Meade County Arrest Records

In Meade County, South Dakota, arrest records are legal documents generated by law enforcement agencies when suspects are taken into custody. Arrests become necessary if the court issues arrest warrants, law officers witness arrestable offenses, or individuals flout court orders.

The Meade County Sheriff's Office, Sturgis Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and other law enforcement agencies within Meade County generate arrest records that may be accessible as part of Meade County court records. Law enforcement agencies in Meade County detain arrestees at the Meade County Jail. They transfer individuals serving long-term sentences to state or federal prisons.

Are Arrest Records Public in Meade County?

Yes, the South Dakota Codified Laws (SDCL) 1-27-1 mandates public access to government records (including Meade County arrest records) from their respective custodian agencies. However, access to some Meade County arrest records may be subject to certain restrictions, especially if they involve:

• Juveniles
• Active law enforcement investigations
• Expunged or sealed records
• Victim and witness cases
• Personal and financial details.

Those eligible to access exempted arrest records are legally authorized persons, law enforcement, and the record owners. The Meade County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records, booking logs, and jail information for individuals taken into custody. Record seekers can contact the Meade County Sheriff's Office at:

1400 Main Street,
Sturgis,
SD 57785
Phone: (605) 347-2681
Fax: (605) 347-6824
Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Meade County Arrest Statistics

Data from the FBI UCR arrest statistics show a rise in Meade County between 2022 and 2023. A report by participating law enforcement agencies within Meade County showed that 836 individuals were taken into custody in 2022. The same agencies reported 902 arrests in 2023. Within this period, 72.7% of arrestees were males and 27.3% were females.

Also, Meade County law enforcement agencies arrested 485 persons for DUI offenses. There were also a high number of arrests for drug/narcotics violations (331) and simple assaults (281) between 2022 and 2023.

Find Meade County Arrest Records

The Meade County Sheriff's Office is the primary local agency responsible for making arrests and maintaining arrest records within the county. Interested individuals should call, visit, or send written requests to the Meade County Sheriff's Office or local police departments during office hours. Record seekers should note that access to Meade County arrest requests may require valid proof of identity.

Alternatively, log in to the South Dakota UJS Public Access Record Search Portal and use the available search criteria to look for Meade County arrest information through criminal statewide court records. Individuals should note that search results may require fee payments.

Meade County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Below are some key distinctions between Meade County arrest and criminal records:

Meade County arrest records

Meade County law enforcement agencies create arrest records as evidential documents when they take suspects into custody. These documents contain their owners' names and personal details, reasons for the arrests, booking information, and conditions for their release. Also, Meade County arrest records may not impact their owners unless they result in convictions. An arrest record does not confirm guilt or innocence; arrestees are innocent until the court finds them guilty of the charges against them.

Meade County criminal records

Meade County criminal records are compilations of individuals' criminal activities such as arrests, prosecutions, convictions, incarcerations, and probations. Unlike arrest records, criminal records are guilty verdicts by the court for criminal offenses. These records may influence social status, housing, and employment opportunities.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

An arrest may remain on a record permanently unless the owner of the record petitions the court for its removal. Per SDCL § 23A-3-27 to 23A-3-35, an individual may be eligible to petition the Meade County Circuit Court to expunge an arrest record if:

• The arrest is without charges
• The arrest results in dismissal or acquittal
• The owner of the record completes a diversion program for the arrest
• The arrest record results from non-violent misdemeanor or felony convictions.

In addition, applicants must complete the sentences for the crime with no new charges. Petitioners must also observe the waiting periods for the crime before filing petitions to the court.

Meade County Arrest Warrants

Meade County arrest warrants are official orders from the Meade County Circuit Court instructing law enforcement to apprehend and detain individuals for committing crimes. A judge/magistrate may issue an arrest warrant if law enforcement submits a probable cause statement outlining the evidence that a person is responsible for a crime. The judge may also issue an arrest warrant if a person flouts a court order, a convict violates probation or parole, or a suspect tries to avoid prosecution for a crime.

A valid arrest warrant contains information which includes, but is not limited to:

• The subject's identifying information
• Description of the alleged offense and sections of South Dakota law violated
• Probable cause statement
• Date and time of issuance
• The issuing court
• Name and signature of issuing Judge/magistrate
• Geographical jurisdiction of the warrant
• Instructions to law enforcement on the execution of the warrant.

Do Meade County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, arrest warrants do not expire in Meade County, SD, or any part of the United States. Once the Meade County Circuit Court issues an arrest warrant, it remains active until law enforcement apprehends the subject or a judge/magistrate revokes it. However, upon an individual's death, a warrant ceases to be lawful.

Although an arrest warrant remains valid indefinitely if the statute of limitations that defines the time limit for issuing an arrest warrant for the associated crime expires, this may affect its enforcement.