Clearwater County Inmate Population Overview
The official local detention site for Clearwater County is the Clearwater County Jail, also described by county materials as the correctional facility or detention center. It is operated by the Clearwater County Sheriff's Office in Bagley. The local jail population includes adult men and women held before trial, people serving county jail sentences, and limited juvenile holds allowed under the rural exception described in the Minnesota DOC inspection record.
The Clearwater County inmate population does not include every person with a Clearwater County case. A defendant sentenced to state prison moves into the Minnesota Department of Corrections system and is searched through the MNDOC locator. Federal custody and immigration detention use separate federal tools. That split matters because the county roster is a current jail list, not a statewide criminal history file, a federal prisoner index, or a full archive of old bookings.
Clearwater County Inmate Population Statistics
The most useful Clearwater County inmate population figures come from Minnesota DOC jail inspection and performance reporting. The 2025 inspection report lists the jail as a secure coed facility with approved capacity of 38 beds and an 85 percent operational capacity of 32.30 beds. The FY25 MNDOC performance report lists Clearwater County jail average daily population at 19.00, which is below both the approved and operational capacity figures.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| Average daily population | 19.00 | FY25 MNDOC Performance Report |
| Approved jail capacity | 38 secure coed beds | 2025 Minnesota DOC Clearwater County Jail inspection |
| Operational capacity | 32.30 beds at 85 percent | 2025 Minnesota DOC Clearwater County Jail inspection |
| Total jail expenditures | $769,773.17 | FY25 MNDOC Performance Report |
| Per diem based on ADP | $111.00 | FY25 MNDOC Performance Report |
Clearwater County Inmate Population Trends
Recent state figures show a small decline rather than crowding pressure. FY24 average daily population was 20.31, while FY25 was 19.00. Using the published FY25 ADP against the 38 approved beds, the jail was at 50.0 percent of approved capacity. Using the operational capacity of 32.30 beds, the same ADP equals about 58.8 percent. Those percentages are calculations from state-published numbers, not separate county estimates.
Oversight records also add context. The 2025 DOC inspection moved the jail to biennial inspection status and reported substantial compliance with Minnesota Rules chapter 2911. Earlier reports from 2023 and 2024 are part of the county's inspection history, while the 2025 report notes corrective items tied to classification, daily security inspection documentation, medication accounting, post orders, and volunteer agreements.
| Year / Report | ADP or Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FY25 | 19.00 ADP | About 50.0 percent of approved capacity and about 58.8 percent of operational capacity. |
| FY24 | 20.31 ADP | Slightly higher than FY25 but still below the 38-bed approved capacity. |
| 2025 inspection | 38 approved / 32.30 operational | Capacity and license measure, not a daily head count. |
| 2025 JJDP audit | 3 juveniles since 10/01/2024 | Youth were processed or held under rural-exception limits with no JJDP violations found. |
Clearwater County Inmate Population Makeup
Clearwater County does not publish a full public demographic table for the jail population by race, age, sex, charge level, annual bookings, or average length of stay. The supported local description is narrower: the jail holds adult males and females, pretrial and sentenced county inmates, and limited juvenile detainees. The DOC inspection identifies the bed type as secure coed. The county jail page says people are classified by behavior as minimum, medium, and maximum security risks.
Classification is not just a label. Minnesota Rules chapter 2911 requires local adult detention facilities to use policy and procedure for custody level, housing assignment, special needs, safety risk, escape risk, juvenile/adult status, and other factors. The 2025 inspection found two housing units where inmates of different classifications were housed together without a classification override. The report says that issue was corrected on site, which makes classification a key fact for understanding how the Clearwater County inmate population is managed.
- Pretrial
- A person held after arrest while the criminal case is still moving through court.
- Sentenced county inmate
- A person serving a local jail sentence rather than a state prison sentence.
- Classification
- The jail's risk and housing review for safety, custody level, behavior, and special needs.
