Grant County 24 Hour Booking Records
Grant County 24 hour booking records come from the Sheriff's Office in Elbow Lake. This is one of the smallest counties in Minnesota with only about 6,000 people. Despite its size, the Grant County Jail follows the same state booking rules as every other county. When someone is arrested here, they get processed at the jail. Fingerprints, photos, and charge data are collected and sent to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension within 24 hours. You can reach the sheriff's office for questions about who is currently in custody or how to get copies of booking records.
Grant County Overview
Grant County Sheriff's Office and Jail
The Grant County Sheriff's Office is at 10 2nd St NE in Elbow Lake. The sheriff handles all law enforcement and jail operations in the county. With a small population, the jail does not see the volume of bookings that larger counties do. But the rules are the same. Every person arrested in Grant County goes through the full 24 hour booking process at the jail.
During booking, staff take fingerprints and a photo. They record the charges and the arresting officer's information. They check for warrants and run the person through the predatory offender registry. Under Minnesota Statute 299C.10, the fingerprint data must be entered into the BCA database within 24 hours. The sheriff must also keep a permanent record of everyone in the jail under Statute 641.05. This record shows the name, authority for commitment, residence, and dates.
| Office | Grant County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 10 2nd St NE, Elbow Lake, MN 56531 |
| Phone | (218) 685-5303 |
| Emergency | 911 |
How to Find Grant County Booking Data
To check on 24 hour booking records in Grant County, call the sheriff's office at (218) 685-5303. They can tell you if someone is in custody. The Grant County Jail page may also have information on current inmates.
Arrest data is public in Minnesota. Statute 13.82 says anyone can ask for the name, charges, arrest time, and custody location of someone who has been booked. You do not need a reason. The sheriff's office must respond in a reasonable time. Booking photos are also public data, though they can be withheld temporarily if an investigation is active.
The screenshot below shows the Grant County Jail page where you can find information about the jail and current booking records.
Contact the jail for the most current inmate information.
Grant County Booking Under State Law
Grant County follows the same 24 hour booking laws as every other county in Minnesota. The key statute is 299C.10, which sets the 24 hour deadline for entering fingerprint data into the BCA system. This applies to anyone arrested for a felony, gross misdemeanor, or targeted misdemeanor. The list of targeted misdemeanors includes DWI, domestic assault, harassment restraining order violations, and indecent exposure among others.
The jail operates under Minnesota Rules Chapter 2911. The Department of Corrections inspects the facility on a regular basis. Even in a small county like Grant, the standards are the same. Booking fees may apply under Statute 641.12. The fee must not exceed the actual cost of housing the inmate.
For court records tied to Grant County bookings, use Minnesota Court Records Online. You can search by name or case number.
Grant County Resources and Links
The Grant County Sheriff's Office website has contact details and information about law enforcement services. Below is a screenshot of the sheriff's office page.
The sheriff's site covers patrol, investigations, and jail services for Grant County.
The Grant County main website links to all county departments. Below is a screenshot of the county home page.
Use the county site for office hours, phone numbers, and government services.
The VINE system covers Grant County for victim notifications about inmate status changes. Register for free alerts by phone, text, or email. The Minnesota Sheriffs' Association lists contact info for all 87 county sheriffs, and the Minnesota DOC Offender Locator shows people in state custody after sentencing.
Grant County Booking Data Retention
Grant County keeps booking records according to state retention standards. Arrest reports stay on file for at least six years. Booking data, including charges and bail information, is kept for six to ten years. Fingerprint records go to the BCA and are maintained permanently. Mugshots are retained for a minimum of six years as well. These records form a long-term history of bookings at the Grant County Jail.
If you need records from a booking that happened years ago, you may have to file a formal data request with the Grant County Sheriff's Office. Under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, government entities must respond to data requests within a reasonable time. Some data may be classified as not public, but basic arrest information like the name, charges, and date should be available. The state historical society at mnhs.org may have very old jail records for research purposes.
Cities in Grant County
Grant County has a handful of small towns. Elbow Lake is the county seat and the largest community. Other towns include Ashby, Barrett, Herman, Hoffman, and Norcross. All arrests in these areas go through the Grant County Jail for 24 hour booking. There are no cities in the county large enough for their own dedicated pages on this site.
Nearby Counties
Grant County is in west-central Minnesota. These neighboring counties each maintain their own jails and 24 hour booking systems.