Minneapolis Arrest Records
Minneapolis arrest records are public records, and the Minneapolis Police Department handles most requests for the city. With around 430,000 residents, Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota and generates a high volume of police records each year. You can request arrest records online, by phone, or in person at the MPD records unit. The city also publishes crime maps and dashboards that let you look at arrest trends without making a formal request. This page covers all the ways to find and access Minneapolis arrest records from official sources.
Minneapolis Quick Facts
Minneapolis Police Department
The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) is the main law enforcement agency for the city. It operates under the City of Minneapolis and maintains all arrest records generated within city limits. The Records Information Unit processes public data requests under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. You can reach them by phone, submit a request online, or visit in person during business hours.
The MPD records address is separate from the main administrative office. If you need to pick up records or file a request in person, go to the Minneapolis Public Service Building, not City Hall. Records staff can help you find what you need. Phone hours are narrower than walk-in hours, so plan your call between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
| Department | Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) |
|---|---|
| Records Address | Minneapolis Public Service Building 505 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415 |
| Admin Address | City Hall, 350 Fifth St. S., Room 130 Minneapolis, MN 55415 |
| Records Phone | 612-673-2961 |
| Non-Emergency | 311 or 612-673-3000 |
| Office Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Website | Minneapolis Police Department |
The MPD website at minneapolismn.gov/police links to all records request forms and data dashboards. You can also call 311 to ask about the request process or get help finding the right form for your needs.
How to Get Minneapolis Arrest Records
Minneapolis arrest records are public under state law. To get them, you submit a request to the MPD Records Information Unit. You can do this online, by phone, or in person. For arrest records specifically, the department asks that you provide the full name and date of birth of the person arrested. Without that information, the search takes longer or may not return results.
The city's Arrest Records page explains what data is public and how to submit a request. Keep in mind that juvenile arrest data is not released. Court dispositions and data from other agencies are also not included. If you want the full court case tied to an arrest, that record comes from the court system, not the police department.
Police reports cost 25 cents per page. Traffic accident reports go through a different process. Body camera footage requests require additional steps and fees that vary by request. The department follows standard Minnesota Government Data Practices rules for all public data releases.
You can also request records by calling 311 or contacting the Records Information Unit directly at 612-673-2961. Staff can walk you through what forms to fill out and what information you need to provide. Reports are available going back to 1990.
The MPD has a dedicated Police Report Requests page with links to online request forms and instructions. That page covers traffic accidents, general police reports, and body camera video requests separately.
Online Tools for Minneapolis Arrest Records
Several online tools let you search Minneapolis arrest data without filing a formal records request. The city publishes interactive dashboards and the state maintains a court records system. These are good starting points before you decide whether to submit a request.
The Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system shows court case records tied to arrests. You can search by name or case number and see case status, charges, and docket entries. MCRO covers Hennepin County District Court and is free to use. It won't show you the full police report, but it shows what happened after the arrest went to court.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) maintains the state criminal history system. You can get a criminal history report for a named individual through the BCA. This covers arrests and convictions statewide, not just Minneapolis. The BCA system is often used for background check purposes.
The MPD also maintains a page for MPD Records through the city's service center that consolidates several records request pathways in one place.
Note: Online dashboards show aggregate data. For records about a specific individual, you must submit a formal request to the MPD Records Unit.
Minneapolis Crime Maps and Data Dashboards
The MPD maintains public crime maps and data dashboards at minneapolismn.gov/crime-maps. These tools let you see crime patterns by neighborhood, type of offense, and time period. The data is updated regularly and covers the whole city. You can filter by crime type and look at trends over time without filing any kind of request.
The city also has an open data portal called Minneapolis DataSource. It includes datasets on calls for service, arrests by category, and police use of force. These datasets are downloadable and useful if you want to do your own analysis.
The crime map portal referenced the Minneapolis crime maps and dashboards page is shown below. You can navigate to specific neighborhoods and filter by incident type.
Minneapolis Crime Maps and Dashboards shows publicly available crime data for the city updated on a regular basis.
The dashboard gives you a visual overview of crime by district and lets you search incidents near specific addresses across Minneapolis.
The Minneapolis Police Department website serves as the main entry point for all public safety data and records access.
The MPD site includes links to all arrest records request pages and the full suite of public data tools the city provides.
The Arrest Records page explains how public arrest data is handled and what steps you take to request specific records.
That page outlines exactly what data the city releases, what is withheld, and how to submit your request to the Records Information Unit.
Minneapolis MPD Records Request
Requesting police reports in Minneapolis is straightforward. You need to know the name of the person involved or the general date and location of the incident. Submit the request to the MPD Records Information Unit using any of the methods listed on the city's records page.
The police report requests page is shown here and covers the full process for getting records.
That page walks you through how to request standard police reports, traffic accident reports, and other data types available from the MPD.
The MPD Records page through the city service center provides a consolidated view of all MPD records request options.
This service center page covers several request types and is a good place to start if you are not sure which specific form or process applies to your request.
Keep in mind that the Records Unit handles the city's public data obligations. They will let you know within a reasonable time whether your request can be fulfilled and what any fees will be. For most standard arrest data requests, the process is fairly quick.
State Resources for Minneapolis Arrest Records
Beyond city-level resources, several statewide tools can help you find arrest and criminal history data tied to Minneapolis cases.
The BCA Criminal History System is the statewide database for criminal records in Minnesota. It includes arrests, charges, and dispositions from law enforcement agencies across the state. You can use it to do a name-based search for an individual's criminal history. The BCA charges a fee for this service.
The Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system covers all Hennepin County District Court cases, including those stemming from Minneapolis arrests. It is free to use and shows case status, charges, and docket activity.
The VINELink system lets you check the custody status of a person in the Hennepin County jail. You can also sign up to get notified when someone's custody status changes. The Department of Corrections offender locator covers people in state prison or on supervised release.
Note: For Hennepin County jail and booking records, contact the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office directly in addition to using MPD resources.
Hennepin County Arrest Records
Minneapolis sits inside Hennepin County, and the county sheriff and district court both maintain records tied to arrests made in the city. Booking records and jail custody information go through the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. Court records from prosecuted cases go through Hennepin County District Court. For a complete picture of an arrest from booking through court disposition, you may need records from both the MPD and the county.
Nearby Cities
Other cities in the Minneapolis metro area also maintain their own arrest records and police data portals.