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  1. Dodge County Court
  2. Dodge County Arrest Records

Dodge County, Wisconsin Arrest Records

Dodge County arrest records are official law enforcement documentation on individuals detained on suspected charges or active arrest warrants. These documents mark their subjects' initial interactions with the criminal justice system.

In Dodge County, law enforcement agencies, such as the Dodge County Sheriff's Office, Beaver Dam Police Department, and Watertown Police Department, create and maintain arrest records for various public interest reasons, including to:

  • Promote transparency and accountability.
  • Ensure that law enforcement actions follow due process.
  • Create public safety awareness.

Wisconsin presumes arrest records as public information under the Wisconsin Public Records Law. However, the state maintains separate statutes for criminal offender records information. The collection and dissemination of criminal history records in the state is governed by Sections 165.82 through 165.84 of the Wisconsin Statutes.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Dodge, Wisconsin?

Yes, arrest records are public information in Dodge County. Section 19.31 of the Wisconsin Statutes presumes government records (including Dodge County arrest records) as public, subject to statutory exemptions and common-law balancing tests.

Per the Wisconsin Public Records Law, requesters do not need to show identification or reside in Dodge County to access these documents. However, Section 19.35(1) of the Wisconsin Statutes requires individuals to provide sufficient details to help record custodians locate these files. Additionally, law enforcement agencies charge fees to cover the cost of labor, printing, and copying physical records.

What Do Public Dodge County Arrest Records Contain?

Arrest records are high-level summary data detailing the detention of individuals by law enforcement agencies. These documents contain identifying information of the arrested persons, the reasons for their arrest, and booking information. A public-facing Dodge County arrest record displays:

  • The full name, date of birth, gender, race, and place of residence of the arrested person
  • Booking number
  • Charges against the subject
  • Wisconsin statute allegedly violated
  • Booking status
  • Date, time, and location of the arrest
  • Arresting agency
  • Bond amount and type
  • Custody status
  • Court date/location
  • Case number.

While Wisconsin Statutes grant individuals the right to access arrest records, public access is subject to common-law balancing tests and statutory exemptions to:

  • Protect individuals' privacy.
  • Safeguard minors and victims.
  • Shield law enforcement tactics.
  • Prevent compromise of active investigations.

Consequently, law enforcement agencies will withhold Dodge County arrest records that relate to:

  • Juveniles
  • Sealed or expunged cases
  • Investigative tactics
  • Victim and informant identities
  • Protected personal identifiers.

Dodge County, Wisconsin Arrest Search

Individuals searching for information about arrests in Dodge County may use state and federal resources to locate these records. The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Online Record Check System (WORCS) allows individuals to access arrest records through background checks and adult criminal history records requests. Interested parties may also search for Dodge County criminal cases and their related arrests through the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Portal (CCAP).

At the federal level, the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) portal provides access to federal arrest warrants, federal court filings, and case files originating from the U.S. District Courts. Information seekers may use PACER to find details of Dodge County arrests that resulted in federal trials in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Individuals may also request their rap sheets through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Identity History Summary Checks.

Dodge County Inmate Locator

Generally, county inmate locators track individuals incarcerated at local detention facilities. These online search tools verify arrest details, booking time, preliminary charges, custody status, and bond amounts.

In Dodge County, the Sheriff's Office operates the local jail but does not maintain an inmate locator. Individuals seeking information about persons incarcerated at Dodge County local detention facilities should search the Sheriff's Office website for jail-related information. Alternatively, send an Open Records Request through the Dodge County Sheriff's Office Open Records Webpage. For phone or in-person requests for Dodge County arrest records or Dodge County jail roster, contact the Dodge County Sheriff's Office at:

124 West Street,

Juneau,

WI 53039

Phone: (920) 386-3731.

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Dodge County

Few options are available for individuals seeking free access to Dodge County arrest records. The Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Portal provides free access to arrest details through criminal case records. Record seekers may also visit the Dodge County Sheriff's Office and other local law enforcement agencies' websites and search for free weekly arrest logs, blotters, or daily media releases that may include arrest information. Additionally, interested parties may visit local law enforcement agencies and request free viewing of their booking records through an Open Records Request.

