Cook County Criminal Records Database

Cook County criminal records are held by the Sheriff's Office and the District Court in Grand Marais, at the northeastern tip of Minnesota along Lake Superior. It is the second largest county in the state by land area, with only about 5,176 residents. The Grand Portage Indian Reservation sits entirely within the county. The Sheriff handles criminal investigations and jail operations, and the 9th Judicial District covers local court cases. This page outlines the main ways to access Cook County criminal records, including the jail roster, court search system, and BCA database.

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Cook County Sheriff and Jail

The Cook County Sheriff's Office is at 4111 W. 2nd Street in Grand Marais. Sheriff and Administrator Jeff Cadwell runs the department. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The main phone number is 218-387-3687. The Sheriff handles all county law enforcement, including patrols, criminal investigations, and jail operations.

Cook County is a large but lightly populated area. The Grand Portage Indian Reservation covers the northeast corner of the county and has its own tribal police. Criminal activity within reservation lands may involve tribal law enforcement, county law enforcement, or both, depending on the nature of the case. The county and tribal agencies coordinate as needed on cross-jurisdictional matters.

The Sheriff's Office recently implemented a body-worn camera program for its deputies. The county also participates in the Shore Substance Use Recovery Court program, which handles cases involving substance use disorders as a factor. Basic arrest data is public under Minnesota Statute 13.82, including time, date, place of arrest, charges, and custody status.

Sheriff	Jeff Cadwell
Address	4111 W. The court is part of the 9th Judicial District. All levels of criminal cases go through this court. The court administrator handles public access to case records, copy requests, and certified document orders. Staff can search by name or case number. Free online access to Cook County court records is available through the Minnesota Court Records Online system at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. Cases filed after July 1, 2015 are searchable by name or case number. You can see charges, docket history, hearing dates, and current case status. The court finder at mncourts.gov/Find-Courts has the courthouse address and current office hours. Older cases may not appear in MCRO. For pre-2015 records, contact the Cook County courthouse directly. Staff can pull those files manually and tell you what is in the public record. For most people, MCRO is the fastest starting point. Bring identification if you plan to visit in person and request document copies. Criminal History Search Through the BCA The Minnesota BCA runs the statewide criminal history database and covers all 87 counties, including Cook. A public name search costs $8 and is available at chs.state.mn.us. You can learn more about the system at bca.dps.mn.gov. The BCA's public search is governed by Minnesota Statute 13.87. The law limits public criminal history data to records from within 15 years of sentence discharge. Records that fall outside this window, were dismissed, or were expunged do not appear in the public results. Arrest-only records that did not lead to a conviction are also excluded. The BCA search is best for checking whether someone has a recent felony or gross misdemeanor conviction in Minnesota. Cook County Jail Booking Data The roster reflects data directly from the county facility and shows current and recent bookings updated on a regular basis. Sealing Records in Cook County Minnesota's expungement process under Minnesota Statute 609A lets people petition the court to seal certain criminal records. A grant seals the record from public access. It applies to the BCA criminal history file, court records, and any law enforcement agency listed in the order. The record itself is not deleted; only public access is removed. Some Cook County cases qualify for automatic sealing under Minnesota Statute 609A.015. Cases that ended in dismissal or acquittal often qualify without a petition. Certain stayed sentences and lower-level convictions may also qualify after the waiting period ends. For other cases, you file a petition with the Cook County District Court. Prosecutors may object. A judge hears the case and decides. If granted, all agencies named in the order must seal their copies within the required time. Note: The DOC public viewer at coms.doc.state.mn.us/PublicViewer is a free tool to check if someone is currently in state prison or on supervised release in Minnesota. Predatory Offender Registration People with qualifying sex offense or predatory crime convictions must register with local law enforcement under Minnesota Statute 243.166. In Cook County, registration is handled through the Sheriff's Office in Grand Marais. The BCA maintains the statewide public predatory offender registry. Not registering, or failing to update registration, is a felony under Minnesota law. Because Cook County includes the Grand Portage Indian Reservation, some offenders may be required to register with both county and tribal law enforcement, depending on where they reside and the nature of the offense. The BCA registry covers statewide registrations. Search Records Now Sponsored Results Nearby Counties Cook County sits at the northeastern tip of Minnesota. Only two counties share a border with it. Lake County St. Louis County Navigation Home Counties Cities About Contact Policies Privacy Policy Terms of Use We are not part of any government agency at the local, state, or federal level. This is a private site, and the info we share is for reference only. © Minnesota Official Records. All rights reserved.

Sheriff

Jeff Cadwell

Address

4111 W. The court is part of the 9th Judicial District. All levels of criminal cases go through this court. The court administrator handles public access to case records, copy requests, and certified document orders. Staff can search by name or case number.

Free online access to Cook County court records is available through the Minnesota Court Records Online system at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. Cases filed after July 1, 2015 are searchable by name or case number. You can see charges, docket history, hearing dates, and current case status. The court finder at mncourts.gov/Find-Courts has the courthouse address and current office hours.

Older cases may not appear in MCRO. For pre-2015 records, contact the Cook County courthouse directly. Staff can pull those files manually and tell you what is in the public record. For most people, MCRO is the fastest starting point. Bring identification if you plan to visit in person and request document copies.

Criminal History Search Through the BCA

The Minnesota BCA runs the statewide criminal history database and covers all 87 counties, including Cook. A public name search costs $8 and is available at chs.state.mn.us. You can learn more about the system at bca.dps.mn.gov.

The BCA's public search is governed by Minnesota Statute 13.87. The law limits public criminal history data to records from within 15 years of sentence discharge. Records that fall outside this window, were dismissed, or were expunged do not appear in the public results. Arrest-only records that did not lead to a conviction are also excluded. The BCA search is best for checking whether someone has a recent felony or gross misdemeanor conviction in Minnesota.

Cook County Jail Booking Data

Cook County jail roster booking records criminal case data Grand Marais

The roster reflects data directly from the county facility and shows current and recent bookings updated on a regular basis.

Sealing Records in Cook County

Minnesota's expungement process under Minnesota Statute 609A lets people petition the court to seal certain criminal records. A grant seals the record from public access. It applies to the BCA criminal history file, court records, and any law enforcement agency listed in the order. The record itself is not deleted; only public access is removed.

Some Cook County cases qualify for automatic sealing under Minnesota Statute 609A.015. Cases that ended in dismissal or acquittal often qualify without a petition. Certain stayed sentences and lower-level convictions may also qualify after the waiting period ends. For other cases, you file a petition with the Cook County District Court. Prosecutors may object. A judge hears the case and decides. If granted, all agencies named in the order must seal their copies within the required time.

Note: The DOC public viewer at coms.doc.state.mn.us/PublicViewer is a free tool to check if someone is currently in state prison or on supervised release in Minnesota.

Predatory Offender Registration

People with qualifying sex offense or predatory crime convictions must register with local law enforcement under Minnesota Statute 243.166. In Cook County, registration is handled through the Sheriff's Office in Grand Marais. The BCA maintains the statewide public predatory offender registry. Not registering, or failing to update registration, is a felony under Minnesota law.

Because Cook County includes the Grand Portage Indian Reservation, some offenders may be required to register with both county and tribal law enforcement, depending on where they reside and the nature of the offense. The BCA registry covers statewide registrations.

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Nearby Counties

Cook County sits at the northeastern tip of Minnesota. Only two counties share a border with it.

Lake County St. Louis County