Rochester Arrest Records
Rochester arrest records are maintained by the Rochester Police Department. Rochester is the third-largest city in the state, home to about 120,000 people in Olmsted County. The RPD operates jointly with the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office at the Law Enforcement Center in downtown Rochester. You can request arrest records and police reports in person, by email, or by fax. This page covers where to go, what to ask for, and which online tools can help you find Rochester arrest data without filing a request.
Rochester Quick Facts
Rochester Police Department
The Rochester Police Department is the third-largest municipal police agency in Minnesota. It has about 150 sworn officers and 66 support staff. The department runs four divisions: Community Services, Services, Patrol, and Investigations. The RPD shares the Law Enforcement Center at 101 SE 4th Street with the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office. Records staff are on the second floor of that building.
If you need records from the RPD, start with the Records Unit at the Law Enforcement Center. For large or complex requests, the department advises allowing up to 10 business days for a response. You can also submit requests by email at LECRecords@rochestermn.gov or by fax if you don't want to visit in person. The North Station location is a secondary precinct and may not handle all records requests directly.
| Department | Rochester Police Department (RPD) |
|---|---|
| Records Address | 101 SE 4th Street, Rochester, MN 55904 (Law Enforcement Center, 2nd Floor) |
| North Station | 4001 West River Pkwy NW, Suite 200 Rochester, MN 55901 |
| Records Phone | 507-328-6888 |
| Non-Emergency | 507-328-6800 |
| Fax | 507-328-6788 |
| Records Email | LECRecords@rochestermn.gov |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (excluding holidays) |
| Website | Rochester Police Department |
The city clerk serves as the Responsible Authority for Data Practices in Rochester. For questions about how the city handles public data requests, you can also contact the city clerk's office at rochestermn.gov/departments/city-clerk/records.
How to Get Rochester Arrest Records
Requesting Rochester arrest records starts with contacting the RPD Records Unit. You can do this online, by email, by fax, or in person at the Law Enforcement Center. The Request Records page on the RPD website outlines the process and any forms you need to fill out.
Arrest records are public data under Minn. Stat. § 13.82. That statute defines what information police agencies must release and what can be withheld. Generally, public arrest data includes the name of the person arrested, the offense, the date and location of the arrest, and the arresting agency. Some information may be redacted if it falls under a privacy exception.
The RPD responds to most requests within 10 business days. Large or complex requests may take longer. When you submit, include as much detail as you know: the name of the person involved, the approximate date of the incident, and the case or report number if you have it. Fees vary depending on the type of record and the amount of copying involved. Contact the Records Unit at 507-328-6888 for fee information before submitting a large request.
Also, the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center handles jail bookings for the Rochester area. For inmate and custody information, call the ADC at (507) 328-6790. Jail records are separate from RPD records, so you may need both depending on what you are looking for.
Note: Rochester operates under the city clerk as the Responsible Authority for Data Practices. For appeals or disputes over data request denials, the city clerk's office is the right contact.
Online Tools for Rochester Arrest Records
The RPD maintains dashboards and reports on its website that give public access to crime data without requiring a formal request. These tools won't show individual arrest records, but they give you a useful overview of crime patterns in Rochester.
The Dashboards and Reports page includes a 21st Century Policing Report and other publicly available data on the RPD's operations. This is a good starting point if you want to understand trends before digging into individual records.
For court records tied to Rochester arrests, use the free Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system. It covers Olmsted County District Court and shows case status, charges, and hearing dates. Search by name or case number to see if a case went to court after an arrest.
The BCA Criminal History System gives you access to statewide criminal history data for named individuals. This covers Rochester arrests as part of the broader Minnesota record. A fee applies for individual history searches.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety BCA homepage is shown below and serves as the starting point for statewide criminal history searches relevant to Rochester cases.
The BCA system pulls from law enforcement agencies across the state, so a search there will include Rochester arrests alongside records from every other Minnesota jurisdiction.
The BCA public criminal history search page is shown here and lets you search for a named individual's criminal history statewide.
This search tool is useful when you need to go beyond a single Rochester police report and check for a full statewide criminal history for a named person.
Rochester Records Requests and Jail Information
The RPD uses a knowledge base article to explain the records request process in detail. You can find this at rochestermn.qscend.com/311/knowledgebase/article/524. That page walks through what records are available, how to submit, and what to expect in terms of timelines and fees.
For jail and inmate information in Rochester, the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center is the right contact. The ADC handles bookings and inmate custody records for the county. You can reach them at (507) 328-6790. The Olmsted County Sheriff's custody search at olmstedcounty.gov/custody may also show current inmate status.
Court cases from Rochester arrests are handled at the Olmsted County Courthouse at 151 4th Street SE, Rochester. The court clerk there handles copies of court documents related to criminal cases. You can also use MCRO to check case status online before making the trip downtown.
VINELink at vinelink.com lets you check the custody status of someone in the Olmsted County jail and sign up for custody change notifications. This is a free service available statewide in Minnesota.
State Resources for Rochester Arrest Records
State-level tools add another layer to what the RPD provides locally. These cover Olmsted County and statewide records.
The BCA Criminal History System is the most complete statewide database for criminal history records in Minnesota. It shows arrests, charges, and dispositions from law enforcement agencies across the state, including Rochester.
The MCRO court records system is free and covers Olmsted County District Court cases. After an arrest in Rochester, any resulting court case shows up in MCRO. You can track the case from arraignment through final disposition without paying for copies.
The Minnesota DOC offender locator shows people currently in state prison or on supervised release. Use this if you are looking for someone who may have been transferred to state custody after an Olmsted County court case.
Note: The RPD operates under Minn. Stat. § 13.82, the same statute that governs all Minnesota law enforcement agencies. The city clerk can answer questions about data practices and request denials.
Olmsted County Arrest Records
Rochester is the county seat of Olmsted County. The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office maintains jail and booking records for people arrested and held in the county. The RPD and Sheriff share the Law Enforcement Center, which makes coordination straightforward. For county-level arrest records, inmate rosters, and related resources, visit the Olmsted County arrest records page.
Nearby Cities
Other cities in southern Minnesota have their own police departments and records systems.