Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or location entered in a search box is sent to the outside provider operating that tool. The provider processes the query and supplies its results. We do not keep a local log of the search terms submitted through those boxes.
Messages and Contact Submissions
Messages sent to us may be retained so they can be reviewed and answered. We keep them within our organization unless disclosure is required by a valid legal obligation.
Data We Gather Automatically
When a page loads, the server and analytics systems can receive routine technical details about that visit:
- Page-view dates and times
- Browser type and version
- Device class and operating system
- IP address used for the connection
- Pages viewed and time spent on them
- Referring website, when one is provided
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files placed on a device. They help analytics services combine traffic information, such as which pages are visited and where sessions end. A browser can block or remove cookies, though doing so may change how parts of the site operate.
What We Do With This Data
- Route a submitted query to the selected search partner
- Maintain site availability, speed, and security
- Diagnose errors and other technical problems
- Measure which pages are useful or need improvement
- Display advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
Pottawattamie County Criminal History does not build, keep, or sell a database of personal criminal records. It publishes general directions to the sheriff, Iowa District Court, the Iowa DCI Records and Identification Unit, and the Iowa Sex Offender Registry. Visitor information is not assembled into a consumer report or a criminal-record file about another person. This site is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies power the search boxes. Their own privacy policies apply to information entered into those tools, and each company sets its retention and disclosure practices. We do not control those choices. Review the relevant partner policy before sending a query.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to Pottawattamie County offices, Iowa Courts Online, state agencies, legal resources, or outside search services. Once a visitor leaves this site, the destination's privacy terms apply. Review them before supplying personal information.
Some advertising companies may use their own systems to follow activity across websites for interest-based advertising. Their technology and policies govern that tracking.
Who Might See Your Data
We do not sell personal information. Limited visitor data may be available to:
- Analytics providers measuring traffic and performance
- Search partners processing a query submitted to their tool
- Advertising networks serving content on the pages
- Government or law-enforcement bodies acting under a valid legal order
How We Protect Your Data
Reasonable technical and organizational safeguards are used for the data collected. No internet service can guarantee perfect protection, so we cannot promise that unauthorized access or a breach will never occur.
Users Under 18
The site is intended for adults, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we learn that a minor supplied such information, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.
Your Data Rights
Rights can vary with a visitor's location and the law that applies. Iowa Code chapter 22 and chapter 692 govern access to government records and dissemination of criminal-history data; they do not turn this private site into an Iowa records custodian. Subject to applicable law, a visitor may:
- Request access to personal information held about them
- Ask that inaccurate personal information be corrected
- Request deletion when the law permits it
- Object to or opt out of certain processing where a legal right applies
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised as practices or legal duties change. A new version becomes available on this page and carries an updated effective date.
Effective date: July 23, 2026