Search Police Records in Ramsey County
Ramsey County police records cover arrest data, incident reports, criminal history, and active warrant information maintained by the Sheriff's Office in Arden Hills. This page explains how to search and request Ramsey County police records, what data the Sheriff releases, and where to find court and statewide criminal history information online.
Ramsey County Overview
Ramsey County Sheriff Police Records
The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office Records Unit handles requests for police reports and criminal history arrest data. The records location is in Arden Hills, not in downtown Saint Paul. Walk-in visits and mail requests are both accepted during regular business hours. Staff process requests Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4:30 PM, excluding holidays. Cash, checks, and money orders are accepted for payment. Credit and debit cards are not accepted.
| Office | Ramsey County Sheriff's Office - Records Unit |
|---|---|
| Address | 1411 Paul Kirkwold Drive, Arden Hills, MN 55112 |
| Phone | (651) 266-9320 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (excluding holidays) |
| Payment | Cash, check, or money order only (no credit or debit cards) |
The Records Unit handles requests for incidents under Sheriff's jurisdiction. It does not release reports from the Saint Paul Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol, University of Minnesota Police, Metro Transit Police, or any surrounding suburban police departments. Those agencies each maintain their own records. If your incident was handled by one of those departments, contact them directly.
Lead-in: The Ramsey County Sheriff police and incident reports page explains what public information can be released and how to submit a request.
The records page outlines the exact process for getting a copy of an incident report tied to Sheriff's Office jurisdiction in Ramsey County.
Ramsey County Criminal History Arrest Reports
The Ramsey County Sheriff provides criminal history arrest reports as a public service. These reports contain Ramsey County arrest information only. The Sheriff does not provide arrest data for incidents in other counties or agencies. If you need a statewide record, you have to go to the Minnesota BCA or check directly with each agency involved.
To get a criminal history arrest report from Ramsey County, you need to provide specific information with your request. The required details are the full name of the person you are looking up, their date of birth, how many copies you need, and the reason you are requesting the information. Without all four pieces, your request may be delayed or returned incomplete. You can submit in person at the Arden Hills location or send your request by US mail to the same address.
Criminal history records fall under Minn. Stat. 13.87, which governs how this data is classified and released. Not all criminal history data is public. Convictions are generally accessible, but some arrest records without a conviction may have limited release depending on case outcome and statute.
Lead-in: The Ramsey County criminal history arrest reports page describes the process for requesting Ramsey County-specific arrest history records.
For arrests in other counties or statewide criminal history, use the BCA rather than the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office.
Ramsey County Arrest Warrant Search
The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office runs an Online Warrant Search (OWS) tool. It lets you search public information about individuals who have active arrest warrants in Ramsey County. The tool is available to any person, including crime victims and community members who want to check warrant status for someone they know.
The OWS covers warrants issued by the Ramsey County District Court, which is the 2nd Judicial District. It shows warrants from the past 10 years. The tool does not show warrants older than 10 years, warrants from other jurisdictions, or warrants that have already been served, resolved, or recalled. You must agree to a disclaimer before you can search. The disclaimer covers appropriate use of the information.
The Sheriff's Office includes a clear public safety note for anyone using the warrant search: assume individuals with active warrants are dangerous. Do not try to contact them. Only law enforcement can arrest someone on an active warrant. If you locate someone with a warrant, call 911 or submit a tip. Do not approach the person. For questions about the warrant search tool, call 651-266-9320.
Warrants are issued by the district court, not the Sheriff. The Sheriff processes and serves warrants but does not create them. This means if you want to contest a warrant, you work through the court, not the Sheriff's Office.
Lead-in: The Ramsey County Online Warrant Search page provides access to the OWS tool and explains what the search covers.
The OWS tool is a public resource but does not show all warrant types. Only 2nd Judicial District warrants from the last 10 years appear in results.
Note: Resolved, recalled, or out-of-jurisdiction warrants will not appear in the Ramsey County Online Warrant Search, so a no-result does not confirm someone is completely clear.
What Ramsey County Police Records Include
A Ramsey County police incident report contains the date, time, and address of the incident, the type of incident involved, the names of adult persons who were part of it, a brief description of what took place, and any arrest or citation information that resulted. This basic set of data is what the Sheriff can release as public information under Minn. Stat. 13.82. Arrest data is public from the moment of arrest and includes the time, date, place, adult name, age, sex, address, charges, whether weapons were present, and whether the person was held in custody. Booking photos and 911 transcripts are also public under this statute.
