Search Chippewa County Booking Reports
Chippewa County Booking Reports are public records created each time someone is arrested and processed into custody at the Chippewa County Law Enforcement Center in Montevideo, Minnesota. The Chippewa County Sheriff's Office maintains a public in-custody list online. This page explains how to access it, what data fields it includes, and how to use statewide Minnesota tools for broader arrest history searches.
Chippewa County Booking Reports
Chippewa County In-Custody List
The Chippewa County Sheriff's Office publishes a public in-custody list at chippewa.mn/custody.html. This list shows people who are currently booked into the Chippewa County jail. It is updated as new bookings occur and is publicly accessible without registration or a fee.
The custody list includes several data fields for each inmate. You can see the person's photo, MNI number, sex, age, booking number, intake date, charges, and bail or bond information. This is one of the more detailed online rosters offered by a rural Minnesota county. Having the intake date and charge fields visible on the public list makes it easier to research recent arrests without a formal records request.
If someone you are looking for does not appear on the list, they may have been released or transferred since you last checked. The list reflects current custody only. Past booking records that are no longer active require a separate records request to the sheriff's office.
Note: The MNI number shown on the custody list is a Minnesota-wide identifier that can help tie records across different agencies and searches in the statewide BCA system.
Chippewa County Sheriff's Office
The Chippewa County Sheriff's Office is located at the Law Enforcement Center at 629 N 11th Street in Montevideo. The sheriff manages patrol, civil process, and jail operations for the county. All booking records are centralized at this facility. For questions about current custody, a specific booking, or how to submit a formal records request, contact the sheriff's office directly.
| Website | chippewa.mn/departments/sheriff |
|---|---|
| In-Custody List | chippewa.mn/custody.html |
| Address | 629 N 11th St., Montevideo, MN 56265 |
| Phone | 320-269-2121 |
| Judicial District | 8th |
The sheriff's office can be reached by phone at 320-269-2121. Staff can confirm custody status, answer questions about the online roster, and guide you through the process for formal booking record requests. The Law Enforcement Center at 629 N 11th Street handles all in-person inquiries during regular business hours.
What the Booking Report Includes
A Chippewa County booking report is created each time someone is taken into custody at the county jail. The record documents the arrest event and is maintained by the sheriff's office. Under Minnesota Statute 13.82, arrest data is classified as public. Anyone can request it.
Standard fields in a booking report include the person's full name, date of birth, booking number, intake date and time, charges, and bail amount. The MNI number is a unique Minnesota identifier assigned by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It helps link records across agencies and time periods. The public custody list shows most of these fields directly, which is useful for quick lookups without a formal request.
If you need a certified copy of a booking report or records for past arrests no longer on the active roster, submit a written request to the sheriff's office. Include the person's name, approximate date of arrest, and your contact details. The agency must respond within a reasonable time.
Requesting Past Booking Records
The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act governs access to booking records. The core statute is at Minnesota Statute Chapter 13. Section 13.82 covers arrest data specifically and classifies it as public. You do not need to state a reason for your request. The sheriff's office is required to provide the data.
Exceptions apply for active investigative data under Section 13.87. If a case is ongoing and releasing information would compromise the investigation, the agency may withhold some details temporarily. Once the investigation closes, the data may become available. The sheriff or county attorney can advise on what is accessible in a specific situation.
Written requests can be sent to the Chippewa County Sheriff, 629 N 11th St., Montevideo, MN 56265. You can also call 320-269-2121 to start a verbal request for basic information. For formal certified copies, written requests are generally required.
Minnesota BCA Criminal History
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension maintains a statewide criminal history database that includes Chippewa County arrest records. The BCA collects data from all 87 counties and tracks arrests, charges, and dispositions over time. This is more comprehensive than the county's active custody list, which only shows current inmates.
Search the BCA at Minnesota BCA Criminal History Search. A fee applies for public record searches. If you need to see someone's arrest history across multiple Minnesota counties or over a longer time period, the BCA is the right tool. It is updated as agencies submit records, so recent bookings may take a short time to appear.
Minnesota DOC and State Inmates
When someone is convicted after a Chippewa County arrest and sentenced to a state prison term, they leave the county jail and enter the Minnesota Department of Corrections system. At that point, they no longer appear on the county custody list. Use the Minnesota DOC Offender Locator to search state prison inmates by name or DOC number. The tool is free and updated daily. It shows current facility, sentence information, and supervised release details.
Court Records for Chippewa County Cases
Criminal cases from Chippewa County are processed by the 8th Judicial District. Court records are held by the district court, not the sheriff. They cover the full lifecycle of a case from the filing of charges through final disposition. Booking reports and court records are different documents from different agencies.
Search Chippewa County court cases at Minnesota Court Records Online. Basic lookups are free. Search by name or case number and view charge descriptions, hearing dates, and case outcomes. For full case files or certified copies, contact the Chippewa County court administrator's office in Montevideo.
Court records answer the question of what happened after an arrest. A booking report tells you someone was taken into custody. A court record tells you what charges were filed, whether there was a conviction, and what sentence was imposed. Both are public records for most adult cases.
VINE Custody Alerts
VINE is a free notification service that tracks custody status across all Minnesota county jails and state prisons. Register at VINELink or call 1-877-MN-4-VINE (1-877-664-8463) to set up alerts. When someone's status changes, including a release, transfer, or change in supervised release, VINE sends a notification by phone, text, or email. The service is available 24 hours a day.
Nearby Counties
Chippewa County borders several west-central Minnesota counties. Use these links to find booking records in neighboring jurisdictions.