Rock County Public Records / Rock County Arrest Records

Rock County Arrest Records

Are Arrest Records Public in Rock County

Arrest records in Rock County, Wisconsin, are generally considered public records under state law. Pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes § 19.35, members of the public have the right to inspect and copy records maintained by government agencies, including law enforcement records such as arrest logs, booking reports, and incident reports. This statute, commonly referred to as the Wisconsin Open Records Law, establishes a strong presumption in favor of public access to government records.

It is important to distinguish between an arrest record and a conviction record. An arrest record documents the fact that an individual was taken into custody by law enforcement; it does not indicate guilt or a finding of criminal liability. A conviction record, by contrast, reflects a formal judicial determination of guilt following a plea or trial. Under current law, an arrest that does not result in a conviction may still appear in public records unless the individual successfully petitions for expungement under Wisconsin Statutes § 973.015.

The Rock County Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments within the county, including the Beloit Police Department, are the primary custodians of arrest records. The Support Services Division of the Beloit Police Department responds to all requests for law enforcement records in compliance with Wisconsin Open Records Law and applicable department policies.

What's in Rock County Arrest Records

Rock County arrest records contain a standardized set of data fields compiled at the time of booking and maintained by the arresting agency. The specific contents of an arrest record may vary by agency, but the following categories of information are typically included.

Arrestee Identifying Information:

Full legal name and any known aliases
Date of birth and age at time of arrest
Gender, race, and physical description (height, weight, eye and hair color)
Home address at time of arrest
Social Security Number (may be redacted in public-facing records)

Arrest Details:

Date, time, and location of arrest
Name and badge number of arresting officer
Arresting agency (e.g., Rock County Sheriff's Office, Beloit Police Department)
Circumstances or narrative summary of the arrest

Charge Information:

Specific criminal charges filed (felony, misdemeanor, or ordinance violation)
Wisconsin Statutes citation for each charge
Charge severity classification

Warrant Information (if applicable):

Warrant number and issuing court
Date warrant was issued
Jurisdiction of the warrant

Booking Information:

Booking number assigned by the detention facility
Date and time of booking
Facility where the individual was booked

Bond/Bail Information:

Bond type (cash, surety, personal recognizance)
Bond amount set by the court
Bond conditions, if any

Court Information:

Case number assigned by the Rock County Circuit Court
Scheduled court appearance dates
Assigned judge or court branch

Custody Status:

Current custody status (in custody, released, transferred)
Release date and conditions of release

Additional Information May Include:

Fingerprint records and biometric data
Photograph (mugshot) taken at booking
Prior arrest history referenced in the record
Disposition of charges if updated by the agency

How To Look Up Arrest Records in Rock County in 2026

Members of the public may access Rock County arrest records through several official channels. The following steps outline the standard process for submitting a records request.

Identify the correct custodial agency. Arrest records are held by the agency that made the arrest. Requests for records involving the Rock County Sheriff's Office should be directed to that office, while records involving Beloit Police Department arrests should be submitted to the Beloit Police Department's Records Bureau.
Submit a written public records request. Under Wisconsin's open records law, requesters may submit requests in writing, by email, or in person. Requests should identify the subject of the record, the approximate date of arrest, and the type of record sought.
Contact the Rock County Sheriff's Office for county-level records:

Rock County Sheriff's Office 200 N. Main St., Janesville, WI 53545 (608) 757-7951 Rock County Sheriff's Office Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Contact the Beloit Police Department for city-level records:

Beloit Police Department – Records Bureau 100 State St., Beloit, WI 53511 (608) 364-6801 Records Requests – Beloit Police Department Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Pay applicable fees. Agencies may charge fees for locating, copying, and certifying records. Fee schedules are established by each agency in accordance with Wisconsin Statutes § 19.35(3).
Await agency response. Under current law, agencies must respond to records requests within a reasonable time, generally interpreted as ten business days for routine requests.

How To Find Rock County Arrest Records Online

Several official online platforms currently provide access to Rock County arrest-related information without requiring an in-person visit.

