What are Arrest Records in Ward County?
The information contained in a typical Ward County arrest record includes details on an individual’s arrests, arrest searches, inquiries, reports, logs, a warrant for arrest, and mug shots. However, arrest records may not pass for criminal history information since these records do not provide definitive proof of a person’s involvement in a crime. The Ward County Sheriff’s Department is the primary custodian of arrest records. Thus requests for these records are usually directed to the Sherriff’s Department. Alternatively, an individual may use State Records’ online search tools.
Crime Statistics
The Ward County Sheriff’s office compiles crime statistics in Ward County. However, the office of the North Dakota Attorney General maintains and disseminates these statistics. Offenses are generally classified into two groups. There are three categories under Group A including Crimes Against Persons including murder, rape, and assault; Crimes Against Property which includes arson, burglary, and motor vehicle theft; as well as Crimes Against Society which comprises drug violations, weapons offenses, and pornography. Group B comprises DUI and other minor offenses.
In 2018, a total of 833 offenses occurred in Ward County. Drug-related crimes were the most reported and accounted for 18% of the index crimes at 150 incidents. Simple assault was the second most reported offense and accounted for 13.3% of the index crimes at 111 incidents. DUI and Burglary were the third most reported offenses and constituted 8.4% at 70 incidents each. There were 6 reported crimes related to rape while there was no case of murder reported in Ward County in 2018.
However, from 2017 to 2018, the reported index crime offenses in Ward County increased by 19.8%. There was a year-on-year increase in reported drug-related offenses (27.1%), simple assault (42.3%). On the other hand, DUI rates dropped by 5.4% and rape cases fell by 68.4%.
What are Ward County Criminal Records?
Ward County criminal records are documents of an individual’s criminal history within the county’s jurisdiction. These records include documents on an individual’s arrests, warrants, criminal charges filed, as well as convictions and sentences for criminal offenses. The Ward County Sheriff’s Department creates and maintains these records.
How Do I Get Ward County Criminal Records?
Members of the public seeking information on criminal records must download and fill a request form. The full name and date of birth of the individual are required. A requester must then submit their request in person at the Ward County Sheriff’s Department. Unless sealed by state statute or court order, Ward County criminal records are public records.
Ward County Sheriff Department
315 Third Street SE, Minot,
North Dakota 58701
Phone: (701) 857-6500
Fax: (701) 857-6520
Alternatively, a searcher may direct their request for criminal records to the state custodian:
North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations
205 State Street
P.O. Box 1054
Bismarck, ND 58502
Phone: (701) 328-5500
Likewise, third-party service providers manage and disseminate public criminal records. They are useful when searching for specific or multiple records since these online service providers are unrestricted by geographical location. However, since third-party service providers are not government-sponsored, record availability is not always guaranteed. To find a record using the search engines on third party websites, the requesting party must provide:
The location of the record in question including city, county, or state
The name of the individual involved provided it is a not a juvenile
How to Find Ward County Sex Offender Information
The office of North Dakota Attorney General is the central custodian of the statewide Sex Offender Registry. The registry is very useful to track convicted and wanted sex offenders in Ward County. To find information on a sex offender, the searcher must select Ward County in the list of options and click Search.
How do I Visit an Inmate in Ward County Jail?
Inmates in Ward County are kept at the Ward County Detention Center. Visitors have the option of visiting an inmate at the facility or remotely via video installations. Online visitors will need to sign up at the Turnkey Video Kiosk in the Jail Lobby or online. Onsite Visitors must schedule their visits in advance. Visits are conducted throughout the week. Also, inmates can only receive one on-site visit every 72 hours.
The windows for visitations are:
Onsite Visitation: 1PM - 6PM & 7:30pm - 10pm Daily.
Video Visitations: 1PM - 6PM and 7:30pm - 10pm Daily.
