Minnehaha County Arrest Records

In Minnehaha County, South Dakota, an arrest occurs when law enforcement takes individuals suspected of committing a crime into custody. Per South Dakota laws, law enforcement officers may arrest a suspect with or without a warrant once there is probable cause that the individual has committed an offense (SD Law § 23A-3-2.1).

Suspected individuals arrested by law enforcement are booked and then held in the Minnehaha County Jail or the Regional Juvenile Detention Center pending their release on bail or arraignment. During booking, an arrest record containing information about the individual and circumstances surrounding the arrest is generated.

Arrest records are one of several records created when a person is involved with the criminal justice system. Minnehaha County court records may contain additional information about the arrest outcome, especially if the person was arraigned.

Are Arrest Records Public in Minnehaha County?

Yes. Under South Dakota Sunshine Law, anyone can inspect and copy records generated by the public bodies in the state. Interested individuals can therefore request access to arrest records created and maintained in any format by the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office without presenting a statement of purpose.

Nevertheless, some records are not publicly available for inspection, especially if they contain sensitive data, involve minors, or are sealed by court orders. These publicly inaccessible records may however be obtainable by the record bearer, legal professionals, persons with a court order, and other criminal justice agencies for official use. Arrest records exempt from public access comprise:

• Juvenile records and arrest information
• Mental health, medical fitness reports, and drug test results
• DNA and fingerprint specimens in the custody of the South Dakota State Forensic Laboratory
• Social Security numbers, debit/credit card information, and license numbers
• Records of ongoing investigations carried out by law enforcement agencies
• Records declared closed or confidential by court orders and other statutes

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Minnehaha County arrest records made available for public inspection by the record custodians usually contain:

• Personal information of the suspect.
  • Full name and alias if available
  • Age and Birthdate
  • Nationality, state, and county of origin
  • Career/Vocation information
  • Descriptive features like scars, marks, height, hair/skin color, nose shape
• Arrest information such as date, place, time, reason, and officer in charge of the arrest
• Mugshots/ photographs taken during the booking
• Other booking information like the time, date, place, and processing agency
• The type and magnitude of crime
• Release date and information regarding bail/bond if applicable
• Court information such as dockets, arraignment dates, case number, and status
• Information about the detention facility if available.

Minnehaha County Crime Rate

The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation( DCI) publishes crime statistics for Minnehaha County. According to recent publications, in 2023, the total crime index was 13,316. The crime rate per 1,000 residents in Minnehaha County for 2023 was 55.16, a -18.31% change from the 67.52 reported in 2022.

The reported crimes included pornography (98), destruction (1573), motor vehicle theft (1166), embezzlement (144), fraud (457), arson (18), kidnapping (37), robbery (73), burglary (672), larceny (3950), assault (3456), and drug/narcotics (1200). Property crimes such as larceny, burglary, and motor vehicle theft were more common than violent crimes.

Minnehaha County Arrest Statistics

Arrest data assembled by the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office show that in 2020 a total of 1,177 arrests were made in Minnehaha County. The arrests involved 95 juveniles and 1,082 adults. The arrest index included 23 aggravated assaults, 117 simple assaults, 3 robberies, 5 burglaries, 3 larcenies, 146 drug violations, and three murders.

Find Minnehaha County Arrest Records

Minnehaha County residents seeking incident reports and arrest information may contact the County Sheriff’s Office. Interested persons may submit requests in person or via mail to obtain copies of arrest records. All requests must contain identifying information of the desired record including the name of the suspect, arrest date/ location, and alleged crime.

Requesting parties should note that:

• The sheriff’s office will only provide arrest information for arrests made within the county’s jurisdiction
• Varying fees may apply to copying Minnehaha County arrest records
• Arrest records of juveniles and other sealed records may not be accessible without a court order
• In-person requests may be submitted between 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday at:

Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office
320 W. 4th Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Phone: (605) 367-4300
Fax: (605) 367-7319

Besides, the South Dakota Department of Corrections maintains an online Offender Locator that is accessible to inquirers with a first, and last name or DOC number. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and other federal justice agents also preserve records of arrests carried out by their respective agents at the federal level.