- Detainer or hold
- A legal reason another agency may require the jail to keep or transfer a person.
Clearwater County Jail Record Laws
Minnesota public-data law explains why some Clearwater County jail information can be viewed online while other details are withheld. Minnesota Statutes section 13.82 covers law enforcement data, including public arrest data and adult booking photographs unless temporary active-investigation withholding applies. Minnesota Statutes section 13.85 covers corrections and detention data. Minnesota Statutes section 641.05 requires the sheriff to keep a permanent jail record for persons committed to jail.
Key Statutes:
Minnesota Statutes section 241.021 gives the commissioner of corrections inspection and licensing authority over correctional facilities.
Minnesota Rules chapter 2911 sets local adult detention standards for classification, visiting, mail, phone access, security checks, medication, and sanitation.
Minnesota Statutes section 241.253 requires state reporting of county and regional jail communications data.
Clearwater County Jail Inspection Notes
The 2025 inspection gives the best official conditions snapshot for the Clearwater County inmate population. The jail's authority to operate runs from 06/01/2025 through 05/31/2027, and the report states the facility moved to biennial inspections. It found a 97.52 percent mandatory-rule compliance rate and a 98.94 percent essential-rule compliance rate. Those figures are useful because they come from state oversight, not from a marketing page.
The same report listed issues that should not be overstated or ignored. Classification problems in two housing units were corrected on site. Daily security inspection documentation and medication accounting procedures needed updates. Three custody staff had not signed 2024 post orders, and volunteer agreement updates were recommended. The JJDP audit noted three juveniles held or processed since 10/01/2024 and no violations.
Search Clearwater County Inmate Records
The official Clearwater County inmate list is the first place to check current local jail custody. It is a public list, not a search form. During inspection, no name-search box, filters, booking-number field, or full profile page were visible. The county says the list attempts to update every 60 minutes and warns that charges may be initial booking charges or amended charges.
The roster also carries a strong identity warning. The sheriff's office does not represent that the information is current, accurate, or complete, and the page states that true identity can only be confirmed by fingerprint comparison. For a recent arrest, a name spelling issue, or a formal use, call the jail or use the county public information request form rather than treating the online list as final.
- Open the official inmate list and scan the current roster for the person's last name.
- Use browser find if the list is long, because the inspected page did not show a roster search box.
- Check the mugshot, name, booking date and time, and charges for all hold reasons.
- Call the jail at 218-694-6226 if the person was just arrested, not listed, or listed under an unexpected spelling.
- Use the MNDOC locator if the person has been sentenced to state prison instead of remaining in the county jail.
The official county page below shows the current-inmate list layout and disclaimer. Source: Clearwater County inmate list.
The screenshot reflects the county's list-style roster, which is why the practical search step is scanning the page and verifying uncertain matches with the jail.
Clearwater County Inmate Record Fields
The public Clearwater County jail roster is narrower than many large-county systems. It shows current list data rather than a complete booking profile. The visible fields were mugshot, name, booking date and time, and charges for all hold reasons. Fields such as bond amount, housing unit, arresting agency, court date, release date, height, weight, and booking number were not visible on the inspected public list.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Mugshot | Booking-photo column when the roster displays a photo for a listed inmate. |
| Last, First Name | Name shown in last-name-first order, subject to the county's false-identity warning. |
| Booking Date / Time | When the person was booked into Clearwater County Jail. |
| Charges for All Hold Reasons | Offense or hold text that may be initial booking charges or amended charges. |
| Not Visible on Public List | Bond, housing, release date, arresting agency, booking number, and court-date fields were not visible during inspection. |
Clearwater County Jail vs State Prison
Many failed searches happen because the wrong system is used. The county roster covers people in the Clearwater County Jail. The MNDOC public locator covers adults committed to the commissioner of corrections who are still under DOC jurisdiction, including prison custody and release from prison while still under supervision. Newly sentenced people may take several business days to appear in the DOC locator.
