Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or location entered in a search tool is sent directly to the outside provider that operates that tool. The provider processes the query and supplies its results. We do not retain or record those search terms on our systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
When you email us, we retain the message as needed to respond. It remains within our organization unless disclosure is required by a valid legal obligation.
Data We Gather Automatically
Our servers automatically receive certain technical details whenever a page loads:
- Page-view timestamps
- Your device type and operating system
- The referring website, when one is provided
- Your device's assigned IP address
- The pages viewed and time spent on them
- Your browser type and version
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files placed on a device. We use them with analytics services to understand traffic in aggregate, such as which pages receive visits and where sessions end. You can block cookies through your browser settings, although doing so may change how some website functions behave.
What We Do With This Data
- Route search requests to the appropriate partner service
- Diagnose and correct technical problems
- Operate the website and maintain reasonable loading speed
- Measure which pages are useful and which may need improvement
- Display advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
We do not maintain, assemble, or sell a database of personal criminal-record information. The website gives general directions to Guthrie County record custodians, including the Sheriff's Office, Iowa District Court, the Iowa Department of Public Safety's Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Iowa Sex Offender Registry. We are not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Visitor data is not compiled into consumer reports or criminal records about other people.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies operate the search boxes. Information submitted through a box is governed by that provider's privacy policy rather than this policy. Each provider controls its own retention and disclosure practices. Review those terms before entering a query.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to the Guthrie County Sheriff's Office, Iowa court systems, state agencies, legal-aid organizations, or outside search tools. Once you follow an external link, the destination's privacy rules apply. Read them before providing personal information.
Some advertising providers may use activity across websites to tailor ads. That processing occurs through the providers' systems, which we do not control.
Who Might See Your Data
We do not sell personal information. Data may be available to:
- Analytics providers that measure website use and performance
- Search partners that process a query submitted through their tool
- Government or law-enforcement bodies when a valid legal order requires disclosure
- Advertising networks that serve ads on the website
How We Protect Your Data
We use customary security measures intended to protect collected information. No internet-connected system is completely secure, however, so we cannot guarantee that unauthorized access or a breach will never occur.
Users Under 18
The website is intended for adults, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone younger than 18. If you believe a minor supplied information, contact us so it can be deleted.
Your Data Rights
Rights can vary based on where you live. Iowa's Open Records Law, Iowa Code chapter 22, concerns records held by public bodies, while chapters 692 and 692A govern dissemination of criminal-history and registry information. Those laws do not convert private website analytics into an official Guthrie County record. Subject to applicable law, you may:
- Request deletion of personal data we hold
- Ask what personal information we maintain about you
- Seek correction of inaccurate information
- Ask to opt out of certain processing where that choice is available
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised. An updated version will be posted here with a changed effective date, so visitors should review it periodically for current practices.
Effective date: July 23, 2026