Brown County Police Records Lookup
Brown County police records are maintained by the Brown County Sheriff's Office in New Ulm and cover arrests, incident reports, and all law enforcement contacts across this south-central Minnesota county. Most records are public under state law, and this page explains how to access Brown County police records, what data is available, and what Minnesota statutes say about public access and privacy.
Brown County Overview
Brown County Sheriff's Office: Police Records
The Brown County Sheriff's Office in New Ulm is the primary source for Brown County police records. The office serves the county's rural areas and works alongside city police departments in New Ulm and other municipalities. The sheriff's office handles patrol, emergency response, and records management for the county. If you need arrest records, incident reports, or other law enforcement documents for incidents outside city limits, the sheriff is the right office to contact.
| Office | Brown County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 15 S State Street, New Ulm, MN 56073 |
| Phone | (507) 233-6700 |
| Sheriff Website | www.co.brown.mn.us/255/Sheriff |
| County Homepage | www.co.brown.mn.us |
| Judicial District | 5th Judicial District |
The sheriff's website at www.co.brown.mn.us/255/Sheriff lists department information and may have forms or instructions for records requests. It is worth checking before you call or visit. Hours and contact procedures can change, and having the most current information saves time. For incidents inside New Ulm city limits, the New Ulm Police Department would hold those records rather than the county sheriff.
The screenshot below shows the Brown County homepage, which links to county departments including the sheriff's office and other services.
The Brown County website at www.co.brown.mn.us provides access to all county departments and current contact information.
Brown County has a population of around 25,000 people spread across New Ulm and several smaller communities. The sheriff's office covers a wide geographic area. Records from different parts of the county are all maintained by the same sheriff's records division, so you do not need to contact multiple offices for county-level records.
How to Request Brown County Police Records
Under Minn. Stat. 13.03, any person can inspect public government data for free. Copies cost $0.25 per page for the first 100 pages. You do not need to give a reason for your request. The agency must respond promptly and, if it denies your request, must cite the specific statute that allows it to withhold the data. A blanket claim of privacy without a legal citation is not valid.
To request records, contact the Brown County Sheriff's Office at 15 S State Street in New Ulm, or call (507) 233-6700. Written requests by mail should include the type of record you need, the date range, and any case number or name that will help staff find the file. If you are looking for arrest records, include the person's full name and approximate date of arrest if you have it.
Note: Active investigation records are not public until the case is closed. The agency will tell you if a record falls under this exception.
Mail your written request to the Brown County Sheriff's Office at the address listed above. Include a return address so staff can send copies or follow up with questions. If you want to search in person, the office is in New Ulm. Calling ahead to confirm walk-in hours is a good idea before making the trip.
If you are requesting data about yourself, you have additional rights under state law. You can ask to see any data the agency holds about you, and you can contest records that you believe are incorrect. The process is covered in more detail in the data rights section below.
What Police Records Are Public in Brown County
Minn. Stat. 13.82 defines the public law enforcement data in Minnesota. From the moment of arrest, these items are public: the name, age, sex, and address of the person arrested; the charge or alleged offense; the date, time, and place of arrest; and the name of the arresting agency. No one needs a court order to get this information. It is public from the time of arrest.
Beyond basic arrest data, incident reports and records from calls for service may also be public. It depends on whether the case is still active and whether the records involve classified data. Booking photos are public in Minnesota. 911 audio recordings are private, but transcripts of those calls are public. Ongoing investigation data is not available until the case closes. Victim data in sensitive cases may be redacted.
If part of a record is withheld, the agency should tell you that a redaction was made and under what law. You can then decide whether to challenge the denial through the data practices complaint process.
Online Court Records: MCRO
Minnesota Courts Records Online (MCRO) is a free public search tool at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. It covers court cases filed in the 5th Judicial District, which includes Brown County. Search by name or case number to find filed charges, hearing dates, and case dispositions. MCRO is useful when you want to see if an arrest in Brown County led to criminal charges and what happened in court.
MCRO only covers court filings. It will not show arrests that never resulted in charges being filed. For a full picture of law enforcement activity, check both the sheriff's records and MCRO. Together they cover the entire process from law enforcement contact to final court outcome. The 5th Judicial District court for Brown County holds case files in New Ulm, and you can search in person at the courthouse clerk's office during business hours.
Criminal History Checks Through the BCA
For statewide criminal history records, contact the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) at 651-793-2400, option 7. Their background check portal is at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/Pages/background-checks.aspx. The BCA maintains records from across Minnesota, not just one county.
Under Minn. Stat. 13.87, BCA criminal history data is generally private except for people currently in the criminal justice system. The public-facing BCA tool gives limited results. Full certified background checks require a more detailed process. If you need a comprehensive look at someone's statewide criminal history, the BCA formal process is the right route. For quick case lookups, MCRO is faster and free.
Data Rights Under Minnesota Law
The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Minn. Stat. 13.025, sets the default rule that all government data is public unless a specific law says it is not. This applies to every government body in the state, including Brown County. The agency must justify any refusal with a specific legal citation. You do not need to justify your request.
Under Minn. Stat. 13.04, you can ask to see data about yourself held by any government agency. You have the right to contest data you believe is wrong. The window to contest is 30 days after you find out about the data. You have 60 days to appeal a decision. These rights apply to data held by the Brown County Sheriff, courts, or any other county agency.
Note: If Brown County denies a records request without a legal basis, the Minnesota Department of Administration's Information Policy Analysis Division handles complaints and can provide guidance on your options.
Agencies are expected to respond to records requests in a reasonable time. A simple request for a single arrest record should not take weeks. If you are waiting more than a few business days for a simple request, follow up with the agency to ask about the status.
Nearby Counties
Brown County borders several counties in southern Minnesota. If an incident may have crossed into another county, check those jurisdictions for records as well.