Find Arrest Records in Winona County

Winona County arrest records are maintained by the Sheriff's Office and the Winona County Detention Center at 203 W. 3rd Street in Winona. The detention center serves 625 square miles and is staffed by 76 employees and 56 volunteers. You can search for arrest data through VINELink, the state court system, or by contacting the jail directly. This page covers local search tools, warrant access, facility details, and how to request records from Winona County.

Winona County Sheriff's Office and Detention Center

The Winona County Sheriff's Office is at 201 W. Third Street in Winona. The Winona County Detention Center (WCDC) is right next door at 203 W. 3rd Street. The facility has 53 cells and 80 beds. It is staffed around the clock with 76 employees and 56 volunteers. Captain Steven Buswell serves as Jail Administrator and can be reached at (507) 457-6377. For general inquiries, contact the Sheriff's Office at (507) 457-6368.

The county's main website is at winonacounty.gov. The Sheriff's Office page is at co.winona.mn.us/307/Sheriff. Reach the office by email at ContactUs@winonacounty.gov. For non-emergency calls, dial (507) 457-6491. The lobby is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The jail phone is (507) 457-6503 for custody questions.

The Winona County main website at winonacounty.gov shows the range of public tools available through the Sheriff's Office and the detention center.

Navigate from the main site to the Sheriff's Office or jail pages to find contact information and public access resources.

Winona County Inmate Lookup

The Winona County Detention Center does not post a public online roster on the county website. To check if someone is in custody, call the jail at (507) 457-6503. Staff can confirm whether a person is held at the WCDC. The lobby at 203 W. 3rd St. is open for in-person inquiries on weekdays from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

VINELink at vinelink.com is another way to track custody status. Register by name or offender ID to get automated alerts when a person's custody status changes. You can receive alerts by phone, text, or email. Call 877-664-8463 to register by phone. This service is free and available statewide.

The Sheriff's Office page provides an overview of law enforcement services in Winona County and links to key public tools for arrest record searches.

Use this page to find the right division for your arrest record request or to get current contact information for the Sheriff's Office.

Winona County Warrants

Winona County posts warrant information online. Warrant data is public under Minn. Stat. § 13.82, which requires disclosure of basic arrest and warrant information. Active warrants may cover failure to appear, new criminal charges, or probation violations.

If you believe you have an outstanding warrant, contact a lawyer before going to the courthouse or calling law enforcement. Surrendering on a warrant without legal counsel can affect your outcome. To confirm whether a warrant exists, call the Sheriff's Office at (507) 457-6368 during business hours. The staff can check the system and tell you what is on file.

The warrants page on the Winona County site provides direct access to warrant data for the county and is maintained by the Sheriff's Office.

The page is updated as warrants are issued and cleared. It covers open court warrants currently active in Winona County.

Winona County Detention Center Details

The detention center provides several programs and services for people in custody. Inmate calls are handled through Reliance Telephone. To connect with an inmate, call 800-896-3201. The facility also provides iPod rentals with 5 free text messages per day. A Huber Release program allows some sentenced inmates to leave for work. The Sentence-to-Serve (STS) program is another alternative for eligible inmates.

Visitation at the WCDC runs on a set schedule. Visitors may come Tuesdays from noon to 4:00 PM, Saturdays from 8:00 AM to noon, and Sundays from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Photo ID is required. Children must be supervised. Two visitors per day are allowed but they must be different people. Full visiting rules are at winonacounty.gov/316/Inmate-Visiting-Mailing-Procedures.

To send mail to an inmate, address it to the person's full name, Winona County Detention Center, 203 W 3rd Street, Winona, MN 55987. Public fingerprinting is available by appointment. Call (507) 457-6503 to set one up. Permits to carry or purchase firearms are paid in cash only at this office.

The jail information page on the county website at winonacounty.gov/314/Jail provides a summary of facility services and rules for the detention center.

This page covers capacity, staffing, programs, and how to contact jail staff in Winona County.

The inmate visiting and mailing procedures page at winonacounty.gov provides specific rules for contacting people held at the Winona County Detention Center.

Review this page before visiting or mailing anything to someone in custody to make sure you follow the current rules.

Requesting Winona County Arrest Records

Arrest records in Winona County are public data under Minn. Stat. § 13.82. This law requires law enforcement to release basic arrest data including name, date of birth, charges, arresting agency, and booking date. To request records, contact the Sheriff's Office at (507) 457-6368 or visit in person during lobby hours at 201 W. Third Street, Winona.

You can also email ContactUs@winonacounty.gov with your request. Include the full name of the person, the approximate date of arrest, and any case number you have. Some data may be restricted if it involves a juvenile or an active investigation. The office will tell you what is and is not releasable. Fees may apply for certified copies or large records requests.

Statewide Arrest Record Tools for Minnesota

The Minnesota Court Records Online system at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us covers filings from Winona County District Court. Winona County is in the 3rd Judicial District. Search by name or case number to see charges, docket entries, and case status. This is a free public tool with no registration required.

The screenshot below shows the Minnesota Court Records Online portal, which provides free public access to court cases across all Minnesota counties including Winona.

Use this tool to search Winona County District Court cases by name or case number and view charges, filings, and case outcomes.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension handles official criminal history checks at chs.state.mn.us. BCA records include arrests, charges, and dispositions from across the state. Fees apply and the results are certified. The Minnesota DOC public viewer at coms.doc.state.mn.us/publicviewer/ shows people held in state prison or under DOC supervision, separate from county jail inmates. VINELink at vinelink.com provides free real-time custody alerts by phone, text, or email.

Cities in Winona County

The county seat is Winona, the largest city in the county. Other communities include Altura, Goodview, St. Charles, and Lewiston. The city of Winona has a population of around 25,000, which is below the 50,000 threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All arrests in the county route through the Sheriff's Office and the Winona County Detention Center.

Nearby Counties

Winona County is in southeast Minnesota along the Mississippi River. Check these pages if you need arrest records from a neighboring county.