Free Arrest Record Search in Minnehaha County

Per the state’s sunshine law, interested members of the public can request to inspect and copy Minnehaha County arrest records. It may be possible to view arrest records for free by making in-person visits to the sheriff’s office within official hours. Copying these records, however, may require a fee.

In addition, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s office provides free inmate information of persons held in the county jail on its Who's Behind Bars page. Interested persons may search for an arrest record by entering a last name into the search button or browsing the full inmate listing page.

Concerned citizens of Minnehaha County may also be able to access free arrest records on privately owned third-party aggregators. These sites contain arrest information gathered from numerous sources and are relatively fast, convenient, and easy to use. To search these aggregate sites, users may be required to provide a first/last name, arrest date, or location to produce search results.

Get Minnehaha County Criminal Records

In Minnehaha County, criminal records or rap sheets are official summaries of a person's history in terms of criminal actions and interactions with the justice system in the county. These records are sourced from various local and state police departments and contain information about a person’s arrests, convictions, and confinements.

Minnehaha County criminal records are managed and preserved at the state level by the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office. Statewide arrest records are stored on the Computerized Criminal History (CCH) system provided by the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). To request criminal history records from the DCI, concerned persons may submit a fingerprint card, a completed Authorization and Release form, and a fee of $26.75 (payable by check or money order) to the Attorney General’s Office. The fingerprint card may be obtained from any authorized local enforcement agency at additional costs and should contain the applicant's name, birth date, gender, and Social Security number.

Minnehaha County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

A Minnehaha County arrest record focuses on the arrest history of the record subject. It reveals the number of arrests and detentions for investigations done in connection to a violation as specified in South Dakota Codified Laws.

Criminal records, on the other hand, include additional information about the arrest such as the case disposition and sentencing. They are formal overviews of the record bearer’s criminal activities and their outcomes.

Minnehaha County arrest records are primarily created and maintained by the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office and other local police departments whereas the State Attorney General’s Office is the custodian of Minnehaha County criminal records.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Permanently. Minnehaha County arrest records, unless expunged, stay on an individual’s criminal history forever and are available to members of the public. Although state laws are not specific on the retention and disposal period of arrest records, factors like the internal policies of record custodians and the nature of the alleged crime may influence the retention schedule of such records.

Expunge Minnehaha County Arrest Records

Per SDCL 23A-3-26, concerned residents of Minnehaha County may file a motion for expungement(expunction) of arrest records with a court of jurisdiction. Expungement as defined by state laws does not mean the destruction of the record but the sealing of such records from public disclosure.

A Minnehaha County arrest record may be eligible for expunction if:

• No accusatory instrument has been filed one year after the arrest date on the record
• The prosecuting attorney approves of the expunction after dismissing the charges
• The arrested individual was acquitted by a law court

To request an expungement, eligible persons may file a motion for expungement alongside a civil case filing statement form and processing fee of $70 with the clerk's office in a court of jurisdiction. Upon receipt of the motion, the court schedules a hearing and serves a notice of hearing to the prosecuting attorney fourteen days before the scheduled date. The hearing for expungement may be waived if all parties involved consent. Once the motion is approved, an Order of Expungement is issued by the court and copies are sent to the Division of Criminal Investigation for further action.

Minnehaha County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant in Minnehaha County is a court order that authorizes the arrest/detention of individuals named on it. It may be issued by a judge, magistrate, or grand jury based on established probable cause.

The arresting officer requesting a warrant must provide substantial evidence and a sworn statement proving that the named individual has violated South Dakota Codified Laws. Arrest warrants issued in Minnehaha County generally reveal the following:

• Name of the suspect
• The alleged crime
• The warrant’s issuing date and time
• The issuing official’s name, title, and signature
• Name and location of the issuing court or agency.

Minnehaha County Arrest Warrant Search

Residents of Minnehaha County arrest records in search of arrest warrant information may query the County Sheriff’s Office. In-person requestors may be required to produce a valid photo identification and other search filters like a name.

Active warrant search may also be conducted online on the County Sheriff’s website. Interested persons may enter either a last name or a city to begin a search. One may also scan Minnehaha County's Most Wanted Fugitives page to obtain information about outstanding warrants.

Do Minnehaha County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Minnehaha County arrest warrants do not expire but remain valid until an enforcement officer makes an arrest. An arrest warrant may, however, become void if a court quashes it or the named individual dies.