This is a private reference site, not a government office. We cannot confirm custody, release a person, post bond, or retrieve an official booking record. Contact the office that created or holds the record for those services.
Official Records Contact
The Black Hawk County Sheriff's Office is the official contact for sheriff-created booking and incident records. Its FAQ names Kim Smeins as the Open Records Liaison. Requests may be made by phone, email, or in person Monday through Friday during regular business hours. The office may need time for preparation, research, or legal review.
Black Hawk County Sheriff's OfficeAttention: Open Records Request
225 E. 6th Street
Waterloo, IA 50703
Main: 319-291-2587
Records: 319-291-2587 ext. 5126
Email: ksmeins@bhcso.org
Non-emergency dispatch: 319-291-2515
The sheriff's records FAQ explains the request channels. Work under 30 minutes has no charge. Longer work is billed at actual cost, and the published fee schedule lists $10 each for a criminal record, incident report, driving record, or mugshot copy, plus $5 when mailed. A listed fee does not guarantee that a specific record or image can be released.
Choose the source based on the information needed:
- For a county jail booking record or photo, follow the request route above or use the county arrest-record hub.
- For someone shown in current county custody, check the Black Hawk County Sheriff's Office roster before calling the records liaison.
- For a recent city arrest, use the Waterloo daily log, Cedar Falls press-log archive, or contact Evansdale Police directly.
- For a release or transfer alert, use IowaVINE or the VINELink custody service.
- For a filed case or final disposition, search Iowa Courts Online or contact the Black Hawk County Clerk of Court.
- For a sentenced or supervised state offender, use the Iowa Department of Corrections Offender Search.
- For federal or immigration custody, use the federal BOP or ICE locator rather than a county source.