While it is possible to access arrest details in Dodge County without showing identification, there are practical limits to what may be obtained through free-tier platforms. Free search tools and websites omit redacted materials and historical records. Furthermore, users must supply specific identifying data to help these platforms locate the requested files.

Dodge County Arrest Report

A Dodge County arrest report serves a different purpose from an arrest record. Arresting or responding officers create arrest reports immediately after they arrest suspects for alleged crimes. Unlike arrest records, which are summary data, arrest reports are comprehensive documents that detail facts and evidence about arrests. A typical Dodge County arrest report provides a firsthand narrative about the circumstances surrounding the specific arrest and includes:

  • The arresting officer's observations at the scene
  • Statements from the victims and witnesses
  • Field sobriety test results
  • Evidence logs
  • The suspect's statements or behavior
  • Probable cause for the arrest.

While Section 19.35.1(a) of the Wisconsin Statutes establishes public access to arrest reports, law enforcement agencies must perform common-law balancing tests to determine if public disclosure will cause harm that outweighs individuals' right to know. Likewise, Section 19.36(6) of the Wisconsin Statutes mandates that arresting agencies must redact information protected by state or federal laws.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Dodge County

Wisconsin treats criminal record expungement as court record sealing. The process removes the record from public court portals; however, this action does not vacate the underlying conviction or automatically erase the information from the Wisconsin Department of Justice Crime Information Bureau or other executive agencies' databases.

Wisconsin provides several pathways for removing arrest information from records:

Non-conviction records

Per Section 165.84.1 of the Wisconsin Statutes, individuals who were arrested in Dodge County and were not charged, or whose arrests resulted in dismissals or acquittals, may submit Form DJ-LE-250B (Removal of Arrest Information) to the Wisconsin Department of Justice Crime Information Bureau to remove their fingerprints and arrest data from its database. This process purges the arrest record from the Wisconsin Department of Justice Online Record Check System (WORCS) and law enforcement databases.

Conviction records

Section 973.015 of the Wisconsin Statutes permits the expungement of misdemeanors and Classes H and I felonies if the subject is under 25 years old at the time of the crime and completes the sentence for the offense, if the judge grants expungement during sentencing. The Dodge County Circuit Court will seal an eligible Dodge County record and remove it from the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Portal if the subject submits a completed Form CR-266 (Petition to Expunge Court Record for Conviction) to the Dodge County Clerk of Circuit Court after completing the sentence for the crime.

Executive Pardon

Convictswho were 25 years or older at the time of their crimes will have their civil rights restored if they receive executive pardons from the Governor of Wisconsin. This does not erase or seal their records on the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Portal.

Juveniles and victims of human trafficking

Human trafficking victims who were arrested for prostitution in Dodge County may petition the Dodge County Circuit Court at any time to expunge their arrest records (Section 973.015(2m) of the Wisconsin Statutes). Likewise, individuals who were minors at the time of their Dodge County arrests may apply for expungement through the Dodge County Clerk of Circuit Court once they reach 17 years of age (Section 938.355(4m) of the Wisconsin Statutes).

To expunge a Dodge County arrest record:

  • Confirm if eligible for expungement.
  • Obtain proof of sentence completion.
  • Complete the relevant statewide criminal court form (Form CR-266 (conviction without probation or jail) or Form JD-1780 (juvenile delinquency records)).
  • Submit the completed form and accompanying documents to the Dodge County Clerk of Circuit Court Office at:

Dodge County Justice Facility

210 West Center Street,

Juneau,

WI 53039.

How Do You Remove Dodge County Arrest Records From the Internet?

Removing a Dodge County arrest record from the internet requires deletion from the Wisconsin Department of Justice Crime Information Bureau database or sealing through the Dodge County Circuit Court. Additionally, the subject of the arrest record must submit formal requests to all third-party online publishers of the record.

Expunging a Dodge County arrest record seals the official government platforms, but it does not compel private websites to purge the information from their databases. To clear online digital footprints, the subject of the expunged arrest record must send formal removal requests, with copies of the expungement order and government ID, to every third-party site hosting the data. Furthermore, the individual must ask the major search engines to de-index the outdated URLs so that search results no longer display the arrest information.