Visitors under the age of 18 can visit if accompanied by their legal guardian. The entry requirements include either a driver’s license, state identification card, or United States Passport. Personal items are not allowed in the visitation lobby.
Where And How To Find Ward County Inmate Information
The Ward County Detention Center maintains an inmate locator that is available to the public. To access the inmate information, a searcher must download a roster that becomes updated at 12:00 a.m. daily.
What are Ward County Court Records?
Ward County Court Records are documents, files, and transcripts of everything that occurs during a legal process. Court records become generated from when a case is opened to when a judge passes a verdict as well as when a litigant files an appeal. The Clerk of District Court and the Ward County State Attorney’s Office maintains court records in Ward County. To access court records, an interested party must visit the courthouse where the case was filed.
Location of all Courts in Ward County
Ward County District Court
315 3rd St SE,
P.O. Box 5005,
Minot, ND 58702
Phone: (701) 857-6600
Fax: (701) 857-6623
Burlington Municipal Court
P.O. Box 159,
Burlington, ND 58722
Phone: (701) 852-5233
Fax: (701) 852-5928
Kenmare Municipal Court
5 3rd St NE,
P.O. Box 816,
Kenmare, ND 58746
Phone: (701) 385-4423
Minot Municipal Court
420 3rd Ave SW,
P.O. Box 5006,
Minot, ND 58702
Phone: (701) 857-4759
Surrey Municipal Court
100 Pleasant Ave S,
P.O. Box 429,
Surrey, ND 58785
Phone: (701) 852-4154
Fax: (701) 839-1256
What are Ward County Vital Records?
Ward County’s vital records are official documents on all birth, death, marriage, and marriage dissolution that have occurred within the county limits. These vital records are maintained by their specific local or state custodian.
Where And How To Get Ward County Divorce Records
The office of the Clerk of the District Court maintains and disseminates divorce records in Ward County. To obtain a certified copy of a divorce record, an individual must contact the clerk’s office at:
Clerk of Court
P.O. Box 5005
Minot, ND 58701
Phone: (701) 857-6600
Where And How To Get Ward County Marriage Records
The office of the clerk of the court that issued the marriage license maintains and disseminates certified copies of marriage records in Ward County. A requester must complete the Request for Recorded Marriage License and mail it to the clerk’s office. Providing the date of marriage and the names of the parties help to narrow down the search. The request must also attach an $8.00 fee for marriage records filed before December 31, 1994. A $6.00 fee applies to marriage records filed after January 1, 1995.
Where And How To Get Ward County Birth Records
Birth records are not available at the county level. The North Dakota State Department of Health maintains and disseminates certified copies of birth records in Ward County. To obtain a birth record, the requester must complete a request form at the County office or download it online.
Eligible individuals can request birth records online, by mail or in person. For mail requests, the requester must include a check or money order made out to the North Dakota Department of Health for all required fees. They must also include primary or secondary forms of identification. Mail requests are addressed to:
North Dakota State Department of Health
Division of Vital Records
600 E. Boulevard Avenue
Dept. 301
Bismarck, ND 58505-0200
(701) 328-2360
Where And How To Get Ward County Death Records
Death records are not available at the county level. The North Dakota State Department of Health maintains and disseminates death records in Ward County. To obtain a death record, the requester must complete a request form at the County office or download it online.
Eligible individuals can request death records online, by mail or in person. For mail requests, the requester must include a check or money order made out to the North Dakota Department of Health for all required fees. They must also include primary or secondary forms of identification. Mail requests must be addressed to:
North Dakota State Department of Health
Division of Vital Records
600 E. Boulevard Avenue
Dept. 301
Bismarck, ND 58505-0200
(701) 328-2360
In addition to government agencies, county public records may also be obtained from third-party websites. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for expansive searches. Record seekers may either opt to use these tools to search for a specific record or multiple records. Users are able to search third-party websites remotely for multiple records at a time with just the name of the record subject and their last known location, including the city, county, or state. Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.
