Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or location entered in a search tool is sent to the third-party company that operates that tool. The provider processes the request and supplies its results. We do not keep a separate log of those search terms on our systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
We retain an email sent to us as needed to respond. It remains within our organization unless disclosure is required by a valid legal obligation.
Data We Gather Automatically
Our servers receive routine technical details when a visitor loads a page:
- Page-view dates and times
- Device type and operating system
- Browser name and version
- Referring site, when one is supplied
- Pages viewed and time spent on them
- The device's assigned IP address
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files saved on a device. We use them with analytics services to understand aggregate traffic, popular pages, and where visits end. A browser can block cookies, although doing so may change how some site features work.
What We Do With This Data
- Routing a search request to the selected partner
- Finding and repairing technical problems
- Measuring which pages are useful or need improvement
- Operating the site and maintaining performance
- Displaying advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
We do not maintain, assemble, or sell a database of personal criminal records. The published material explains how to reach the O'Brien County Sheriff's Office, Iowa District Court, Iowa DCI Criminal History Records and Identification Section, and Iowa Sex Offender Registry. We are not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Visitor information is not used to create consumer reports or third-party criminal-history files.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies operate the search boxes. Information submitted there is governed by the provider's privacy policy, including its retention and sharing terms. We do not control those practices. Read the partner's policy before running a search.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to the O'Brien County sheriff, Iowa Courts Online, state agencies, legal resources, or outside search services. Once you leave this site, the destination's privacy terms apply. Review them before providing personal information.
Advertising providers may use their own systems to measure activity across websites and select ads. Their tracking is not operated by us.
Who Might See Your Data
Personal data is not sold. Limited information may be available to:
- Analytics providers that measure traffic and performance
- Advertising networks that place ads on the site
- Search providers that process a query you submit
- Government or law-enforcement bodies acting under a valid legal order
How We Protect Your Data
We use standard safeguards for information under our control. No internet service is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee that an incident will never occur.
Users Under 18
This service 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 delete it.
Your Data Rights
Applicable law may provide rights over personal data. Iowa's Open Records Law, Iowa Code chapter 22, governs records kept by public bodies, while Iowa Code chapter 692 controls criminal-history dissemination and correction. Those laws do not make this private site the custodian of O'Brien County government records. For information we hold, you may:
- Request deletion where the law and our obligations permit it
- Ask what personal information we retain about you
- Seek correction of inaccurate information
- Opt out of processing where an applicable law provides that choice
Updates to This Policy
We may revise this policy. Any new version will appear here with an updated effective date, so visitors can review current practices.
Effective date: July 23, 2026