest details along with mugshots. However, this search tool only provides information on incarcerated inmates held in the NDDOCR facility.

Free Arrest Record Search in Ward County

Some criminal reports are part of Ward County arrest records and are open to the public providing the case is cleared through court, declined for prosecution, or closed. The Ward County Sheriff's Department allows free access to criminal reports in person by completing and submitting a request for a report/information form.

Alternatively, there are third-party websites available online for individuals to access Ward County arrest records for free. Requesters may have to provide personal information such as the full name, state/county, and date of birth of the suspect to successfully conduct a search using these sites. Another advantage is that one can search for specific or multiple records without geographical restrictions.

Note that these websites are not affiliated to the government and may gather and upload arrest information from various official sources. Also, search results from third party websites are often incomplete or inaccurate. As such, the records obtained from these sources may not be used for official purposes.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

It depends. In Ward County, arrest records can remain on file for seven years after an arrest. Felony arrests typically remain on record indefinitely. However, North Dakota Expunge or Seal Criminal Records law allows individuals the option to seal or prevent public access to records on arrests without convictions. If an arrest record is sealed or expunged, law enforcement agencies can still retain arrest records within the files.

Expunge Ward County Arrest Records

In Ward County, expungement of arrest records is deletion and destruction of all information on arrests within the county. This legal process is only for individuals with dismissed charges, arrests that did not result in felony charges within one year, or misdemeanor convictions. Any defendant that meets the expungement requirements may petition the court to expunge the arrest records.

Following the requirements in rule 3.4 of the North Dakota Rules of Court, a petition must include (12-60.1-03):

• The petitioner's full name and all other legal names or aliases the petitioner has used at any time
• The petitioner's addresses from the date of the offense until the date of the petition
• Reasons why the petition should be granted
• The petitioner's qualifications and an official copy of their arrest record from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NDBCI).

Upon receiving these documents, the court will schedule a hearing before a judge to assess whether the arrest record is eligible for expungement. If granted, the court will issue a court order to the NDBCI to make the necessary revisions to the appropriate records.

Ward County Arrest Warrants

According to NDCC Section 29-30.3-01, a Ward County arrest warrant is a document that authorizes a peace officer to take custody of an individual within the state. A magistrate may issue an arrest warrant if testimony or affidavit shows probable cause to believe that a suspect has committed an offense (29-30.3-05). The warrant is directed to all peace officers in the county and may only be executed by a peace officer.

Rule 4 of the North Dakota Rules of Criminal Procedure (NDRCP), an arrest warrant may contain the following information:

• The signature of the issuing magistrate with the title of the office
• The date of issuance and the municipality or county where issued
• The defendant's name or, if it is unknown, a name or description that identifies the defendant can, with reasonable certainty
• The offense charged against the defendant
• A command to arrest and bring the defendant to the nearest available magistrate.

Do Ward County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Ward County Arrest Warrants do not have an expiration date. Upon arrest, the warrant remains active until the officer can put the subject of the warrant into custody. In cases where the officer cannot make an arrest, the warrant will still remain active until the subject of the warrant is in custody.