Some data cannot be released. The Sheriff will not provide records when an investigation is still ongoing, when release could put someone's safety at risk, when releasing information would expose investigative techniques, or when juvenile records are involved. These exceptions exist in state law and apply across Minnesota law enforcement, not just in Ramsey County.
Important to note: the Ramsey County Sheriff handles incidents under its own jurisdiction. It does not release reports from the Saint Paul Police Department, which has its own records process. The same applies to the Minnesota State Patrol, University of Minnesota Police, Metro Transit Police, and all suburban city police departments. Each agency is a separate records custodian. If your incident happened in Saint Paul proper, contact the Saint Paul PD directly for a copy of that report.
How to Request Ramsey County Police Records
For in-person requests, go to 1411 Paul Kirkwold Drive in Arden Hills. Bring a photo ID and any information you have about the incident, especially the case number if you have it. A case number (listed as CN) makes the search much faster. If you don't have a case number, bring the date, time, location, and names of anyone involved in the incident.
Mail requests go to: Ramsey County Sheriff's Office, Records Unit, 1411 Paul Kirkwold Drive, Arden Hills, Minnesota 55112. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your request. Payment must be by money order or check made payable to Ramsey County. Cash is not sent by mail. The copy fee is $0.25 per page, consistent with the state standard under Minn. Stat. 13.03. Allow 4 to 6 days for delivery after the office processes your request.
Credit and debit cards are not accepted by the Records Unit. Bring cash, a check, or a money order if you are paying in person. Do not send cash by mail. If you are unsure how much to send, contact the office at 651-266-9320 before mailing payment.
State law requires that if a request is denied, the agency must give you a written citation of the specific statute that classifies the data as private, confidential, or protected. A general refusal without a statutory basis is not legally sufficient. If you receive a denial, review the cited statute to understand your options. You have the right to appeal through the Commissioner of Administration under Minnesota's data practices law.
Search Ramsey County Records Online
The free Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system covers the Ramsey County District Court, which is the 2nd Judicial District. You can search by name, case number, or citation at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. No login is required. Results show party names, case types, charges, docket entries, and case status. MCRO is a good first stop when you want to confirm whether a court case exists or find a case number before contacting the courthouse or Sheriff's Office for documents.
For statewide criminal history, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is the right source. The BCA maintains the state's central criminal history system, which pulls data from courts and law enforcement agencies across all 87 counties. Call 651-793-2400, option 7, to reach the background check unit. The BCA's website at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/ has forms, fees, and instructions for requesting criminal history data.
The Ramsey County District Court sits at the Ramsey County Courthouse in downtown Saint Paul. For court records that are not available through MCRO or for certified copies, contact the court clerk at the courthouse. The 2nd Judicial District handles all criminal and civil filings for Ramsey County, and its records are separate from what the Sheriff's Office maintains.
Note: MCRO does not display all family court details or sealed records, so a no-result in the online system does not always mean a case does not exist.
Data Access Rights in Ramsey County
Minnesota's Government Data Practices Act sets the default that all government data is public unless a law specifically classifies it otherwise. This framework, found at Minn. Stat. 13.025, applies to Ramsey County the same as every other Minnesota county. You do not need to explain why you want public data. You do not have to be a party to a case or have a specific legal interest. Any person can request data that falls under the public classification.
The specific rules for police and arrest data come from Minn. Stat. 13.82. This statute defines what arrest data, incident data, and request-for-service data are public. For access rules and copy fees, Minn. Stat. 13.03 controls. Inspection is free. Copies cost $0.25 per page up to 100 pages. Any denial must come with a written citation of the law that makes the data non-public.
If you are the subject of data, Minn. Stat. 13.04 gives you stronger rights. You can ask what data exists about you, see it, and challenge it if you believe it is wrong. The deadline to contest inaccurate data is 30 days from when you learn of the error. If you want to appeal a denial, you have 60 days to do so. When an agency collects personal data from you, it must give you a Tennessen Warning that explains the purpose, intended use, and whether providing the data is mandatory or voluntary.
Cities in Ramsey County
Ramsey County is home to Saint Paul, the state capital, along with several other communities. Each city police department keeps its own records for incidents within city limits. For arrests and incidents handled by the Ramsey County Sheriff, use the Sheriff's Office process described on this page.
Other communities in Ramsey County include Maplewood, Roseville, Shoreview, Little Canada, North Saint Paul, and others. These cities have their own police departments and maintain separate records.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Ramsey County. If you need records for an incident in a different jurisdiction, the county where it occurred is the right place to start.