| Question | County Jail | State Prison / DOC |
|---|---|---|
| Who is held | Pretrial detainees and sentenced county-jail inmates. | Adults sentenced to MNDOC prison custody or still under DOC supervision. |
| Run by | Clearwater County Sheriff's Office. | Minnesota Department of Corrections. |
| Where to look | Clearwater County inmate list and jail phone line. | MNDOC public locator by name or six-digit DOC ID. |
| Record focus | Booking date, hold reasons, local custody. | DOC ID, custody status, facility, sentence and supervision data. |
Clearwater County Federal Custody Search
Federal and immigration custody are separate from the Clearwater County inmate population, but they are important fallback channels. The Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator covers federal inmates from 1982 to the present and allows name or number searches. BOP release dates may change when sentence credits are recalculated. The ICE Online Detainee Locator System searches current ICE custody and certain recent CBP custody cases over 48 hours.
Federal pretrial custody can involve the U.S. Marshals Service District of Minnesota. The research file did not locate a federal, ICE, or state prison facility physically inside Clearwater County. That means these tools are lookup fallbacks for transfers, federal cases, immigration authority, or state prison sentences, not extra Clearwater County jail pages.
| Channel | Use It For | Main Search Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Clearwater County inmate list | Current local jail custody. | Scan the list by name and booking date. |
| MNDOC locator | State prison custody or DOC supervision. | Name search or six-digit MNDOC ID. |
| BOP locator | Sentenced federal prisoners. | Name fields or federal register number. |
| ICE ODLS | Immigration detention. | A-number or biographical search. |
| VINE | Custody status notices. | Online or phone notification channel. |
Clearwater County Records Request Fallback
If the roster does not answer the question, the official fallback is the sheriff's office or a public information request. The county Applications and Permits page links a Clearwater County Public Information Request Form. Use that path for jail or booking records not already visible online, and identify the person, booking date, date range, and specific record requested. Minnesota law allows public access to many law-enforcement and detention records, but active investigation, juvenile, medical, security, victim, and other protected data can be redacted or withheld.
The sheriff's office also remains the practical phone fallback for custody checks. The office is listed at the courthouse, first floor, 213 Main Avenue North, Dept. 102, Bagley, MN 56621, with phone 218-694-6226. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The same phone number is the contact point for jail questions when roster timing, identity, or release status matters.
Clearwater County Detention Facility
The Facility Map resolves one local detention page for this project. No official source located a separate city jail, work-release annex, regional detention center, state prison, federal detention facility, or ICE detention center inside Clearwater County. Bagley Police has a local contact page, but official sources point detention lookup back to county dispatch and the sheriff-operated jail when a person is booked into local custody.
- Clearwater County Jail - county jail in Bagley for adult male and female pretrial detainees, sentenced county inmates, and limited juvenile holds allowed by inspection authority.
Clearwater County Inmate Population FAQ
How large is the Clearwater County inmate population? FY25 state reporting lists an average daily population of 19.00 at the Clearwater County Jail. The 2025 DOC inspection lists 38 approved secure coed beds and 32.30 operational capacity at 85 percent.
How do I search the Clearwater County inmate population? Start with the official county inmate list for current jail custody. It is a list rather than a searchable database, so scan by name and call 218-694-6226 when timing or identity is uncertain.
Where do sentenced prisoners appear? Sentenced state prisoners appear through the Minnesota Department of Corrections locator, not the Clearwater County jail roster. Federal prisoners use BOP, and immigration detainees use ICE ODLS.
Does Clearwater County post booking photos? The inmate list has a mugshot column for listed inmates when available. Minnesota law generally treats adult booking photographs as public data, but agencies can temporarily withhold access if release would harm an active investigation.
Is there a Clearwater County sheriff app? Official research did not locate a Clearwater County, Minnesota sheriff or Bagley police app with roster or warrant features. Do not use app information from Clearwater County, Idaho.