Rock County Circuit Court Access (CCAP): The Wisconsin Court System's Consolidated Court Automation Programs (CCAP) portal, accessible at wcca.wicourts.gov, allows members of the public to search criminal case records by name, case number, or county. This system reflects charges filed in Rock County Circuit Court and includes case dispositions.
Wisconsin Department of Corrections Offender Lookup: The Wisconsin Department of Corrections maintains an online offender information database. Members of the public may use the DOC Offender Information portal to search for individuals currently or previously under DOC supervision, including those with Rock County convictions.
Beloit Police Department Online Portal: The Beloit Police Department currently offers an online public records request portal for law enforcement records. Requesters may submit and track requests through the city's official records request system.
Rock County Sheriff's Office: The Sheriff's Office website provides access to inmate roster information and may publish recent arrest logs. Members of the public are encouraged to visit the official county website for current availability.

How To Search Rock County Arrest Records for Free?

Several no-cost methods are currently available for searching Rock County arrest records.

Wisconsin CCAP Portal: The Wisconsin Circuit Court Access portal at wcca.wicourts.gov is free to use and provides public access to criminal case records filed in Rock County Circuit Court, including charge information and case outcomes.
Rock County Sheriff's Inmate Roster: The Rock County Sheriff's Office may publish a current inmate roster on its official website at no charge, reflecting individuals currently held in the Rock County Jail.
In-Person Inspection: Under Wisconsin's open records law, members of the public have the right to inspect records in person at the custodial agency's office at no cost. Fees apply only when copies are requested.
Wisconsin DOC Offender Search: The Wisconsin Department of Corrections offender information search tool is available to the public at no charge and provides supervision status, offense information, and facility location for individuals under DOC jurisdiction.
Rock County Clerk of Courts: The Rock County Clerk of Courts office maintains criminal case files that are open to public inspection during regular business hours.

Rock County Clerk of Courts 51 S. Main St., Janesville, WI 53545 (608) 743-2200 Rock County Clerk of Courts Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

How To Delete Arrest Records in Rock County

Wisconsin law provides two primary legal mechanisms for limiting public access to arrest records: expungement and sealing. These are distinct legal remedies with different eligibility requirements and effects.

Expungement refers to the legal erasure or destruction of a criminal record, effectively removing it from public view. Under Wisconsin Statutes § 973.015, expungement is available in limited circumstances, primarily for individuals who were under the age of 25 at the time of the offense, successfully completed their sentence, and were convicted of certain eligible offenses. The court must have ordered expungement eligibility at the time of sentencing; it cannot be requested retroactively in most cases.

Sealing restricts public access to a record without physically destroying it. Sealed records remain accessible to law enforcement and certain government agencies but are not available to the general public.

Cases in which a record may be removed or restricted include:

Arrests that did not result in charges being filed
Charges that were dismissed by the court
Cases resulting in acquittal (not guilty verdict)
Convictions for eligible offenses where the court ordered expungement at sentencing and the individual has completed all sentence requirements

Steps to pursue expungement in Rock County:

Confirm eligibility under Wisconsin Statutes § 973.015 by reviewing the offense type, the individual's age at the time of the offense, and whether expungement was ordered at sentencing.
File a petition for expungement with the Rock County Circuit Court after completing all sentence requirements.
Serve the petition on the Rock County District Attorney's Office, which may respond or object.
Attend any scheduled hearing before the assigned circuit court judge.
If the court grants expungement, the order is transmitted to the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the arresting agency for record destruction or sealing.

Rock County Circuit Court 51 S. Main St., Janesville, WI 53545 (608) 743-2200 Rock County Circuit Court Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

What Happens After Arrest in Rock County?

The criminal justice process in Rock County follows a structured sequence of events from the point of arrest through final case disposition.

