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Rice Lake Arrest Records

Are Arrest Records Public in Rice Lake, Wisconsin?

Arrest records are public documents in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, pursuant to the Wisconsin Public Records Law (Wis. Stat. §§ 19.31-19.39). This statute establishes that records created or maintained by government agencies, including local law enforcement, shall be accessible to the public unless specifically exempted by law. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has consistently upheld the presumption of complete public access to public records, reflecting the principle that an informed citizenry is essential to the functioning of a democratic society.

Members of the public seeking arrest records in Rice Lake should be aware that certain information may be redacted in accordance with Wis. Stat. § 19.36, which provides exemptions for confidential information, ongoing investigations, or information that may compromise public safety if disclosed. The Rice Lake Police Department maintains these records in compliance with state retention schedules as mandated by Wis. Stat. § 16.61.

How to Look Up Rice Lake Arrest Records in 2025

The Rice Lake Police Department maintains arrest records for incidents occurring within city limits. Individuals seeking these records may utilize several official channels:

In-person requests may be submitted at the Rice Lake Police Department, located at 34 W Eau Claire Street, Rice Lake, WI 54868. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, excluding holidays.
Written requests may be submitted via mail to the Records Division at the above address. Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 19.35(1)(h), requests must reasonably describe the records being sought.
The Rice Lake Police Department provides limited online access to certain public safety information through their official website.
For cases that have entered the court system, the Rice Lake Municipal Court maintains records of proceedings related to city ordinance violations and certain misdemeanors.

Requestors should note that fees may apply for record retrieval and copying in accordance with Wis. Stat. § 19.35(3). The current fee schedule includes $0.25 per page for photocopies and $25.00 per hour for record location and preparation time exceeding $50.00 in cost.

Contents of a Rice Lake Arrest Record

Arrest records maintained by the Rice Lake Police Department typically contain the following information as required by Wisconsin Administrative Code § LES 9.04:

Subject identification information, including full legal name, aliases, date of birth, gender, race, height, weight, eye and hair color, and identifying marks such as tattoos or scars
Arrest details, including date, time, and location of arrest
Statutory citations for alleged violations of Wisconsin state law or Rice Lake municipal ordinances
Booking information, including fingerprints and photographs taken during processing
Arresting officer information and badge number
Custody status, including bail or bond information if applicable
Case disposition information, when available

Certain sensitive information may be redacted from public copies of arrest records, including Social Security numbers, information related to confidential informants, juvenile records protected under Wis. Stat. § 938.396, and information that might compromise ongoing investigations as determined by the records custodian.

Expungement of Arrest Records in Rice Lake

Wisconsin law provides limited opportunities for the expungement of arrest records under Wis. Stat. § 973.015. Individuals seeking expungement in Rice Lake must meet specific statutory criteria:

The offense must be a misdemeanor or a Class H or I felony.
The individual must have been under the age of 25 at the time of the commission of the offense.
The court must have determined at the time of sentencing that expungement would benefit the person and society would not be harmed.
The individual must have successfully completed their sentence.

The expungement process requires filing a petition with the court that handled the original case. For Rice Lake Municipal Court cases, petitions must be filed at:

Rice Lake Municipal Court
30 E Eau Claire Street
Rice Lake, WI 54868
(715) 234-7767
Municipal Court - City of Rice Lake

For felony cases and more serious misdemeanors handled at the county level, petitions must be filed with:

Barron County Circuit Court
1420 State Highway 25 North
Barron, WI 54812
(715) 537-6260

Upon successful expungement, records are sealed from public view but remain accessible to law enforcement agencies for official purposes. It should be noted that expungement in Wisconsin does not completely destroy records but rather limits their accessibility.

Legal Restrictions on Arrest Record Access

While arrest records are generally public in Rice Lake, several statutory provisions limit access to certain information:

Juvenile records are subject to confidentiality protections under Wis. Stat. § 938.396, with limited exceptions for victims and certain authorized agencies.
Records related to domestic abuse investigations may have restricted access pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 968.075(8) to protect victim safety.
Information identifying confidential informants is exempt from disclosure under Wis. Stat. § 19.36(8).
Records pertaining to ongoing investigations may be temporarily withheld if disclosure would impede the investigation, as permitted by Wis. Stat. § 19.36(4).

The Rice Lake Police Department's records custodian is responsible for applying these exemptions in accordance with state law. Denials of record requests must include specific statutory citations justifying the withholding of information, and requestors have the right to judicial review of such denials under Wis. Stat. § 19.37.

Using Arrest Records for Background Checks

Employers, landlords, and other entities in Rice Lake seeking to use arrest records for background screening purposes must comply with applicable state and federal laws:

The Wisconsin Fair Employment Act (Wis. Stat. § 111.31-111.395) prohibits discrimination based on arrest or conviction records unless the charges are substantially related to the particular job.
The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.) imposes additional requirements when using consumer reporting agencies to obtain background information.
Rice Lake Municipal Ordinance 8.24 requires certain businesses to conduct background checks for employees in positions involving contact with vulnerable populations.

Entities requesting arrest records for background check purposes must provide proper identification and may be required to submit a statement of purpose in accordance with Wis. Stat. § 19.35(1)(i).