Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or place entered in a search tool is sent to the outside provider that operates that tool. The provider processes the request and supplies its results. We do not keep a separate log of those search terms.
Messages and Contact Submissions
Email messages are retained as needed to prepare and send a response. They remain within our organization unless disclosure is required by a valid legal obligation.
Data We Gather Automatically
When a page loads, the server automatically receives basic technical details about that visit:
- Page-view dates and times
- Browser name and version
- Device category and operating system
- Device IP address
- Visited pages and time spent on them
- The referring site, when one is reported
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files placed on a device. They and analytics services help combine traffic patterns, such as which pages are visited most often and where visits end. A browser can block cookies, although some site functions may then work differently.
What We Do With This Data
- Route a search request to the selected partner
- Operate, maintain, and improve page performance
- Find and repair technical problems
- Measure which content visitors use
- Display advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
Howard County Criminal History does not compile, keep, or sell a database of personal criminal records. It publishes general directions to the Howard County Sheriff, Iowa District Court, Iowa DCI, and the Iowa Sex Offender Registry. Visitor data are not assembled into consumer reports or third-party criminal profiles, and this site is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies operate the search boxes. Information submitted there is governed by the selected partner's policy, including its retention and disclosure terms. Review those terms before sending a query because we do not control the partner's data practices.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to courts, the Sheriff's Office, Iowa agencies, legal resources, or private search tools. Once a visitor leaves this site, the destination's privacy rules apply. Read them before providing personal details.
Advertising providers may use their own systems to measure activity across sites and select targeted ads.
Who Might See Your Data
We do not sell personal information. Limited data may be handled by:
- Analytics providers that measure use and performance
- Search partners selected to process a query
- Advertising networks serving page ads
- A government or law-enforcement body acting under a valid legal order
How We Protect Your Data
Reasonable security practices are used to protect collected information. No internet-connected service can guarantee perfect security, so we cannot promise that unauthorized access will never occur.
Users Under 18
The service is intended for adults and does not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If such information is identified, a deletion request may be made through the contact route.
Your Data Rights
Applicable privacy and consumer-protection law may provide rights beyond this policy. Iowa Code chapter 22 governs records held by public bodies, while Iowa Code chapter 692 governs state criminal-history data; neither turns this private site's analytics into a Howard County public record. Subject to the law that applies, a visitor may:
- Request access to personal data we retain
- Ask that inaccurate information be corrected
- Seek deletion when the law permits it
- Object to certain forms of processing
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised. A new version takes effect when it is posted here with an updated effective date.
Effective date: July 23, 2026