Criminal History in Beltrami County

Beltrami County criminal history records are maintained by the Sheriff's Office and the District Court in Bemidji. Located in northern Minnesota and part of the 9th Judicial District, the county has about 46,000 residents. Whether you want to search a criminal case online, check on someone in custody, or understand how to access records, this page walks through the main tools and offices that handle criminal history in Beltrami County.

Beltrami County Sheriff and Criminal History Records

The Beltrami County Sheriff's Office is at 613 America Avenue NW in Bemidji. The main line is (218) 333-4181. You can also visit the Sheriff's website at co.beltrami.mn.us for department information and contact details. The Sheriff oversees law enforcement across the county and is the primary office for arrest records and criminal incident data. If you have a specific question about a case or an arrest, call the Sheriff's Office during business hours.

Under Minn. Stat. § 13.82, arrest data is classified as public in Minnesota. This includes who was arrested, when, where, and what charges were filed. The Sheriff's Office is required to make this data available. Not every detail gets released if doing so would hurt an active investigation, but the core arrest information is a matter of public record. For anything beyond that, you go to the court or the BCA.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension handles all certified criminal history reports. Their site is at bca.dps.mn.gov and the background check page is at dps.mn.gov. The BCA's database covers all criminal history recorded in Minnesota, including Beltrami County cases. Call (651) 793-2400 to get started.

Beltrami County District Court and MCRO

The Beltrami County District Court is at 600 Minnesota Avenue NW in Bemidji. The phone number is (218) 333-4120. This court handles all criminal cases filed in Beltrami County, from traffic violations up through serious felonies. Every case creates a court file that includes the charges, hearing dates, orders, and the final outcome. You can visit the court in person or use online tools to access these records.

Minnesota Court Records Online, or MCRO, is the free public search tool for court records across the state. You can use it to look up Beltrami County criminal cases at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. Search by name or case number. The system shows party names, charges, docket entries, and case status. Sealed cases and juvenile records are not included. MCRO gives a good overview of a case without requiring you to go to the courthouse.

The MCRO search tool is shown below, which you can use to pull up Beltrami County criminal history records.

Go to publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us to search Beltrami County criminal cases for free.

The Beltrami County court page on the Minnesota Courts website is shown below with local contact information and links to court services.

See the Beltrami County court page on mncourts.gov for hours, forms, and case access details.

Inmate Search in Beltrami County

VINE Link is the primary tool for checking inmate custody status in Beltrami County. This free national service covers county jails and state facilities across Minnesota. You can search by name at vinelink.com. If someone you are looking for is in the Beltrami County jail, VINE Link will show their status. You can also register for automated alerts if that person's custody status changes, such as when they are released or transferred.

The VINE Link search tool is shown below for reference.

Visit VINE Link to search inmate status in Beltrami County and receive automatic notifications.

If the person you are looking for is in state prison rather than the county jail, use the Minnesota DOC Offender Locator at coms.doc.state.mn.us. That system covers all DOC facilities statewide. For direct questions about the Beltrami County jail, call (218) 333-4181.

Beltrami County Criminal Record Expungement

Minnesota's expungement law allows people to petition the court to seal a criminal record from public view. The main statute is Minn. Stat. § 609A.02. Expungement does not erase the record from law enforcement databases, but it does remove it from the public records that most people can access. Not all offenses qualify. The law sets different rules depending on whether the case involved a petty misdemeanor, a misdemeanor, a gross misdemeanor, or a felony. Waiting periods apply in most cases.

To petition for expungement in Beltrami County, you file with the District Court at 600 Minnesota Avenue NW in Bemidji. The court notifies all agencies that hold a copy of the record. Those agencies have the right to object. The judge then holds a hearing and decides. If you were acquitted or your case was dismissed, look into the automatic expungement option under Minn. Stat. § 609A.015. That statute covers certain qualifying cases that do not require a full petition.

The Minnesota Courts website at mncourts.gov has self-help forms and guides for expungement petitions. Regional legal aid offices can also help you figure out whether you qualify and what steps to take.

Cities in Beltrami County

Beltrami County spans a large area in northern Minnesota, with Bemidji as the county seat and largest city. All criminal cases from communities throughout the county go through the District Court in Bemidji.

No cities in Beltrami County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All residents access and search criminal records through the county-level resources listed above, regardless of which city or township they live in.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Beltrami County. If you need records from a neighboring county, contact that county's court or sheriff directly.