Dallas County Arrest Records

Dallas County residents placed under arrest are first transported to the Dallas County Sheriff's Correctional Facility for booking. Upon arrival, arrest records are generated to provide an official account of the apprehension. These records comprise information pertaining to the arrestee, their offense, and likely judicial process. Usually, the officer will proceed to forward all information obtained from the arrestee and about the arrest to the court, where the case will be tried. Law enforcement agencies usually manage arrest records, but local courts may include the information in the Dallas County Court Records and refer to it during the trial.

Are Arrest Records Public in Dallas County?

Yes. The Iowa Open Records Law favors the accessibility of arrest records by members of the public. This gives Dallas County residents the right to examine, inspect, or copy arrest records in the custody of law enforcement agencies. Public arrest records can be accessed during the custodian's customary office hours. However, the custodian may deny access to some arrest records because they are confidential pursuant to Iowa Code § 22.7. Examples of such records are:

• The investigative reports of peace officers
• A law enforcement agency's criminal identification files
• A housing, mental health, or substance-related disorder crisis intervention report generated by a law enforcement agency.
• Circumstances surrounding an arrest whose disclosure would threaten someone's safety or critically jeopardize an investigation.
• Some parts of law enforcement agencies' email and telephone billing records will not be released if that information is part of an ongoing investigation.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Record seekers can find the following information in a public arrest record:

• Docket Number
• Bond number, type, and amounts
• The inmate's mugshot and subject number
• Demographic information (inmate's full name, gender, race, height, weight, and address)
• Booking history (booking number and date, release date, prisoner type, housing facility, total bail amount, and booking origin)
• Charge number and description
• Crime class, disposition, and arresting agency
• Offense and sentence dates, court date and time, and sentence length

Dallas County Arrest Statistics

The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) has a Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) System that serves as the state's central repository for arrest data. Per Iowa Code §692.15, law enforcement agencies in Dallas County report arrest statistics to the UCR program. The agencies reported about 1,078 arrests in 2023, an increase from the previous year. 718 of them were Group A arrests, and 360 were Group B arrests. Adult arrests totaled 807, and juvenile arrests totaled 271.

Find Dallas County Arrest Records

The Iowa Department of Corrections (IDOC) houses approximately 8,200 individuals and makes their arrest information available to members of the public under Iowa Code § 904.601(1). This information can be retrieved in person at any state prison managed by the IDOC or the Offender Search portal. To use the online database, record seekers must enter a name, birth date, or offender name in the appropriate search box.

Individuals who cannot find a record at any IDOC facility or through the portal can check with federal law enforcement agencies. The Dallas County offender may be housed in a federal prison.

Below are some agencies that also provide arrest records to requesters:

• The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP): It has an Inmate Locator where customers can find Dallas County arrest records using a number (BOP register number, DCDC number, FBI number, or INS number) or name (first, middle, or last). Interested persons can also visit any of the BOP's facilities during business hours to submit a request.
• The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): The Online Detainee Locator System returns arrest information of individuals in ICE custody. The search parameters are by A-Number or biographical information. Alternatively, members of the public can visit the ICE field offices or detention facilities in person during business hours to obtain copies of arrest records.
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Record holders can obtain copies of their arrest records online, by mail, and through approved channelers. The FBI charges $18 per copy, and the fee can be paid by money order, credit card using the Credit Card Payment Form, or certified check for such services.
• The United States Capitol Police (USCP): Inquires can use USCP's online portal to find arrest records. The search can be filtered using a CFN number, crime summary, crime date, or crime type. Alternatively, an arrest record request can be submitted to the USCP by mail. Interested persons mail a completed Request Form to:

United States Capitol Police
Reports Processing Section
119 D Street, Ne
Washington, DC 20510

Free Arrest Record Search in Dallas County

The Dallas County Sheriff's Office offers an Inmate Search System that hosts arrest information of inmates in the county jail. To browse the system, individuals can search by name, subject number, booking number, booking date range, or housing facility. The database will return arrest information without charges. Many third-party websites also allow users to conduct free arrest record searches, but with some limitations. They often provide a basic overview of the existence of the desired records, but detailed information usually requires payment or subscription fees.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Dallas County, most arrests stay on a person's record indefinitely. For example, arrest records, arrest books, and investigation reports are permanent, according to the Iowa League of Cities's Record Retention Manual for Iowa Cities. Arrestees may petition the court to have a record restricted from public access. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) does not maintain the following arrest information in criminal records:

• Arrests where no fingerprint card was sent to the DCI
• Arrests that involve simple misdemeanors or minor traffic charges like speeding,
• Arrests where the DCI did not receive a disposition for the past four (4) years from the arrest date.

Expunge Dallas County Arrest Records

Iowa Code § 907.1 defines expungement as the segregation of a court's criminal record in a secure area or database not available for public access. To expunge arrest records in Dallas County, the applicant must meet the following criteria:

• Certain misdemeanor charges, excluding those listed on Iowa Code § 901C.3
• A person arrested for prostitution can have their records expunged after 2 years (Iowa Code § 725.1)
• The person's criminal charge was dismissed, and 180 days have passed since the entry of the judgment of acquittal (Iowa Code § 901C.2)
• The person was charged with public intoxication, and 2 years have passed since the conviction (Iowa Code § 123.46)
• The person was charged with possession of alcohol under the legal age, and two years have passed since the conviction (Iowa Code § 123.47)

Applicants can file any of the forms below with the Dallas County Clerk of Court, depending on the offense they want expunged:

• Application to Expunge Court Record under Iowa Code section 901C.2
• Application to Expunge Prostitution Court Records under Iowa Code section 725.1
• Application to Expunge Misdemeanor Court Records under Iowa Code section 901C.3
• Application to Expunge Public Intoxication Court Records under Iowa Code section 123.46
• Application to Expunge Possession of Alcohol under the Legal Age Court Records under Iowa Code section 123.47

Eligible individuals expunging misdemeanor offenses must submit a criminal history check alongside the expungement form. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) disseminates criminal records online through the Online Portal, mail, fax at (515) 725-6080, in person, and email at dcirecordchecks@dps.state.ia.us for $15. A completed Criminal History Billing and Request Form is required for mail, fax, and email requests.

The applicant must also serve the expungement form to the Dallas County Attorney, who has 20 days to file a response. The Clerk will grant the expungement if it determines that the applicant has met all requirements for making their records confidential.

Dallas County Arrest Warrants

The issuance of an arrest warrant commences with the filing of a complaint (Iowa Code § 804.1). A magistrate will issue a warrant for a person's arrest if the complaint indicates probable cause to believe an offense has been committed and that a designated person has committed it. According to Iowa Code § 804.2, the content of an arrest warrant includes:

• The magistrate's signature and name of office
• The issuing date and the city or county the warrant was issued
• A command that the warrant be executed by a peace officer in Ohio
• The name or a general description of the offense committed by the offender
• The defendant's name, but if the name is unknown, the magistrate can designate "name unknown".

The judge can deliver the arrest warrant to any peace officer to execute and serve it in any county in the state (Iowa Code § 804.4). The officer executing the warrant can arrest the defendant at any day and time.

Do Dallas County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants issued by Dallas County magistrates do not expire. This means that they remain active until they are served. Therefore, any law enforcement officer in Iowa can execute an arrest warrant at any time, regardless of the issuing date.