According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice, the state averages approximately 201,000 arrests annually, with Jefferson County accounting for 2,700 of those. The Wisconsin Public Records Law grants public access to arrest records. Agencies typically charge a fee between $0.25 and $20 to produce copies of records upon request.
However, certain arrest records, such as juvenile information, sensitive personal data, and medical records, may only be released to the individuals named in the records upon providing valid identification. These records are also open to authorized government bodies, including the police, the courts, and the District Attorney's Office.
Arrest records are maintained by several law enforcement agencies across the state. They include the Sheriff's Office, local police departments, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, and the courts.
The Sheriff's Office maintains records related to criminal activities within the county. To request arrest records, interested individuals may submit a request by mail, via fax, or in person at:
Records Division
P.O. Box 1488
Jefferson, WI 53549
Phone: (920) 674-7354
Fax: 920674-7126
They are required to complete the Records Request Form by providing detailed information such as incident number, citation number, individuals involved, date, time, location, deputy's information, type of incident, and specifying the records requested.
In Jefferson County, arrest records are managed by the local police departments within their respective jurisdictions. Those seeking details on specific arrests may contact the records division of the agency that made the arrest or access its public records portal. Underlisted are major local police departments in Jefferson County:
The Wisconsin Department of Justice's Criminal Information Bureau (CIB) maintains a centralized database of criminal history, including arrests, prosecutions, court judgments, and incarcerations. Residents of Jefferson County may request these records through the Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS). Users may access the system without an account or register for additional features. There may be fees associated with the service.
The Circuit Court handles most criminal cases, with records managed by the Clerk of Circuit Court. The Clerk's office is located at:
311 S Center Avenue
Jefferson, WI 53549
For inquiries, requesters may contact them at (920) 674-7150 or visit their official website. For online access to court records, the Wisconsin Court System provides the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) portal, where individuals seeking records may search for case information across various courts, including those in Jefferson County. In addition to official resources, third-party platforms like InfoTracer provide convenient record search criteria for accessing Jefferson County arrest records.
Jefferson County has an incarceration rate of 251 per 100,000 residents. Below is a breakdown of the county's adult and juvenile arrest statistics.
| Arrest Type | Number of Arrests |
|---|---|
| Homicide | 1 |
| Rape | 28 |
| Robbery | 7 |
| Aggravated Assault | 55 |
| Simple Assault | 108 |
| Larceny | 106 |
| Drug/Narcotics Violations | 801 |
| Burglary | 24 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 53 |
| Total Number of Arrests | 2,771 |
Source: Uniform Crime Reporting Program
It is situated in Jefferson county, Wisconsin with a total number of 115 employees - 19 female, 76 male officers and 20 civilians. Jefferson County SO ORI (Originated Agency Identifier) number is WI0280000, it belongs to the East North Central division in the Midwest region with a region code of Region II.
| Department | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Atkinson Police Department | 101 S. Water Street W | (920) 563-7777 |
| Jefferson Police Department | 425 COLLINS ROAD | (920) 674-7707 |
| Lake Mills Police Department | 200A Water Street | (920)648-2354 |
| Palmyra Police Department | 202 N 2nd Street PO Box 370 | (262)495-2114 |
| Waterloo Police Department | 136 N Monroe St | (920)478-2343 |
| Name | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County WI Juvenile Detention | N3995 Annex Road | 920-674-3105 |