Boone County Arrest Records

According to Iowa Code § 804.5, an arrest is the act of taking someone into custody under legal authority, whether by physical restraint or by the person's voluntary submission. Law enforcement officers carry out most arrests, although private citizens may do so in limited circumstances. When a person is accused of a crime, and an arrest warrant is issued, an officer initiates the arrest process. Additionally, if an officer has sufficient evidence that someone intends to commit a crime or is caught in the act, the officer has the authority to arrest.

The arresting agency in Boone County creates an arrest record documenting evidence found at the scene, the circumstances leading to the arrest, the suspect's statement, and the arrestee's details. A Boone County arrest record only shows that a person was detained on suspicion of a public offense; it is neither proof nor presumption of guilt. These records are vital because they become part of the official Boone County Court Records and are typically used to compile arrest statistics.

Are Arrest Records Public in Boone County?

Yes, Boone arrest records are public records per the Iowa Public Records Act (PRA). The act gives citizens the right to request, inspect, view, and make copies of arrest record data produced at any police department in Boone County. However, the PRA and Iowa administrative code provide exemptions that protect specific categories of arrest records from public disclosure. Some examples of arrest records that are protected from public access include:

• Juvenile arrest records
• Privileged and personnel records of information of undercover law enforcement officers.
• Any arrest records that contain intelligence assessment and intelligence data.
• Investigatory records
• Arrest records that are sealed by a court order
• Arrest records that reveal the identity of a victim of sexual assault
• Any information that might threaten a witness's safety.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The following information is typically included in Boone County arrest records:

• The name of the arrestee
• A comprehensive physical description of the arrestee (height, weight, visible tattoos, scars, sex, hair color)
• Cause of the arrest
• Date, time, and place of arrest
• Charges against the arrestee
• Name of the law enforcement institution that made the arrest.
• The name of the arresting officer
• Bail and bond information

Boone County Arrest Statistics

Data obtained from the FBI's uniform crime reporting portal shows that 642 arrests were made by law enforcement in Boone County in 2024. The most arrests were for traffic-related offenses (204), which made up 31% of the total arrests. Drug and narcotic offenses also led to a large number of arrests (112), contributing to 16% of the arrest totals.

Simple assault (42) and aggravated assault (17) contributed to 6% and 2% of arrests, respectively.

Find Boone County Arrest Records

Interested members of the public may find Boone County arrest records by querying the Boone County Sheriff's Office and police departments within Boone County. Law enforcement offices typically have a records division that keeps track of all the information about people booked into jail, investigations conducted by officers, accidents, the sex offender registry, and the issuance of permits to purchase and carry firearms. The records division also maintains a local database of arrest records.

Requests for Boone County arrest records may be made in person, by mail, or via phone. However, the arrest information provided to the requesters seeking arrest records in Boone County is sometimes limited. To get a more detailed arrest record covering the entire State of Iowa, individuals may contact the DCI in Des Moines. Typically, an arrest records search will require requesters to provide the following details to aid the search process:

• The date of the arrest
• The name of the arrested person
• The booking number(if known)

People arrested and booked in Boone County are usually transported to the Boone County jail at the Law Enforcement Center. The jail is located at:

Boone County Jail
1019 W. Mamie Eisenhower Ave.
Boone, IA 50036

Persons seeking information about an inmate's location, charges or welfare may contact the Boone County Jail Authorities at (515) 433-0524.

Free Arrest Record Search in Boone County

In Boone County, free arrest record searches may be performed via third-party websites. These sites are web-based platforms owned by private companies that aggregate public record information from various jurisdictions. They allow users to search for arrest, criminal, and other public records. Users search for records by inputting keywords related to the arrest records they are interested in. Keywords that may be used to query for arrest records include dates, names of persons, and names of the arresting agencies. Arrest records of any judicial proceeding may also be obtained at the county court clerk's office for free. Free searches can be performed using the public access terminals at the Boone County courthouse.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Forever. Arrest records remain on a person's record indefinitely. The State Records Commission does not enforce a retention schedule for arrest records because of the importance of accessibility and the necessity of regularly consulting them. However, arrest records over 100 years old are expunged, particularly if the subject of the record has been deceased for a long time. The only legal method of expunging arrest records is expungement.

Expunge Boone County Arrest Records

In Iowa, expungement means sealing a record instead of erasing it. Boone County arrest records that have been expunged are kept separate in a secure database and are unavailable to the public.

Individuals who want to apply for expungement in Boone County must first check if they meet the eligibility requirements set out by state law. Arrest records for misdemeanors and specific felony convictions are eligible to be expunged. However, the following categories of persons are guaranteed expungement:

• Persons who are wrongfully arrested
• Individuals whose cases have been dismissed
• Persons who have been proven not guilty by a court.
• First-time offenders with class A misdemeanors

In Iowa, not all criminal records can be expunged; eligibility requirements vary depending on the type of offense, whether the sentence was completed, and other particular legal requirements. However, eligible petitioners may follow these steps to get their records expunged:

• Obtain Court Records and Arrest Documents: Applicants will need to gather all crucial records about the arrest and conviction, such as the booking number, docket number, date of conviction, and specifics of the offense.
• File a Petition: Applicants must then file a petition for expungement at the Boone County court or the county court where the conviction took place; this will involve payment of a filing fee.
• Notice and Hearing: The court may arrange a hearing and inform interested parties about the petition; applicants must provide arguments supporting expungement.
• Court Decision: The judge will decide based on the arguments and evidence submitted.

Boone County Arrest Warrants

According to Section 804 of the Iowa Code, an arrest warrant is a court document issued by a judge or magistrate authorizing the arrest of a person they have reasonable suspicion is guilty of committing a crime.

Arrest warrants in Boone County are issued when a law enforcement officer makes a complaint stating that an individual has committed a public offense. The complaint and other affidavits must describe the nature of the offense and provide probable cause to explain why the person is suspected of having committed the offense. Boone County arrest warrants must include the following information to be considered valid:

• The name of the suspect, and if the name is unknown, a description of the suspect, along with any aliases
• A general description of the offense that authorizes a warrant to be issued
• The date of issuing it
• The county or city where the warrant is issued
• The signature of the magistrate with the magistrate's name of office.

Individuals may request lists of active arrest warrants at the Boone County Sheriff's office. The office has a division that checks active and executed warrants while responding to public record inquiries about warrants. Warrants issued by Boone County are also sent to the Iowa online warrants and articles database (IOWA). Interested persons can search this database using the name of a person suspected to be the subject of a warrant.

Do Boone County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, In Iowa, Boone County arrest warrants do not expire. A judge or magistrate may reissue a search warrant upon expiration or extend its validity period. Arrest warrants only expire after the subject of the warrant has been arrested.