Find Police Records in Apple Valley

Police records from Apple Valley, Minnesota are public records kept by the Apple Valley Police Department and subject to the state's data practices laws. Apple Valley is a city in Dakota County with about 56,000 residents, situated in the south Twin Cities metro. If you need to look up an arrest record, find an incident report, or check on other police data from this city, this page covers what records are available, how to ask for them, and where to search online.

Apple Valley Police Department

The Apple Valley Police Department is the law enforcement agency for the city. You can find contact info, the records request form, and department details at applevalleymn.gov/184/Police-Department.

The department page lists the phone number, the physical address, and how to submit a data request. For city services beyond the police department, the main city website is also useful.

The city homepage links to all departments, including police. If you are looking for the data request form and cannot find it directly on the police page, the main city site or the city clerk's office can point you to the right place.

To ask for a record, write out your request with the date, names, and case number if you have one, and submit it by mail, email, or in person. Staff will confirm what is available and let you know if a fee applies before they pull the file.

What Records Are Public

Minnesota law is clear about what police data must be open to the public. Under Minn. Stat. 13.82, agencies must disclose the name, age, sex, and address of anyone arrested, along with the charge, the date, and the place of arrest. Booking photos are public as well. These rules apply to the Apple Valley Police Department the same as any other agency in Minnesota.

Active cases are not public. Data that could compromise an ongoing investigation is withheld until the case closes. Once a case is done, more of the file may become available. If you receive a denial, the agency must tell you in writing what law allows the data to be held back.

Property crime reports, traffic incident records, and calls-for-service logs are other types of data you can request. These records vary in how much personal data they include. Call logs typically show the type of call, the location, and the date and time. Names and details about individuals are sometimes left out unless the data is classified as public for other reasons.

How to Request Records

Submit a written request to the Apple Valley Police Department. You can use the form on the department website, write a plain letter, or send an email. Include as much detail as you can: the date, names, and a case or incident number if you have one. Staff in the records division will process the request and contact you with any questions or to let you know about fees.

Inspecting public data is free under Minn. Stat. 13.03. Paper copies cost $0.25 per page for the first 100 pages, then actual cost beyond that. Electronic copies are priced at actual cost of duplication. You are not required to justify your request or explain why you want the data. The agency cannot make that a condition for providing public records.

In-person requests during business hours may be handled the same day if the data is ready. Written requests take longer. The department should respond in a reasonable time and must tell you if there is a delay. If you have a time-sensitive need, call the records division and explain the situation when you submit your request.

Searching Records Online

Minnesota Court Records Online is available at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. This free tool covers all 87 counties and lets you search criminal and civil cases by name or case number. Dakota County cases, including those from Apple Valley residents, appear in the system once filed in court.

Court records are not police records. MCRO shows what happened in court after a case was filed. For the original arrest report or the officer's notes, contact the Apple Valley Police Department. For charges, court dates, and case outcomes, use MCRO. Together, these two sources give you the most complete picture of a case.

The Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings handles Apple Valley cases. If you need certified copies or want to check on a case in person, the court administrator's office there can help. The MCRO portal handles most general searches without a trip to the courthouse.

BCA Criminal History

For a statewide criminal background check in Minnesota, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is the main agency. The BCA keeps records from law enforcement agencies across the state, including Apple Valley. Call 651-793-2400, option 7, or go to BCA background checks to learn about the process and fees.

Under Minn. Stat. 13.87, criminal history data held by law enforcement is classified. Some parts are public; others are not. The BCA handles self-checks for individuals reviewing their own records and authorized third-party checks for agencies with legal authority. For Apple Valley-specific records, the police department is the better first contact. For statewide history, the BCA is the more thorough source.

Your Rights Under Minnesota Data Law

The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act at Minn. Stat. 13.025 is the main public records law in the state. Public data must be open to anyone who asks. The agency cannot require you to prove a connection to the data or give a reason for your request when you ask to inspect public records.

If the data is about you, Minn. Stat. 13.04 gives you the right to view all data the agency holds about you, get copies, and correct data that is wrong. The agency must tell you what data they have, why they collected it, and who gets to see it. These rights apply to the Apple Valley Police Department as they do to any government body.

A denial must be in writing and must cite the specific law allowing the data to be withheld. If you disagree with a denial, you can file a complaint with the Minnesota Department of Administration's Data Practices Office. The office reviews complaints and issues formal opinions.

1st Judicial District Court

Apple Valley is in the 1st Judicial District, which covers Dakota County and several neighboring counties. Cases from Apple Valley are filed at the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings. You can search for cases using the MCRO portal or visit the courthouse. The court administrator's office in Hastings handles certified copy requests, case status checks, and other court services.

If a court has issued an expungement order for a case connected to an Apple Valley resident, that record will be restricted from standard public searches. Expungement does not destroy data; it limits who can see it. Some law enforcement agencies retain access to sealed records under specific legal authority, but those records do not appear in routine public searches.

Dakota County Police Records

Apple Valley is part of Dakota County, which also includes Burnsville, Eagan, Lakeville, and other communities. The Dakota County Sheriff handles unincorporated parts of the county. For records from within the city of Apple Valley, the local police department is the right contact. For county court data and other county resources, visit the Dakota County page.

Nearby Cities

Other qualifying cities near Apple Valley with police records pages include the following.