Search Edina Police Records

Police records from Edina, Minnesota are public records kept by the Edina Police Department under the rules set by Minnesota state law. Edina is a city in Hennepin County with about 53,000 residents, located just south of Minneapolis. If you want to find an arrest record, look up an incident report, or search for other police data tied to this city, this page explains what is available, how to request it, and where to search online.

Edina Police Department

The Edina Police Department is the law enforcement agency for the city. Contact information, records request procedures, and department details are on the city website at edinamn.gov.

The city site links to the police department section where you can find phone numbers, the department address, and how to submit a data request. The department accepts requests in person, by email, and by mail. Using the form on the site is often the fastest approach since it prompts you to include the key details.

Edina's police department is a mid-sized suburban agency with a records division that handles public data requests. For incidents that may have involved the Hennepin County Sheriff, the sheriff's records office is a separate contact. For events within Edina city limits, the police department is the main source.

What Records Are Open to the Public

Minnesota state law defines what police data must be made available to anyone who asks. Under Minn. Stat. 13.82, agencies must disclose the name, age, sex, and address of anyone arrested, along with the charge, the date and location of the arrest, and any booking photo. These rules apply to the Edina Police Department the same as they apply to every other law enforcement agency in the state.

Active investigations are not public. Data that could jeopardize an open case or put someone at risk is held back. Once a case closes, more of the record may become available. If your request is denied in whole or in part, the agency must tell you in writing what specific law permits the withholding.

Other police records you may be able to request include incident reports for closed cases, traffic stop records, calls-for-service summaries, and property crime reports. Public portions of these records are open to anyone. You do not have to be connected to the case to ask for public data from it.

How to Request Records

Write out a request for the records you want and send it to the Edina Police Department. Include the date of the event, the names involved, and a case or incident number if you have one. You can submit by email, by mail, or drop it off in person. Staff in the records division will process your request and contact you with any questions or to confirm fees.

Under Minn. Stat. 13.03, looking at public data is free. Paper copies cost $0.25 per page for the first 100 pages, then actual cost for additional pages. Electronic copies are priced at actual duplication cost. The agency cannot charge you for staff time spent locating the records. You are not required to give a reason for your request, and the agency cannot demand one as a condition for providing public data.

In-person requests during business hours may be handled the same day if the records are ready. Written requests take more time. The department must respond in a reasonable time and must notify you of any delays. If you need records urgently, explain that when you submit and ask staff for an expected timeline.

Online Search Tools

The Minnesota Court Records Online portal is available free at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. You can search criminal and civil cases across all 87 counties by name or case number. Hennepin County cases, including those from Edina residents, are in the system once they are filed in court. No account is needed to search basic case data.

Court records and police records are not the same thing. MCRO shows what happened after a case was filed in court. For the original arrest report or incident documentation from the police, contact the Edina Police Department. For charges, court dates, and case outcomes, MCRO is the right source. Using both tools together gives the most complete picture of any specific case.

The Hennepin County District Court in Minneapolis handles Edina cases. For certified copies or in-person record lookups, visit the Government Center in downtown Minneapolis. The court administrator can help with requests and can tell you what records are available online versus what requires a visit.

BCA Background Checks

For a statewide criminal history check, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is the main agency. The BCA keeps the state's central criminal history repository and collects data from all law enforcement agencies across Minnesota, including the Edina Police Department. Call 651-793-2400, option 7, or go to BCA background checks to learn what types of checks are available and how much they cost.

Under Minn. Stat. 13.87, criminal history data is classified. Some parts are public; others are private. The BCA handles self-checks for individuals and authorized third-party checks for agencies with legal authority. For records specific to Edina, the local department is the better starting point. For statewide criminal history, the BCA is the more thorough option.

Your Rights Under Data Practices Law

The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act at Minn. Stat. 13.025 is the foundation of public records access in Minnesota. Government agencies must make public data available to anyone who asks. The agency cannot require you to explain why you want it or prove a personal connection to the records before giving you access to public data.

If the data is about you personally, Minn. Stat. 13.04 gives you the right to see all data the agency holds about you, get copies, and challenge data that is inaccurate. The agency must tell you what data they have, why they collected it, and who they share it with. These rights apply at every level of government in the state, including city police departments.

If a request is denied, the denial must come in writing with a citation to the specific law allowing the data to be withheld. You can file a complaint with the Data Practices Office at the Minnesota Department of Administration if you believe the denial was not justified. The office reviews complaints and issues advisory opinions. Agencies are expected to follow those opinions.

4th Judicial District Court

Edina is in the 4th Judicial District, which serves Hennepin County. Criminal and civil cases from the city are filed at the Hennepin County District Court at the Government Center in Minneapolis. You can use MCRO to search for cases without visiting the courthouse. For certified documents, in-person visits, or records that are not yet in the online system, go to the court administrator's office in Minneapolis.

Expungement orders granted by the 4th District can seal records that were once publicly accessible. If you search for a case and cannot find it, a court-ordered expungement may be the reason. Sealed records are not deleted; access is simply restricted. Law enforcement may still access sealed records in certain situations, but those records are off-limits for routine public searches.

Hennepin County Police Records

Edina is part of Hennepin County, the most populous county in Minnesota. The Hennepin County Sheriff handles unincorporated areas and supports city departments when needed. For records from within the city of Edina, the Edina Police Department is the right contact. For county court records and broader county resources, visit the Hennepin County page.

Nearby Cities

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