Arrest: A law enforcement officer takes an individual into custody based on probable cause, a warrant, or observation of a criminal offense. The arresting officer prepares an incident report and transports the individual to the Rock County Jail for booking.
Booking: At the Rock County Jail, the individual is photographed, fingerprinted, and formally processed. Personal property is inventoried and stored. A booking record is created and assigned a unique booking number.
Initial Appearance: Within 48 hours of arrest (or sooner for certain offenses), the individual appears before a Rock County Circuit Court commissioner or judge. At this hearing, the court reviews the charges, advises the individual of their rights, and sets bail or bond conditions.
Preliminary Hearing or Grand Jury (Felony Cases): For felony charges, a preliminary hearing is held to determine whether probable cause exists to proceed to trial. The court may bind the case over for trial or dismiss charges.
Arraignment: The defendant enters a formal plea (guilty, not guilty, or no contest) before the assigned circuit court judge.
Pre-Trial Proceedings: The parties engage in discovery, file motions, and may negotiate a plea agreement. The court schedules status conferences as needed.
Trial or Plea: If no plea agreement is reached, the case proceeds to a jury or bench trial. If a plea is entered, the court schedules a sentencing hearing.
Sentencing: Upon conviction, the court imposes a sentence, which may include incarceration, probation, fines, community service, or a combination of penalties.
Post-Conviction: The individual may appeal the conviction or sentence, seek post-conviction relief, or petition for expungement upon completing the sentence.

How Long Are Arrest Records Kept in Rock County?

Arrest records in Rock County are subject to retention schedules established under Wisconsin law and applicable agency policies. Under current law, the Wisconsin Public Records Board establishes minimum retention periods for government records, including law enforcement records.

Arrest and booking records for cases resulting in conviction are generally retained permanently or for extended periods, as these records form part of the individual's criminal history maintained by the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
Arrest records for cases not resulting in conviction may be subject to shorter retention periods, though agencies are not automatically required to destroy such records absent a court order.
Incident reports and investigative files are typically retained for a minimum of seven years under Wisconsin records retention schedules, though individual agencies may adopt longer retention periods.
Fingerprint and biometric records submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Justice are retained in the state criminal history repository for extended periods consistent with state and federal requirements.
Different agencies within Rock County—including the Sheriff's Office, municipal police departments, and the Clerk of Courts—maintain separate retention schedules. The Rock County Clerk of Courts retains criminal case files in accordance with Wisconsin Supreme Court rules, which generally require permanent retention of felony case records.
Records retention serves the dual purpose of preserving evidence for ongoing legal proceedings and maintaining accountability within the criminal justice system.

How to Find Mugshots in Rock County

What Mugshots Are A mugshot is a standardized photograph taken by law enforcement at the time of booking. Mugshots are part of the official booking record and serve as a visual identification tool for law enforcement agencies.

Where Mugshots Are Maintained Mugshots taken in Rock County are maintained by the Rock County Sheriff's Office (for individuals booked into the Rock County Jail) and by municipal police departments for individuals processed at city-level facilities. The Wisconsin Department of Justice also retains booking photographs as part of the state criminal history repository.

Finding Mugshots Members of the public may request mugshots through the same public records request process used for other arrest records. Requests should be submitted in writing to the custodial agency, identifying the subject by name and approximate date of arrest.

Can They Be Found Online The Rock County Sheriff's Office may publish current inmate photographs on its official inmate roster page. Third-party websites may also aggregate and republish booking photographs obtained from public records; however, the accuracy and currency of such sites cannot be verified by official agencies.

Obtaining Mugshots Officially To obtain a certified or official copy of a booking photograph, members of the public should submit a written public records request to the Rock County Sheriff's Office or the relevant municipal police department. The Beloit Police Department's Support Services Division processes requests for law enforcement records, including booking photographs, in compliance with Wisconsin Open Records Law.

Restrictions on Mugshot Access Certain booking photographs may be withheld from public disclosure where release would endanger an individual, compromise an ongoing investigation, or where the subject is a juvenile. Juvenile records are protected under Wisconsin law and are not subject to general public disclosure.