Search St. Paul Busted Mugshots
St. Paul busted mugshots are processed through the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center, where all city arrests get booked. As Minnesota's capital city with about 310,000 residents, St. Paul sees a large number of bookings each year. The Saint Paul Police Department makes the arrests, but Ramsey County handles the jail side of things. Booking photos, charges, and custody status are all available through county and state databases. This guide walks through the best ways to search for busted mugshots tied to St. Paul arrests and explains what records are public under Minnesota law.
St. Paul Overview
Ramsey County Jail and St. Paul Arrests
St. Paul Police do not operate a full jail. The department has a temporary holding room for short-term custody, but everyone who gets arrested ends up at the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center for formal booking. That is where the mugshot gets taken and the charges get logged into the system.
The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office runs the detention center. Staff process new bookings around the clock. Each booking creates a record that includes the arrest date, charges, bail amount, and a photograph. Under Minnesota Statute 13.82, subd. 26, that booking photo is classified as public data. Anyone can ask for a copy.
To check if someone is currently in custody at the Ramsey County jail, call 651-266-5600. The jail staff can tell you if the person is being held and what charges are on file. You can also check the online booking reports through the Ramsey County Sheriff's website.
| Facility | Ramsey County Adult Detention Center |
|---|---|
| Address | 425 Grove Street, St. Paul, MN |
| Phone | 651-266-5600 |
| Sheriff Website | ramseycountymn.gov/sheriff |
Saint Paul Police Department
The Saint Paul Police Department (SPPD) is the primary law enforcement agency for the city. It has about 620 sworn officers and roughly 180 civilian employees. The department responds to around 300,000 calls for service each year. That is a lot of activity for one city, and a portion of those calls lead to arrests that generate busted mugshots in the county system.
SPPD maintains its own records unit for police reports, incident data, and arrest documentation. The records unit can be reached at 651-266-5501. If you need a copy of a police report tied to a specific arrest, that is the number to call. The department also has an online portal for certain records requests.
More details about the department are available at stpaul.gov/police. The records unit page at stpaul.gov/police/records-unit covers how to submit formal requests for police data.
The SPPD website provides details on public safety and records access for the capital city.
How to Find St. Paul Busted Mugshots
Searching for busted mugshots from St. Paul starts with the Ramsey County jail. The county posts booking reports that include inmate names, charges, and booking dates. Check the Ramsey County booking reports page for the most recent entries. This tool shows who was booked recently and what they were charged with.
For older cases or court records, use Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO). This free search tool covers Ramsey County District Court. You can look up cases by name or case number. Results show charges, case status, hearing dates, and docket entries. MCRO does not display mugshots, but it connects the dots between an arrest and what happened in court.
The Ramsey County booking reports page lists recent intake at the Adult Detention Center.
The BCA criminal history search is another tool. Visit dps.mn.gov/bca to look up conviction records. The BCA database holds conviction data for 15 years following discharge of a sentence, per Minn. Stat. 13.87. It does not show arrests that did not result in convictions.
The Minnesota DOC Public Viewer covers people who are serving state prison sentences or under DOC supervision. If a St. Paul arrest led to a state prison term, the offender will show up in this system. It is free and open to everyone.
Minnesota Mugshot Laws
Booking photos taken at the Ramsey County jail are public data. That is the rule under Minn. Stat. 13.82, subd. 26. The same statute makes basic arrest data public too. Time, date, location, charges, and the names of the agencies involved are all open information.
There are some limits. Active criminal investigations are confidential under subd. 7 of the same law. Victim identities may be shielded in sexual conduct cases. Juvenile records follow separate rules and are generally not public.
Someone who wants their arrest record sealed can petition for expungement under Chapter 609A. The waiting period depends on the offense level. Petty misdemeanors and misdemeanors need two clean years. Gross misdemeanors need three. Certain felonies require four or five years. Records tied to predatory offender registration under Minn. Stat. 243.166 are not eligible for expungement at all.
St. Paul Records Requests
You have several options for getting records in St. Paul. For police reports, contact the SPPD Records Unit at 651-266-5501. They handle copies of incident reports, arrest reports, and other police data. Copy fees apply. Under Minn. Stat. 13.03, the maximum is 25 cents per page for standard copies.
For jail records and booking photos, go through the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's website has information on how to submit requests. You can also call the jail directly at 651-266-5600.
Court records are available through the Ramsey County District Court or through MCRO online. Visit mncourts.gov for directions on getting certified copies or accessing case files in person.
The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office website provides access to detention services and public records.
Victim Notification in St. Paul
VINELink is available for Ramsey County. This free service notifies you when an inmate's custody status changes. You can sign up for alerts by phone, email, or text. If you need to know when someone is released from the Ramsey County jail, VINELink is the best option. Registration takes just a few minutes.
Ramsey County Busted Mugshots
St. Paul is the county seat of Ramsey County. All city arrests are booked through the county jail. For more on Ramsey County records, court info, and jail resources, see the full county page.